CARING FOR DRY SKIN DURING THE WINTER

WINTER DRYNESS - HOW NOT TO SUFFER

It's winter, the furnace or fireplace is on and all the moisture has been sucked from the air in your home. You're waking up with a dry throat and your nose feels cracked and dry inside. You notice your dry skin constantly feels itchy. It almost feels like your skin is two sizes too small for you body!  Sound familiar? For those of us living in countries that experience cold winters, this is simply a part of life. Here's the good news, you don't have to put up with it! Here's a list of things you can do to remedy dry air & skin.

HUMIDIFY THE AIR - You're going to have a better chance of relieving your dry eyes, nose, throat & skin if you're putting moisture back into the air.

• Keep a humidifier running in your bedroom and in your main living area to increase moisture levels.
• If you use a wood-burning stove to heat your home, place a pottery bowl filled with water and a few drops of your favourite essential oils on top of the stove to replace moisture and enjoy the added benefits of aromatherapy.

EXFOLIATE YOUR SKIN - By removing dead skin cells from the skin, your body cream will have a better chance of absorption, making it far more effective. 

• Dry brushing also referred to as body brushing before bathing is a great way to exfoliate dead skin cells and eliminate waste via lymph stimulation. I'll go into details on this in a future post.
•  Using a Sugar Polish is also a great way to exfoliate, but use it at the end for your shower! Polishing at the beginning of your shower just means you will rinse all the wonderful oils down the drain. Also be sure to rinse your hair BEFORE you sugar polish, or else you will be putting oil into your clean hair and you'll end up with a bad hair day!

MOISTURIZE YOUR SKIN - I know this one is pretty obvious but...

• Using a cream instead of a lotion in the winter months is key. If you've read my previous blog you will know there is a difference between cream & lotion. Cream is a more intense moisturizer, creating a better barrier to keep moisture in the skin.
• Applying cream to the skin immediately after bathing also helps lock in the moisture your skin has absorbed.

YOUR CLEANSER MAKES A DIFFERENCE - The type of cleanser or soap your using can also make a big difference. If you're using a soap or body wash with harsh surfactants, you are essentially fighting a losing battle. Be gentle on your skin and choose a soap that is mild and moisturizing.

CONSISTENCY - Applying cream to your parched skin once a week isn't going to help you in the long run. Be kind to your skin and give it a daily drink.