In summer, skincare routines can be pretty minimal. The emphasis is on keeping skin clean, dry and protected from the sun’s rays. As the days get cooler, it’s time to prepare for winter, the harshest season for your skin.
Lips
Your lips are the most likely part of you to be damaged and dried out by winter winds. In addition, many people who are rundown or becoming ill get cold sores in winter. Dry, chapped lips not only hurt, but they are also not very attractive.
The best solution for any cold weather lip woes is medicated lip balm. Apply some before you go out for the day and again anytime your lips feel dry. Don’t forget that lips can become cracked overnight due to the heat and dryness in your home. Lip balm at bedtime will stop this from happening.
Face and Neck
As the weather gets colder and dryer, you should wash your face with a cream or gel cleanser, not soap. While your skin is still slightly damp, pat in either a serum or facial oil. This should be followed by a heavier moisturizer than the one you use in summer.
When choosing a moisturizer, look for one with sunscreen; it’s just as important in winter.
At night, use a heavier cream on your face and neck to prevent your skin from drying out overnight. When outside, use a scarf or neck warmer to shield as much of your face and neck as possible from the elements.
Hands
Even if you wear mittens or gloves every day, your hands and nails can still take a beating in winter. One smart move is to purchase touchscreen gloves, also known as smartphone gloves. That way, you will not need to either remove a mitten or glove to use your phone outside. Apply hand cream before putting your gloves on.
Consider purchasing plain cotton gloves as well. Rub in a quality hand cream at bedtime, then put the gloves on. The cream will have all night to sink in and by morning your hands will feel super moisturized.
If your hands still tend to be rough and cracked, try a weekly paraffin wax treatment. Once the wax has melted, dip your hands in to coat them. Then put on disposable gloves, followed by large terry cloth mittens to keep the warmth in.
After the wax has cooled and hardened, peel it off and you will be amazed at how smooth and moisturized your hands feel. This treatment is a very relaxing thing to do on a cold day. An added benefit is that the treatment helps soothe the pain of arthritis.
Your nails could use a little help this winter too. If you wear polish and give yourself a manicure every week, switch from acetone nail polish remover to an oil based one. Rub the extra into your cuticles when you’re done.
If you don’t use polish, try a clear or slightly tinted nail conditioner. When nails dry out, they tend to crack and break, which is uncomfortable as well as unattractive.
Hair
In summer you probably shampoo daily because of oily or sweaty hair and scalp. Once winter arrives, if you keep up that routine, make sure you finish with a good conditioner. Hair loses moisture in winter also. The result will be dry, flyaway hair. Less moisture can even make your hair break more easily. Weekly deep treatments are also available if your hair still feels dry or becomes unmanageable.
Don’t let winter catch you unprepared. Gather your supplies and plan your routines now and you’ll sail through the season beautifully.
