8 Ways to Get Your Skin Ready for Winter

Cold temperatures, low humidity and extreme weather conditions can damage your skin. During the cold winter months you may notice that your skin is dull, itchy and dehydrated. Binge eating and binge drinking during a holiday season can only worsen the situation. Luckily, you can make your beauty routine less problematic in winter by following some easy and handy tips and tricks.

1 Stock up on creams

In winter your skin requires more care than in summer. During a cold season you should stock up on creams and avoid using lotions. Creams usually have heavier formulas and they may feel a bit more uncomfortable on your skin. But they are the best protectors against severe weather conditions. Winter creams contain more fatty ingredients, which prevent dehydration and roughness. Apply creams before bed and not less than 30 minutes before going outdoors. You should also skip light makeup formulas and consider heavier foundations, cream shadows and lipsticks.

2 Use a sunscreen daily

Many women mistakenly believe that their skin doesn’t need sunscreens in winter. In fact, sun is rather harmful to your skin all year round, and in winter the harmful effect is just reinforced by cold temperatures and wind. Unless you apply a sunscreen, you can get a burn even in winter. If your everyday cream doesn’t contain SPF, consider buying sunscreens with SPF 15 and higher. Sunscreens are essential if you spend a lot of time outdoors working or exercising. Make sure you apply your sunscreen at least half an hour before you go outdoors.

Read also – 7 Essential Tips for Looking Great Without Makeup

3 Don’t forget about your gloves

Gloves are often a very neglected and underrated item, thus most people decide to put on gloves only when the temperatures turn extremely cold. However, you should wear gloves during fall and winter seasons to protect your skin against redness, frostbite and roughness. The skin on your hands is much more sensitive and vulnerable during the cold winter months, so they need more moisturizing and nourishing than ever. For a better effect you can apply your hand cream before wearing gloves.

4 Take short showers

A long hot shower is really what I love and need in winter, but the truth is that hot showers are very harmful to the skin as well as soaking in a hot tub. Hot water promotes excess dryness and dehydration; it removes the upper protective layer of your skin and make it more vulnerable to irritants. Even if you have oily skin you’d better avoid using soaps. Instead, opt for nourishing shower gels and apply body creams and moisturizers right after you take a shower. Consider reducing your shower time and opt for lukewarm water while taking a bath.

5 Moisturize

Don’t wait until your hands and face become dry and scaly! You should start using moisturizers when the thermometer shows sub-zero temperatures. Pay special attention to your hands. Applying a hand moisturizer twice a day may be insufficient. Ideally, you should use hand creams 5 or 6 times a day, depending on your skin type. While you have a tube of a moisturizer in your bath, it’s also necessary that you carry a hand cream in your handbag and use it each time you wash your hands.

6 Reconsider your diet

You know that your skin reflects your health, thus it’s directly connected with your diet and nutrition. Have you ever noticed that your skin becomes sallow and flaky in winter? Perhaps, you need to reconsider your everyday diet and alter your eating habits. During a cold season your body requires more fats, that’s why you should skip a low-calorie diet and increase your intake of veggies, fish, dairy products and healthy fats. Sticking to a healthy diet will make your skin radiant and healthy and help you lose some pounds. Increase the consumption of citrus fruits, greens and seafood as well. Not only will it provide a protection against dryness and peeling, it will also slow down aging processes and reduce small wrinkles.

Read also – 10 Wonderful Foods That Will Give You Great Skin

7 Stay hydrated

I rarely meet people who drink the recommended amount of water daily; even more rarely people drink enough in winter. You may not feel thirsty during a cold season, but in fact your hydration needs don’t depend on the season. Drinking a lot of water is highly beneficial to your health and beauty. It helps to get rid of toxins, increases elasticity and promotes rejuvenation. While you should drink at least eight glasses of water per day, try to cut down on caffeine, carbonated water and black tea.

8 Don’t overlook scrubs

All your skin care products will appear useless if you don’t exfoliate your skin regularly especially during the fall months, since it helps to get your skin ready for winter. Dermatologists and beauty professionals say that you should exfoliate your skin three times a week during winter months. Not only will it help to remove dead cells, dirt and residues of cosmetics, it will also improve the complexion and texture of your skin. Using exfoliants three times a week is a sure way to a healthy and radiant skin. Winter outfit doesn’t display your body and heels, but they also need extra exfoliation in winter. Consider doing regular pedicure to avert cracked, unhealthy dry heels.

Getting ready your skin for winter can be a tough task. Moreover, maintaining a beauty routine in winter can be challenging, but it’s not so hard if you know some secrets. Indeed, winter can cause many problems to your skin. However, you can easily reduce the harmful effect and get your skin ready for winter by following the above-mentioned tips. Incorporate them into your beauty routine today and enjoy your healthy radiant skin even during winter months.