Healthy Tips to Consider During the Cooler Months

As the air begins to crisp and the days begin to shorten, the water in our skin starts to evaporate more frequently causing it to feel dry and flaky.

Throughout this blog post we will examine different ways of keeping your skin healthy and soft throughout the cooler winter months.

Adjusting your water temperature

When the weather gets colder and the days get shorter we have a tendency to gravitate towards a hot bath or shower to warm up. However, this method sometimes does more harm than good for our skin.

Instead of using scorching hot water try using lukewarm water, especially when washing your hands and face. That way the natural oils in your skin won’t escape through your pores.

As well, try shortening the length of your showers, TIME Health says should only be showering for no more than 10 minutes at an appropriate temperature no hotter than 28 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Keep on moisturizing during the cooler months

One of the easiest ways to keeping your skin feeling bright and soft is to moisturize. During the winter months it’s important for your skin to gain extra moisture as the natural oils in our face tend to evaporate quicker than usual, leaving our skin to feel dry and sometimes flaky.

According to TIME Health choosing a moisturizer that appears thicker is the best for winter skin. This is because the cream will have a higher oil content which will counteract the dryness.

The key time to moisturize your skin is right after you’ve washed your face or showered, this way your skin will absorb the moisturizer to the fullest effect.

But don’t overdo it

Although you may think lathering on a thick and oily moisturizer is the key to soft skin it can actually do the opposite.

According to TIME Health, “When a very thick ointment is applied to the skin around the clock, the skin doesn’t think its atmosphere is dry, it won’t work to maintain its own hydration, which will then cause it to look more dry and create a vicious cycle, encouraging you to moisturize more.”

Fragrance free cleansers

As tempting as a delicious smelling cleanser may be, make sure to stay alert of them if you have sensitive skin. The reasoning for this is some fragrances can cause allergies, especially when the sin is more sensitive to aromas during the winter.

However, some products may have essential oils mixed in such as almond, rose, or lavender oils that have beneficial properties that help moisturize and sooth the skin.

It’s important to understand the difference between a “fragrance-free” and an “unscented” cleanser. According to HowStuffWorks, unscented products may still contain fragrances used to mask the smell of chemical ingredients within the product.

Don’t over exfoliate, but don’t stop exfoliating in total

We all love a good face scrub but during the cooler months a scrubby facial cleanser may not be your best choice.

But don’t underestimate the power of a good exfoliator. It’s healthy to help your skin shed off the dead cells but don’t overdo it during the winter.

According to Nylon, “If you have oily skin you likely have thicker skin than someone whose is dry. So, the oiler your skin, the more you should be able to handle stronger exfoliants.”

That being said, people with drier sensitive skin should use a softer exfoliate that are either ground oatmeal or brown sugar based products.

A change in atmosphere

Even though we follow a strict routine of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing, our skin sometimes it still turns a bit dry. This might be because of the atmosphere you spend most of your time in.

YouBeauty says investing in a humidifier will not only benefit your air quality but your skins health as well. Adding the extra moisture to the air helps the skin settle into a more regulated routine.

However, if you do use a humidifier don’t forget to replace the its water on a daily basis, that way bacteria and mold won’t grow, and you won’t become sick from breathing in soiled air.

DIY facial masks to the rescue

You may be surprised by what you have in the back of your cupboards but it may just be the key to helping keep your skin stay soft and glowing during the cold.

Using ingredients like honey, avocado, bananas, and almond oils to name a few can really help keep your skin bright during the dull months.

BeWell says, to make a DIY facial mask mix some of these ingredients together to make a creamy paste, then on damp skin lather the paste on evenly all over your face and leave it on for 10-30 minutes for lasting hydration.

Avoid itchy clothing during cooler months

Although fall fashion summons us all with its big, wooly sweaters and unique fabrics this however can be a big player in irritating our skin.

As tempting as the fuzzy sweaters and scarfs may be, before wearing them for a long period of time make sure to wear a softer layer of clothing underneath to counteract the itch.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Drinking the standard eight cups of water a day is extremely important to keeping your skin clear and bright.

Your skin is an organ, much like the rest of your body it’s made up of cells, which when broken down are made up of water. If your skin isn’t receiving a sufficient amount of hydration it will start to dry and flaky.

Not only should you drink plenty of water on a daily basis you should rise your face with water frequently throughout the day to hydrate it.

According to UWHealth: “As water is lost in large quantities every day, you need to replace it somehow. The unfortunate truth about drinking water is the water will reach all the other organs before it reaches the skin. So it’s important to apply water to our skin to keep it there.”

Eating healthier will make your skin glow in the cooler months

Eating foods that have a higher water content can help rejuvenate your skin form the inside out. For example, try adding: watermelon, apples, or celery to your daily food intake.

According to CanyonRanch, “Omega-3s are a crucial part of your skins lipid (fat) content and help bolster its barrier function, which when working properly, acts like a seal that keeps moisture in and irritants out.”

Adding in foods that are high in Omega-3 into your diet such as: fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed, or chia seeds will help protect our skin by hydrating it from the inside out.

If you’re looking for more information about skin care, as well as how to look and feel your best, then Dr. Dishani, of Dr. Dishani Cosmetic Clinic, is your go-to person.

Dr. Dishani, of Dr. Dishani Cosmetic Clinic in North York, is a licensed professional and is clinically certified to practice Vampire Facial Treatments, Vampire Facelift Treatments, Botox and Filler skin treatments in addition to PRP injections.

For more information and to book your consolation visit the Dr. Dishani Cosmetic Clinic website.

Some information used in this blog post was found on Time,Nylon, CanonRanch, and BeWell.