Skin Care Articles:
Winter has come!
Winter is a wonderful and exciting season of the year, but I’m not sure if our skin would agree with that statement. A lot of people experiences extremely dry skin that doesn’t improve with an application of heavy moisturizers. What do we do in this situation?
1.Discontinue using bar soaps and harsh cleansers.
They can disrupt the outer layer of the skin, causing flakiness and roughness.
2.Avoid soaking in the bathtub or Jacuzzi or taking long showers.
As wonderful as they feel, too much water is bad for your skin because it breaks down the skin’s protective layer (skin’s intracellular matrix) destroying the substance that keep cells intact. Keep showers or baths as short as possible.
3. Avoid bath oils in the bath.
It doesn’t make much sense to pour bath oils into the bath water because most of it goes down the drain, plus bath oils encourage you to soak in the tub for longer period of time, which is not good for skin. There is also research showing that oils can trap cleansing ingredients on skin, causing irritation and dryness. Oils are best applied when you get out of the shower or bath, after you are well rinsed off and gently towel dried.
4.Get a humidifier.
Low humidity air blasting from heaters or air conditioners can cause a lot of problems, because it destroys skin’s matrix. Low humidity is the cause of most weather-related dry skin.
5.Exfoliate.
Skin cell turnover (exfoliating) is a function of healthy skin. With a proper and regular exfoliation skin can rejuvenate itself better and faster, remove the build-up of old skin cells and replace them with newer, smoother and healthier ones.
6.Apply and reapply moisturizer.
Some people with extremely dry skin need to do it several times a day. If you still feel that your skin is not hydrated enough, you might need to switch your regular moisturizer to a more emollient and lipid (lecithin, cholesterol, glycerol, glycerides, jojoba and other plant oils) containing moisturizer for a winter season. But be careful with choosing heavier products if your skin has tendency to break out! Always choose a moisturizer filled with antioxidants, water-binding agents, and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
7.Wear sunscreen.
Unprotected sun exposure causes our skin to become less and less able to hold moisture or feel smooth.
