Chapped lips, dry, tight skin, cold sores and rough knuckles, say hello to Winter with its dropping temperature and harsh cold winds. Frigid temperatures can wreak havoc on the skin as it gets dry, flaky and can even become cracked, which can be painful or itchy. To save you the stress, we’ve compiled some handy tips on keeping your skin healthy & hydrated over the next few months, as well as some must-have products to see you through the season.
Keep Hydrated
With the onset of colder weather and indoor heating, your skin can become much more sensitive and dry. Make to keep hydrated during the day, by swapping your coffee for green tea and by upping your water intake. For an additional boost of hydration, try Hydralyte which can be taken on the first signs of dehydration. It’s important to learn the signs and symptoms of dehydration, including a sticky or dry mouth, increased thirst, fatigue, headache, decreased urine output and dark yellow urine.
Cleanse
Gentle cleansing is a must so that your skin barrier can be as healthy as possible to retain moisturise. If your skin feels tight after washing your face, it’s possible that the cleanser you are using has disrupted your skin barrier. Skin should instead feel calm and hydrated, so if you find yourself requiring moisturiser immediately after washing, you may want to also consider a gentler cleanser such as Cetaphil.
Avoid Extremely Hot Showers & Baths
Taking hot showers and not moisturizing afterward can create cracks in the surface of the skin. Hot water evaporates fast, and if the skin is not immediately moisturized, the cracks in the skin let the skin nerves get exposed to air, resulting in what’s commonly known as ‘winter’s itch.’ Try Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturising Body Wash to help replenish and lock in skin's natural moisture, and then once dry apply Ego QV Intensive Moisturiser, a rich intensive moisturiser that helps extremely dry, itchy skin.
Look After Your Lips
Avoid licking sore lips as it will only exacerbate the dryness and can cause what is commonly known as ‘lick eczema’. Make sure to give your lips the best chance of remaining moisturised during this cold season by applying an effective ointment to your lips such as Carmex original moisturising lip balm.
HANDle It
Hands are at a high risk for becoming chapped and sore in the winter months. Consider DU'IT Tough Hands: an intensive hand repair cream clinically proven to repair, moisturise and protect dry, rough and irritated hands. It works to seal cracks, replace lost oils, condition the skin and form a protective barrier to keep hands in good condition. It contains skin smoothing natural lactic acid to exfoliate away dryness and improve skin texture and suppleness, allowing long-lasting protection from damage.
Treat Yourself to a Foot Peel
Feet often become dry in the winter months and susceptible to cracks. Exfoliating frequently and applying an effective moisturiser always helps, but if you find you have built up dead skin you need to get on top of, consider a Bathefex foot peel. This simple pedicure treatment removes tough skin after just one application with the booties wrapped onto the feet for just 90 minutes. After 3-7 days hardened skin begins to peel, revealing softer skin in just 2 weeks, allowing dramatic results from minimal effort. Find Bathefex Foot Peel in-store at your local Pharmacy 4 Less.
Consider an Omega 3 Supplement
Omega-3s help to keep the moisture in the skin and can improve dry skin conditions, an ongoing battle we face during the colder seasons of the year. Blackmores Fish Oil 1000 is a natural source of the marine omega-3 fatty acids, extracted from cold water fish that can easily be added to your daily vitamins. Cold winter weather can also increase the intensity of joint pain in those with inflammatory conditions, of which Omega-3s anti-inflammatory properties may be able to assist.
