Come winter and along come dipping temperatures and chilly winds.. Just about everything is ready to wreck havoc on your skin during the winter. And unless you protect yourself, your skin will show it. Here are some basic do’s and don’ts during the winter months.

Moisturize More
Moisturizing is an essential step in skin care routines throughout the year. However, you need to a little more of during the winter in order to beat the severe skin dryness of the season.

Do’s

• Pitch your oil-free moisturizer and opt for an oil-based moisturizer during winter. Oil forms a protective layer on the skin surface that helps to retain maximum moisture and helps combat the relentless dryness of the cold season. Of course, people with extremely oily skin can skip doing this! Try the NIA 24 Intensive Recovery Complex, a rich moisturizing cream that moisturizes the skin intensely and helps activate its regenerative powers. It contains active ingredients like ceramides, liposomes and peptides that locks in the multi-level moisture and minimizes trans-epidermal water loss.

• Moisturize immediately after you get out of the shower when you skin is damp and moist. Moisturizing damp skin helps trap water in the surface cells.

Don’ts

• Don’t avoid using a sunscreen. Even though there is little or no sunshine during the winter , your skin is still susceptible to the harmful UVA and UVB radiations. No matter how cloudy it looks outside, don’t venture out without the protective shield of a sunscreen. To avoid layering on lotions and creams, you can use iS Clinical SPF 20 Powder Sunscreen.

• Don’t forget to apply lip balm. Lips don’t retain moisture as well as the rest of your body and that makes them flake and chap in the cool winter temperature. Always use a moisturizing lip balm, preferably one that contains SPF.

Exfoliate Now and Then

Exfoliation not only scrapes off dead skin cells from the surface, but it also gets rid of dry patches on the skin and promotes new cell growth. In addition, it also prepares the skin to absorb moisturizers more efficiently.

Do’s

• Apply a gentle scrub to your loofah or brush and exfoliate your face and body in the shower. Scrub your body thoroughly using gentle circular movements.

• Use a good exfoliating lotion that scrubs off dead skin cells from your face and makes it fine and smooth. Try using Obagi Nu Derm Exfoderm Forte, a special exfoliating formulation that contains alpha hydroxyl acid that scrapes off dead skin cells from the skin surface and accelerates the absorption of moisturizing ingredients. It suits normal to oily skin. People with dry skin can use Obagi Nu Derm Exfoderm that has the same functions as the former but contains Phytic acid to care for the dry skin.

Don’ts

• Don’t over-exfoliate or under-exfoliate. Depending on your skin type, exfoliate as and when required. Ideally exfoliating twice a week is enough. People with extremely dry skin or oily skin may need to exfoliate more often.

Avoid Hot Water Baths and Showers

There is nothing more relaxing on a cold winter day than a long hot water shower. However, as comforting as it seems,your skin will bcome dry once you get out of the shower because the hot water will remove the skins natural moisture.

Do’s

• Compromise and use lukewarm water, at least for the sake of your skin. Hot water strips the skin off its natural moisture and breaks down the lipid barriers that preserve this moisture. Warm water can also comfort you without damaging your skin.

• Add essential oils to your bathing water to relieve extremely dry skin.

Don’ts

• Don’t use harsh soaps on your skin during the winter. Winter is a time when the skin becomes naturally dry and using soaps that contain harsh cleansing agents may just dry it further. This will make it more prone to irritation and itchiness. Use a mild cleanser or soap that contains moisturizing agents.

• Don’t forget to put plenty of moisturizer all over your body and not just on your face. Apply a good moisturizing cream to all the exposed areas of your body like neck, hands, feet etc. You can use NIA 24 Skin Strengthening Complex, a superb moisturizing cream that contains a unique blend of ingredients including Vitamin A, green tea, rosemary, evening primrose, wheat germ oil, Dermaxyl Peptide Complex and ceramides that nourish the skin and make it intrinsically smooth and fine.