December
2007
Best Winter Skin Tips
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Where’s a giant ancient loofah when you need one?
I don’t know about you, but I think that tight, itchy winter skin is the absolute worst. It gets brutally dry this time of year in Southern California (and the fires have certainly been too close for comfort). But even in cooler climates where there’s rain and snow, indoor heat will really dry your skin out – even triggering rashes and acne for some folks. Here are some quick tips to keep your skin healthy, supple, and comfortable during the winter:
1. Exfoliate. The first time my wife mentioned that I try this, I raised a skeptical eyebrow. But a good salt scrub with almond oil feels great (I’d recommend avoiding the fragrance- and chemical-loaded store scrubs). The salt sloughs off all that old, scaly stuff, and the oil locks in moisture. I like unscented, of course.
2. Moisturize. Okay, I’m not one to slather on lotion after a shower. Please! That’s why I like using oils instead. In winter, even oily skin can handle walnut, almond, or fruit oils. Plus it’s efficient since you dunk yourself while in the shower. Avoid those mineral oils – they’re petroleum based. Look for vegetable-based oils instead.
3. Watch your diet. Salt, sugar and dehydration are bad for you anytime, but in winter, when your body is more sensitive, problems flare up pretty quickly. Pay heed to your diet during winter more than any other time.
4. Avoid long, hot showers. It’s cold out, you’re a little sleepier this time of year, and a long, steamy shower sounds perfect. But remember this dries out your skin. Keep showers short and as cool as you can handle.
5. Avoid irritating materials. Wool keeps you warm, but try a thin cotton layer between you and your sweater to avoid worsening your dry skin discomfort. Stick to cotton or microfiber socks. For miserably dry, cracked hands and feet, purchase inexpensive moisturizing gloves and socks at the drugstore and let your skin drink up a generous slathering of lotion overnight.
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Further Reading:
My, You’ve Got Beautiful Skin!
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Technorati Tags: dry skin, lotion, oils, dehydration, itch, exfoliate, moisturize
Winter wreaks havoc on a lot of people’s skin, I know my mother has a lot of issues with her hands getting dry and cracking. Anyone know anything that can manage this??
Oh no. I take long baths and I wear woolen socks (even in the summer!). This does not bode well for my skin.
Does drinking water and staying hydrated have anything to do with keeping your skin moisturized? I’ve heard that staying hydrated will keep skin from drying out as much, but I’ve also heard that staying hydrated doesn’t help at all, and it’s putting moisture on the outside of the skin that helps (i.e. lotion locking in after-bath moisture).
I’m sure either method has it’s own benefits, but I’ve always felt certain that drinking plenty of water was more the key to keeping skin healthy than applying a product to it. Good thing I drink tons of water and apply lotion to every inch of my body after every shower, sure got my bases covered (in lotion, haha).
You men are so funny - with your hatred of lotions.
Im glad to see you have found some good natural solutions - I love salt and olive oil all over the ol’ bod periodically. Good stuff!
Plain white sugar makes a great scrub because it forms acids similar to the expensive alpha-hydroxy stuff people buy, and it dissolves before it can scrub hard enough to damage. My skin ends up silky and soft. So if you just gave up refined sugar and need to get rid of what’s in your cupboard, take it to the bath with you!
[...] pathogens. In the most brutal weeks of winter, people often find themselves with rough, even cracked skin, which then becomes an open sewer for every germ it [...]
I use jojoba oil as I have been informed that it has the closest chemical formula to that of the body’s natural oil. Would I be better off using a vegetable based oil, or is this ok?
(By the way I’m from Australia - your blog reaches far and wide =))