Drive away winter skin blues with these essential skincare tips

Snuggling up in bed during the cosy nights – one of the best winter memories!
But winter does not provide many reasons to create warm memories for your skin. On the contrary, it happens to be quite unforgiving towards it.
The dry and cold air robs the skin off the moisture and can leave the skin reddened, irritated, and itchy. It can even lead to eczema, dry skin, and psoriasis.
This season zaps the moisture out of the skin as well as air. Therefore, winter can truly wreak havoc on your skin, and you need to follow an effective winter skin care regime to combat this.
Now choosing from a variety of skincare products for winter can be a tormenting and confusing process. It is daunting to decide the right cleanser, moisturizer, toner, scrub for you.
But it all boils down to the quintessential double factors – the skin type and the season of the year.

The skin type can range from being dry, oily, sensitive to acne-prone and combination. Once you detect your skin type, all you have to do are a few adjustments and you are sorted!
Here are some of winter skincare essentials that people irrespective of their skin type should follow.

• Cleansing – The first step of your skincare is cleansing. It removes dirt, makeup, excess oils, and other skin build-ups. Double cleansing where an oil-based cleanser breaks down the dirt or makeup on the skin followed by gel or foam cleanser that removes everything else, has become quite popular in recent years. However, you should not go overboard as it can rip the skin off the natural oils especially if you have a dry skin. Opting for professional cleansing at least once or twice every moth is also recommended during the cold dreary months.
• Toning – The toner assists in achieving the pH balance of the skin. You can take a small amount of toner on cotton and wipe it all over your face or you can sprinkle a mild toner all over the face. By using the right toner you do not just tighten the pores but also give your skin an awesome glow.
• Exfoliation – Once or twice a week you can also use an exfoliator that can remove the dead skin cells and keep the skin looking glowing and beautiful. For sensitive skin a mild exfoliator with a reduced glycolic acid percentage is most suitable. However, don’t go for scrubbing too often as this can damage the skin.
• Moisturization – The moisturizer’s job is to assist in hydration and softening of the skin. Searching for the right formula is critical here. It should be able to nourish and restore the skin suppleness in an efficient way without making it look heavy and greasy.
• Sun Protection – This is one of the most crucial aspects about your winter skin care. It is not only the summer months, but sun protection is essential during the winter months, too. The UVA and UVB rays give rise to aging, wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots and more. That is why professional tan removal is also essential from time to time during the winter months.

Now that you know the routine, let us understand what precautions you should take to keep the winter skin blues at bay.

• Drink Lots of Water – We often forget to drink sufficient amount of water when it is cold outside. But the dry weather is likely to strip the skin off the moisture. You should therefore try to sip all through the day instead of gulping down water or fluids all at once. Trying out the warm winter tea like lemon and ginger tea is a wonderful way to keep yourself hydrated and cozy in the winter times. One the most effective way to deal with this is Hydration IV Therapy that injects the fluid directly into the bloodstream so that those parts of the body that need the most get the fluid. It is a more effective and faster way to hydrate the body.
• Use Water That is Not Too Hot – It is quite tempting to go for hot and comfy showers especially when the temperature is dipping. But avoid this practice if you love your skin. The hot showers dry up your skin and if you fail to moisturise immediately, it can cause winter eczema and cracks. Once you take a lukewarm shower go for a moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acids. This will prevent the dryness and keep the moisture barrier intact.
• Stay Protected – As winter is a very harsh season it is essential that you be prepared for it. The combo of strong winds and low humidity can lead to cracked and dry skin. It is essential for you to wrap up with gloves and scarf. These will protect the sensitive region around the neck and hands. You should go for thin and breathable base layers to avoid skin irritations arising from wearing heavy clothing constantly.
• Take Care of Your Diet- You should opt for a lot of seasonal fruits and veggies. Berries are great sources of antioxidants and vitamins that the skin requires for staying healthy during the cold and harsh winters. Grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or just cherries – go with anything that you love. Again, if you think that you are not having enough water, then you can get hydrated by having lots of veggies and fruits and items like salads, soups, milk, and juices. That way your body can get the nutrients that it wants.
• Work Out – It is quite right that leaving the cosiness of the quilt during the winter months is quite challenging. But if you love your skin it is vital to exercise. This pumps up the blood to the skin and organs. During the dreary months, the body’s sweat and oil glands and the blood vessels get constricted a bit. Working out helps your body to break free of these restrictions and thus restore its natural glow.

The tips mentioned here are not so difficult to follow. But adhering to them can take you a long way and help you to take care of your skin. If you follow these you can rest assured that your skin will remain supple, youthful, and glowing all through the dry and cold months.