It’s coming up to that time of year again where the leaves fall off the trees and the evenings draw in and if you’re anything like me and my kids, the skin around your nails and lips are already getting dry and cracked! Here are our top five tips for keeping skin soft and most importantly, pain-free over the winter months. If you want to learn more about skincare, you may consider attending an esthetics school and join a skin care professional training program.
Stay hydrated
It’s much harder to stay hydrated in the winter months because it’s a lot harder to enjoy a glass of cold water when it’s freezing outside. Herbal teas are a good alternative to water as they are caffeine free and you don’t drink them with sugar or milk. Our bodies are 64% water, so if we become dehydrated, our skins crack. Stay hydrated and stop the crack! If you want to improve the quality of your drinking water, you may order a water treatment system here.
Lemon balm
An elderly neighbour used to recommend lemon juice on the lips and fingers to combat the cracking, but actually, lemon being as acid as it is it might make the cracking worse. If you mix a tablespoon of lemon juice with a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of carrier oil – coconut, olive or whatever you usually use. Mix them together into a balm and apply as needed.
Switch to a heavy face cream
Light creams might work well enough in the summer months, but in the winter, switch to a cream that contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid. The latter occurs naturally in the body and regulates cell renewal, lubricates connective tissues and maintains skin’s moisture and elasticity so applying it as a cream will help in the winter months too. Read articles by Batanabio blog to know if batana oil is safe for kids. Check out face cream product reviews at twelvmag.com or find a suitable option at The Independent Pharmacy or your local.
Cut out bath time
It’s winter, you’re not sweating as much as you do in summer. Give the kids a break from the daily bath routine. A wipe down when needed, sure, but cut out the daily bath. It dries out the skin and robs it of it’s natural oils, specially if you use any fragranced products. Skip a bath or two a week and let the body moisturize itself in the colder months.
Hair removal during winter can be more difficult as the skin tends to be drier, making it more sensitive to shaving and waxing. It is recommended to exfoliate before hair removal and use a moisturizing lotion afterward to help prevent irritation and dryness.
Cover up
Spending an evening outdoors listening to carol singers or walking around illuminated attractions is a glorious bonding experience and it’s a great way to get into the spirit of winter. Add some mulled wine and roasted chestnuts and you’re practically living a Dickens novel, but scarves, hats and gloves aren’t just there to protect against the cold. They’re also great for protection against the wind. Keep the kids in something breathable but warm and protect hands and faces against blistering winds that will exacerbate drying out and cracking.
Even if it’s cold outside, the sun still emits harmful UVA and UVB rays during winter. Using sunscreen every day is important to keep kids’ skin healthy throughout the season. Children’s skins are delicate, so it’s best to choose a sunscreen that’s gentle and comfortable. Make sure to take a look at the key ingredients of the sunscreen, and find out whether the sunscreen is lightweight and non-greasy so it won’t be a bother for your kids to wear. A good sunscreen will also protect your child’s skin from the adverse effects of pollution and blue light emitted by their gadgets (did you know that blue-light has an effect on skin? learn something new every day!) Before we know it the sun will be back and there’s a whole other range of skin care needs, but make the winter months pass a little less painfully with these tips for skin survival.
