In India, winter starts in November and lasts till March. The winter season has its charm and beauty. Winter flowers such as rose, sunflower, marigold, dahlia, and other flowers present a beautiful sight. The pleasant winter days not only attract the maximum of tourists but also lure innumerable bird species to its pleasant atmosphere. However, during winter, the air holds less moisture and hence it brings various problems. It has adverse effects on skin and hair, lips, feet, etc. Dry air and chilly temperatures can do a lot on skin and hair. Even though you have hardly noticed a change in the weather, your skin, nails, and hair have. They start to show signs of their plight as soon as the cold breeze starts blowing in Autumn. Hence during this winter, everyone’s body including the skin, lips, feet, hair, etc. needs some extra care. Dry air can steal moisture from your skin and hair leaving them look rough and dull. Have no fear, a little winter care can help you to prevent dry skin, chapped lips, rough hair, and cracked heels.
It's important to protect and maintain our skin, our largest organ which protects our inner body from the outside world. Knowing your type of skin is entirely mandatory to take proper care and treatment. Generally, we do determine 5 basic skin types - Dry, Oily, Normal, Combination, and sensitive. Each skin type has particular characteristics and requires specific care and/or treatment.
Dry Skin
If your skin has a strong tendency toward dehydration, lacks oil, and looks dull, it is considered dry skin. In more extreme cases, dry skin lacks elasticity and can be extremely sensitive to the sun, wind, and cold temperatures.
Tips to Take Care:
- Wash your face once a day with a rich, creamy cleanser and water.
- Though it feels awesome, one should never shower or wash their face with hot water. You can use warm water.
- Use a toner to help with that tight and flaky feeling of dehydration.
- Avoid toners and makeup that contain alcohol as alcohol-based products have a drying effect on the skin.
- Use a cream-based lotion to hydrate your skin and keep it rejuvenated. Ensure that the cream is rich in Vitamins A and E.
- One must use sunscreen 15 minutes before going out to allow the skin to absorb it.
Oily Skin
If your skin is oily, it usually has a lot of shine and oiliness to it very soon after cleansing and the pores are generally slightly enlarged. It has an inclination to pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads than other skin types.
Tips to Take Care:
- Your skin tends to attract more dirt and pollution than dry skin, so wash your face twice a day with a gentle soap-free/neem cleanser or face wash and water.
- Oil blotting sheets can help control oiliness, and it takes as little as 3 minutes.
- Although your skin's oily, you still must moisturize it with a water-based moisturizer daily, or your skin will become dry underneath.
- Use water-based and oil-free sunscreen whenever you go out in the sun.
- Use scrub regularly to get rid of whiteheads, blackheads, and dead cells
- Drink a lot of water and fruit juices to keep the skin hydrated.
Normal Skin
Normal skin has an ideal balance between oil and hydration levels therefore skin is neither greasy nor dry and neither sensitive nor allergy-prone. Hence it has an even tone, soft, smooth texture, no visible pores or blemishes, and no greasy patches or flaky areas.
Tips to Take Care:
- The only care this skin requires is cleaning it twice a day with a cleanser containing aloe vera, cactus lemon, and water.
- Tone with something mild, like rose water or an alcohol-free, hydrating toner.
- Always apply a mild, water-based moisturizer before makeup to help retain surface moisture.
- Avoid the drying, and aging effects of the sun by using makeup products that contain sunscreen or applying sunscreen before stepping out in the sun.
- Apply a skin life anti-aging cream and massage it on the skin with a little water at night.
Combination Skin
Combination skin is rather dry in some parts of the body and oily in others. It is comprised of two extreme skin types on one face. It tends toward dryness on the cheeks and around the eyes while being oily in the t-zone (nose, forehead, chin). During the winter months, this skin type experiences more dry patches and less oil production in the T-zone.
Tips to Take Care:
- When cleansing your face, you should only cleanse the T-zone twice a day and the day parts of the face once a day.
- Hydrate your skin with water based moisturizer with sunscreen SPF 15.
- Exfoliate with a gentle scrub at least twice a week.
- Since this type of skin loses moisture it is advised to use heavier moisturizers at night and lighter ones during the day.
- Use products with nourishing ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil, Vitamin E, and zeolite.
Sensitive Skin
You may have normal to dry to oily or a combination if your skin is prone to allergy, itching, or burning. redness or dryness, it is sensitive. This skin type is usually sensitive to sun, wind, cold weather, or beauty products. Winter can be tough on people with sensitive skin. As the air gets cooler and drier, sensitive skin can easily turn red, crackly, and itchy - if not downright ugly. As the air gets cooler, sensitive skin easily turns red, crackly, and itchy.
Tips to Take Care:
- Whether you are cleansing your face or your body, stick with normal to warm water.
- Choose a mild, unscented, and alcohol-free cleanser rather than soap. Cleansers that contain hydrating ingredients like aloe and glycerin that can help restore skin’s moisture.
- Moisturizing frequently with soothing lotion is important.
- Exfoliating may need to be reduced to prevent irritation.
- Wear a gentle and oil-free formula that provides sun protection without irritating chemical sunscreens.
- Avoid dry and dusty environments
During winters cold and dry wind, fog, and the sun make hair dry. It also loses its shine and vitality. When the temperatures fall, hair starts behaving differently, but there are lots of little things that you need to do to protect it. Give your hair as much care as in summer. The dryness partly be reduced by using a hat or shawl to cover most of the head and hair. These accessories should stay a bit loose to not cause additional damage. It is desirable to make it possible for hair to “breathe”, and to have air circulation. The opposite can lead to undesired results – sticky hair, hair loss, dandruff, and even greasy hair.
Indoor dry air like inside your office or even your own home in the winter can create more split-end hair problems to develop. Trimming hair every four to six weeks can be a solution to winter problems.
- Use shampoos and conditioners containing nutrients that lock in moisture. Look for products that are specially formulated for dry and rough hair. You can use gentle herbal shampoos and conditioners that will not steal the moisturizer from your hair.
- Do not wash your hair very frequently in winter months.
- Avoid over-exposure to blow dryers and hair stylers.
- If you have oily hair, you still need to apply a conditioner to the ends of your hair to keep it healthy and split ends. A clarifying conditioner will add moisture.
- Color-treated, permed, and damaged hair needs even more conditioning and care in the cold months, so use a revitalizing shampoo and conditioner.
- Apply hot oil to your hair twice a week and wash it with a good anti-dandruff shampoo with water to prevent dandruff and enhance its growth.
Regardless of what precaution you are taking to rock this winter, make water your best friend. Drink lots of water and keep away from dehydration. Staying active is good for health, walking or light exercises can be beneficial for you.
