Say goodbye to dry skin and chapped lips and hello to a hydrated beautiful you all year long.
Introduction
As the holiday season gets closer and the cold grows, you’ll notice your skin getting damaged. Dry fingers, chapped lips and flaky skin are a pain to everyone in the winter but no one wants to look worn out during the holidays. A good skincare routine can help but you can’t expect the same routine that you used in the summer to work in the winter.
Your winter skincare routine should be more focused on getting moisturized and hydrated. Tweak your normal routine just a little bit and keep some things in mind and you should be good to go! Here are some do’s and don’t you can use to help you better your winter skincare.
Do: Get a gentle cleanser
Clean skin is important anytime of the year. Lots of people tend to skip this step because chemicals in their daily cleansers harm the skin and it becomes dry instead of just clean. Your skin becomes flaky and it can even look a little wrinkled.
It's important to use a cleanser or face wash to clean your face at least twice a day- before you put on the day’s makeup and before you go to sleep. You can switch to a more gentle chemical-free cleanser. Look for one with natural ingredients that’s either water or oil-based. This way, you’ll get clear, nourished skin all day.
Don’t: Take hot showers for too long
Yes, it’s winter and hot showers are the promises we make to get ourselves out of bed but they can actually be harmful for your skin. Hot water opens up the pores on your skin and it becomes irritable. It actually removes essential oils and water from your skin, too.
Even if you don’t take completely cold showers in the winter it's ok. Just don’t spend too long under boiling hot water. Instead, once you take your shower, finish with a 30-second, cold water routine. This will close up the pores and cool down your body a little bit. If your skin turns red the temperature is too high.
Do: Regularly exfoliate
It's very important to exfoliate regularly in the winter- at least two times a week. Winter means dry and flaky skin. That means that there is more dead skin, too, which you should remove before it collects. Exfoliating makes it easier for your skin to absorb the rest of the products you’ll put on your face, most importantly moisturizer. As you exfoliate, give yourself a massage, too. It’ll increase the blood flow to your face making it brighter and more plump.
Don’t: Stop wearing sunscreen
Sunscreen should be your go-to last step in any skincare routine- that’s how important it is. People tend to think that it's ok to not wear sunscreen in winter. That is NOT the case. Bright sun or no sun, sunscreen is a must. SPF is your friend year-long.
UV rays after around 9 in the morning are harmful for your skin so you have to protect yourself. Even a little sun in the summer can cause your skin irritation and make it dry. Some sunscreens come with a special hydrating formula so your skin becomes more plump.
Do: Moisturize, moisturize!
When you curl your fingers in the winter and feel your skin is dry, you know you’ve got to moisturize. Winter is great at drying up your skin and starving it of essential nutrients. That’s why it's crucial that you continuously put on moisturizer. Keep a small one in your bag so you can put it on when you’re on the go. As a general rule of thumb, lightly run your nails over your skin- if it leaves marks, you need moisturizer.
Don’t: Wear makeup to cover up
Makeup is never the solution to dry skin. If you don’t like how your skin feels, that’s because it needs to be hydrated. Covering it up won’t solve the problem. In reality, makeup actually has harmful chemicals including preservatives and emulsifiers that can further damage your skin, which in the winter, is even more susceptible to damage. Instead of relying on makeup, moisturize or hydrate your skin first. This’ll enhance your makeup, too.
Do: Drink plenty of water
There’s moisturizing and then there’s drinking water. You have to do both for the best results. Drinking water nourishes your body from the inside. As we all know, being healthy inside creates a strong foundation for your beauty on the outside.
Ideally, you should drink 8 glasses of water since most of our body is water, but most of us don’t follow that. While the summer leaves us parched for a drink, the cold makes it hard to understand when you’re thirsty. You end up drinking even less water so make sure to consciously remind yourself to stay hydrated.
Don’t: Cut corners during your Exercise
Winters are for warm blankets and itchy holiday sweaters but staying in bed isn’t healthy for your body, let alone your skin. When you don’t exercise, your body becomes loose and things can start to build up inside. Whether you walk, run, or go to the gym, moving helps your skin detox not to mention the good benefits it has for the rest of your body. So, this winter, get up, go outside, and exercise!
Conclusion:
It's important to maintain good skincare especially in the winter when your skin becomes dry and flaky. After all, why coverup when you can show off! Nourish your skin and feel healthy from the inside this winter with these dos and don’ts for your skincare routine. Both your skin and you will be happy just in time for the holiday season!
8 Dos And Don'ts For Better Winter Skincare Infographics
