The winter season brings along the best of times. Think hot chocolate, marshmallows, soft sweaters, and endless snuggles. What it also brings with it is colder, drier air that wreaks havoc on your skin. Flaky white patches, peeling skin, redness and sensitivity are some of the common ramifications of cooler weather on the skin.
As the temperature declines, the humidity in the air drops, making your skin feel tight and uncomfortable, so simply swapping your gel-based moisturiser with a ceramide-laden cream won’t make the cut. We reach out to Dr Madhuri Agarwal, a Mumbai-based celebrity dermatologist for tips on how to care for our skin during the winter season.
.PNG)
Simple yet effective winter skincare tips
“Winter means icy cold winds that sap away all moisture, leaving the skin and lips dry, the feet cracked and irritable. The lipids and moisture levels in the skin tend to go down in winter. From oily skin, we may suddenly go over to the dry spectrum. Some people even experience skin allergies and patchiness due to dryness,” shares Dr Agarwal. “It is essential to cleanse and exfoliate skin during winters, especially if you have oily skin. Switch [from your deep cleansing cleanser] to a gentle, non-foaming face wash that doesn’t strip away all the moisture from your skin. Don’t forget to add a chemical exfoliant containing lactic acid, glycolic acid and polyhydroxy acids—however, avoid physical scrubs.”
1. Say hello to cream-based products early:
Turn to skincare products that have a creamy base, like thick moisturisers for instance, suggests the dermatologist. “Similarly, try to use sunscreen that has moisturising benefits too. While removing makeup too, use moisturising cleansers and toners. Do not wait for your skin to start cracking to replace your products, do it a couple of weeks before the skin starts showing signs of excessive dryness.” Enriched with vitamin C, niacinamide and ceramide, the Blessed Moon Water Moisturizing Cream Kit, comprising 31 one-time-use capsules would be a great pick for the winters.
2. Don’t sleep on Oil Massages:
“When you wake up in the morning, just give yourself 15 minutes to apply warm oil all over the body, including on the face and the scalp. Leave it for an hour as you finish your morning chores like reading the newspaper, preparing and eating breakfast etc, before getting ready to go out to work,” informs Agarwal. “Then, take a bath as usual, and proceed for the day.” We recommend using the L’Occitane Shea Fabulous Body Oil, which contains pure shea oil, known for restoring lipid health.
3. Opt for nourishing skin procedures:
Agarwal recommends visiting a dermatologist just before the onset of winter for an updated skincare routine that combats dryness. “Deeply moisturising aqua-revive medi facials once a month can be of much help in treating, and even preventing, excessive dryness. A brief session with skin boosters will also help nourish the upper layers of the dermis with hyaluronic acid that promotes water retention and hence hydration. It will also give the skin glow and shine, preventing a dull and dry appearance that often occurs in winter,” explains the skin expert.
4. Sip, sip, sip … and sip again:
Though ‘tis the season for hot chocolate and festive food and drink, ensuring your system is hydrated from within is key. “The icy cold weather often discourages us from drinking sufficient water and we tend to increase our skin dehydration due to this reason. Since we do not sweat in winter, we feel less thirsty. But remember, if you do not feel thirsty, it doesn’t mean you need less water. If you dislike cold water, heat it slightly to make it lukewarm or keep heated water in a thermostat. But keep drinking to keep skin hydrated and prevent lips from cracking.”
5. Don’t forget hand and feet care:
Cracked heels, irritated soles, and itchy hands are common side effects of cold weather. To address this problem, “apply rich moisturising creams to the hands and feet every night before going to bed,” suggests the skin expert. Try The Body Shop’s Almond Hand & Nail Cream, which is a user favourite as it combines shea butter, almond oil, panthenol and a plethora of other emollients. “Use an exfoliating agent to remove jagged and hard skin from the heels once every fortnight.” If you want a quick fix, simply slide your feet into the House of Beauty Paraffin Wax Gloves–Lavender. This works on smoothing out the crusty skin on your hands and feet
