If you have ever survived an icy winter, you may have noticed that if you simply snuggle up and warm up for warmth, it is not so easy to keep your skin healthy. The cold winter air can make the skin dry and chapped, especially in areas directly exposed to the air, such as hands. Fortunately, by taking some precautions and you will keep your skin soft and well hydrated.
Protect your skin from the cold
Cover yourself! It is very simple to understand why our skin is dry and damaged in winter: dry, cold air (or even worse, hot, dry heating air) sucks moisture from the skin, leaving it cracked and dried too than a desert corner. One of the best ways to prevent this is simply to prevent your skin from coming into contact with the air. If you can, wear long sleeves, pants and other covering clothing and accessories to keep your skin well protected.
Remember to wear gloves. Indeed, your exposed hands throughout the day, and it is necessary to cover them as much as possible to protect them from the cold. As you leave your home early in the morning to get to work, do not forget to put on a pair of gloves or mittens and remove them when you have to start typing on your computer, writing or using your computer.
Use a moisturizer
Creams and other moisturizers act by directly bringing a moist substance into contact with the skin and allowing the epidermis to maintain its hydration through a layer of oil or fat. For this, thick balms, such as Vaseline, make excellent moisturizers but leave hands unpleasantly oily. If you have dehydrated skin during the winter, do not forget to moisturize regularly with a suitable product. This will relieve your dry skin and prevent it from drying out for at least a few hours.
If your skin is already irritated, prefer to use a cream or balm without perfume. Some perfumes are known to cause itching or inflammation when applied to the irritated skin (especially if you are allergic to it).
Most creams will protect and moisturize your skin at least a minimum, and all are more or less composed of the same ingredients. Nevertheless, be aware that rich creams and balms will moisturize your skin better than liquid lotions and creams.
Wear lip balm
Even if your face and your hands do not particularly suffer from the cold during the winter, there is a risk that the fragile skin of your lips will dry out and show some cracks. To prevent and treat these irritations, use a lip balm (or moisturizing lip gloss). This product will act as a regular cream on your skin. If you have nothing else on hand, you could even use a good quality skin balm (such as Vaseline or a product containing shea butter or beeswax) on your lips. The taste may not be very sweet, but the effect will be the same.
Always stay dry
Ironically, being wet when it is cold outside, will dry up your skin even more. Wet clothes (especially socks and gloves) can trigger irritation by rubbing the skin, leaving it red, chapped and weakened. To do this, try not to keep your wet clothes on your body for too long while it is cold. To have healthy, well-hydrated skin, take the time to return home to change.
If you stay out in the cold weather for a long time (for example, if you go hiking), try to limit your efforts so as you do not sweat too much. You could not only damage your skin but also, under extreme conditions, suffer frostbite and hypothermia, while your body will have trouble warming up.
Don’t forget to apply sunscreen on days when it is cold and where the sky is clear
Many people think that because winter is cold, they don’t need to use sunscreen in winter. In fact, in winter, the skin is susceptible to the sun’s rays. The Earth is closer to the sun in winter than it is in summer and the ozone layer (which absorbs some of the harmful UV rays) is thinner in winter. Also, ice and snow can reflect up to 85% of the sun’s rays, and your skin is attacked from below and from above. For all these reasons, it is essential to apply sunscreen in winter, when you expose yourself to the sun.
Note that it is especially important to use sunscreen at altitude because the higher you go, the more you will be exposed to UV rays. Have that in mind when you pack your suitcase to go skiing!