Winter Skin Care
It is COLD outside, and that can mean major dry skin for a lot of people. Here are our Top 4 Winter Skin Care Tips (provided by WebMD) with a Jamila Naturals twist.
Moisturize More
You may have found a moisturizer that works just fine in spring and summer. But as weather conditions change, so, too, should your skin care routine. Find an "ointment" moisturizer that's oil-based, rather than water-based, as the oil will create a protective layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion. (Hint: Read the ingredients! Look out for aqua and water as the first ingredients) But choose your oils with care because not all oils are appropriate for the face. Instead, look for "nonclogging" oils, like avocado oil, mineral oil, primrose oil, or almond oil. Shea oil -- or butter -- is controversial, because it can clog facial pores. And vegetable shortening, LaPlante says, is a really bad idea. "It would just sit on the skin," she says. "And it would be really greasy."You can also look for lotions containing "humectants," a class of substances (including glycerine, sorbitol, and alpha-hydroxy acids) that attract moisture to your skin.
Natural Solution Twist: A whipped body butter gives you the moisture you need without clogging your pores.
Give Your Hands a Hand
The skin on your hands is thinner than on most parts of the body and has fewer oil glands. That means it's harder to keep your hands moist, especially in cold, dry weather. This can lead to itchiness and cracking. Wear gloves when you go outside; if you need to wear wool to keep your hands warm, slip on a thin cotton glove first, to avoid any irritation the wool might cause.
Natural Solution Twist: Treating your hands at least once a week will help restore the moisture and condition your skin. A treatment can include a sugar scrub that will cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize your skin. Follow up with a conditioning whipped body butter. For a deep moisturizing for severe dry hands, consider using a skin soothing salve. Apply the salve, put on gloves, and wear overnight. You should feel a remarkable difference in the your skin.
Grease Up Your Feet
Yes, those minty foot lotions are lovely in the hot summer months, but during the winter, your feet need stronger stuff. Try finding lotions that contain petroleum jelly or glycerine instead. And use exfoliants to get the dead skin off periodically; that helps any moisturizers you use to sink in faster and deeper.
Natural Solution Twist: Jamila Naturals does not support the use of petroleum jelly, so we made a very effective natural alternative to petroleum jelly. You need something that will sooth and protect your skin at the same time. Use along with a scrub to keep your feet from cracking.
Ban Superhot Baths
Sure, soaking in a burning-hot bath feels great after frolicking out in the cold. But the intense heat of a hot shower or bath actually breaks down the lipid barriers in the skin, which can lead to a loss of moisture. "You're better off with just warm water," LaPlante advises, "and staying in the water a shorter amount of time." A lukewarm bath with oatmeal or baking soda, can help relieve skin that is so dry it has become itchy, Bielinski notes. So, too, can periodically reapplying your moisturizer.
Natural Solution Twist: Try adding a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to your bath water. It will open up your sinuses and help make your winter more bearable.
What are some of your tips for caring for your skin during the winter?