Fall or winter, colder outdoor air can invigorate you. Still, it feels great to get home and feel the warmth and comfort all around you. And it continues to feel great until that certain point during the cold weather season when your skin starts turning as dry as parchment. You scratch, you itch, you complain and, oh yeah, you apply whatever lotion you keep handy.
But none of it seems to be working, at least not as well as you had hoped.
Well, here’s how to knock that dry winter skin back to the dark ages and let soft, smooth, supple skin take its place.
- As relaxing as they may be, avoid long, hot showers and baths. Water deprives your skin of moisture, so take short, warm showers instead and use moisturizing cleansers instead of skin-drying soap.
- After a shower or bath, gently pat your skin dry and apply a hydrating moisturizer immediately (while your skin is still slightly damp).
- Hydrate from the inside out. Some experts believe that consuming foods high in essential fatty acids – particularly those high in omega 3s and omega 6s, like avocado, wild-caught fatty fish, and nuts – can help keep skin healthy and hydrated.
- When choosing a cleanser or moisturizer, avoid those with harsh chemicals and fragrances that can make things worse. Oils such as avocado, almond, and coconut are great, and all natural options.
- While frequent hand-washing is crucial during cold and flu season, it can do a number on your hands. Apply a good quality moisturizer each time after washing your hands and keep them protected with gloves or mittens while outdoors.
- Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you can skip the sunscreen. Apply a layer of sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more to all exposed areas of your skin before heading outside.
- Heal overly dry patches of skin, like your elbows and the bottom of your feet, with a thick layer of lanolin or non-petroleum jelly.
If you have hard water in your home, you’re fighting an uphill battle to keep your hair and skin moist and itch-free, not to mention what hard water can do to your clothes and plumbing fixtures. At Eagle Service Company, we can make those problems disappear with a whole-house water softener. Contact us today for all the details and a free new-system proposal.
