We’re in the heart of winter and my skin is begging for mercy. Luckily, my winter skincare preparations began back in September right along with my closet transition. So it makes it easier to deal with these harsh, dry months. Yes, our skin needs a lot of TLC for a smooth season to season flow. And if your skin is anything like mine, during these months, it peels and tends to be unevenly toned. And, though it’s temporary, I can’t say that I like it. Read on to learn more about the will work tips to winterize your skin.
♦ Facials are great for transitioning your skin for the winter months. They are perfect for deep cleansing and helps skin that’s been riddled by sweat, chlorine water, salt water, drinking cocktails, makeup, oil, dirt etc. If you live in a tropical climate, frequent facials help to get rid of the build-up for cleaner, healthier looking skin.
♦ Limit hot showers. Showers should be kept lukewarm and short. Hot showers are the main culprit in ashy, dry and flaky skin. Also, you should switch to a cream or oil based body wash, which will restore and moisturize your skin.
♦ Moisturize with lotions that contain shea or cocoa butter, and essential oils, which retain moisture in the skin. Examples include jojoba, coconut and avocado oil.
♦ Don’t let your skin go thirsty. Rehydrate by drinking lots of water. Water transports nutrients to all the cells of your body and gets rid of toxic build up. You’ll experience healthier, more radiant skin.
♦ This one is a biggie for a lot of folks regardless of whether it’s cold or hot. Avoid biting, pinching, picking and excessively licking your lips. I know that’s a lot, and as a lip licker myself, I’ve had to train myself to stop. Water evaporates from our lips much like it does the rest of our body. Excessive licking causes lips to become dehydrated, and as a result cracked and chapped. Furthermore, our lips are made up of very thin skin so, biting and picking can leave openings, which can lead to bacterial infection and even more unattractive lips. So, for lips that are smooth and sweet like sugar, exfoliate once or twice a week.
**DIY sometimes by mixing a pinch of brown sugar and a few drops of olive oil. Apply to lips, rub lips together gently (you can also a clean finger or a soft toothbrush) and wash with warm water. After, you can dab a few drops of the same olive oil on your lips and rub them together. Viola!! Lips like sugar!!
Dixie Lincoln- Nichols is a biological science educator, health and wellbeing consultant and Qigong instructor. Her work has been featured in media outlets like, Oprah Mag, SELF, Yahoo and more. She is the founder of Inside Outer Beauty Market, a multi-cultutal retailer curating and creating products to support the body inside and out. Visit the site at www.iobeautymarket.com
