October
2008
Winter Time Skin Tips
There are a lot of factors in the winter that influence our skin differently than during the moist, humid days of the summer and spring, enough to where we need to slightly tweak our skin care routine to make sure we don’t end up with that redness and dryness that so easily can bring on an acne explosion on our face if we’re not careful.
Although acne is largely due to an over production of sebum, excessively drying the skin actually has a counterintuitive effect by further aggravating acne and even bringing on more breakouts, so it is imperative that we protect acne prone skin from the over drying and irritation that often comes with the winter weather change.
The first suggestion is to try out a small humidifier in whatever room you spend the most time in, say your bedroom perhaps since you are in there (I hope) for at least eight hours a day. Humidifiers used to be very expensive, but you can find the smaller ones that work in a smaller area nowadays for a very reasonable cost. One tip with humidifiers though is that you have to make absolutely certain that you keep them clean since mold tend to build up in them if you don’t keep them clean.
Another tip is to stay very well hydrated. Try drinking only water, and add a little lemon juice to your water for an extra boost in hydration, as well as the skin clarity benefits of lemon water. Stay away from lots of coffee and other caffeinated beverages, since they only make you expel more water and this definitely trickles down to the skin, making the skin dry, irritated and flaky if it is under hydrated from the inside out. Consider also taking a fish oil supplement at least twice a day. They’re very reasonably priced and help keep the skin smooth, supple, and moisture-retaining.
Another winter tip for acne prone skin is to switch to a more moisturizing cleanser, perhaps some sort of natural acne treament that is gentler instead of harsh man made detergent-like soaps. Especially if you are currently using one that is especially made for acne prone skin. Maybe switch to a creamy cleanser instead of a clear one, or if you currently use bar soap as a cleanser, you definitely want to switch to a gentler liquid cleanser, perhaps infused with vitamin c.
You want to make sure you are not washing your face with overly hot water. I know it’s great to take a nice hot shower in the winter, but it really isn’t doing your skin any favors. Hot water dried the skin out, and you may notice that after a long hot shower, your skin feels itchy and tight. Take only a warm shower, and make sure your face is getting warm water only, not hot.
Do not hesitate to use moisturizer, allover the face in the winter. If you do not currently use a moisturizer because you are afraid it will aggravate your acne, this is a big mistake. Not only will your skin look red and dry, but you will also be encouraging your skin to produce MORE sebum because it will automatically try to balance itself again to be well hydrated.
