Hi Friends, I find Delhi winters very harmful for my dry skin and dry hair. Can you tell me how to take care?
The cold and dry winds of winter can harm our skin immensely. But, if we start early care for our skin, we will be able to enjoy the winter season. We should be taking a lukewarm shower daily. Our first and foremost need is to keep ourselves clean, fresh and hygienic. We should be using a mild shower gel. I always avoid using harsh and excessively fragrant soaps during winter. Always remember to apply moisturizer just after having your bath, when the skin is still moist. It is best if you apply a rich cream-based moisturizer on the entire body. Moisturizers with cocoa butter or shea butter provide extra protection.
Having spent a considerable period of my childhood in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1lace>Delhi</st1lace></st1:City>, I know how skincare in winter is a problem. My mother always advised me to add a few drops of coconut or olive oil in the bathing water. It keeps the skin moist and soft. Dead cells are a problem in the winter. They accumulate on the skin. The skin must be exfoliated once a week with a good scrub. This keeps the skin smooth and clean. Please do not hesitate to invest in a good brand of scrub. Lips suffer the brunt of the harsh winter winds. Regularly apply a good lipbalm to keep them from getting chapped.
The best way of taking care of your lips is by first rubbing the lips with a soft toothbrush. Follow this by applying a lipbalm. A way of avoiding dry lips is by applying a drop of mustard oil in the navel every night. Always remember to wear gloves while performing household chores. This prevents the hands from becoming rough and dry. You should also apply a good handcream two or three times a day. Cracked heels pose to be a nasty problem every winter. It can be avoided by wearing socks without fail. Soak your feet in lukewarm saline water before going to bed every night. Apply a footcream after drying the feet.
Cracked heels are indeed a persistent problem of winter. A foot cream must be applied every night. Feet must be kept cozy in socks, throughout the day. Massaging your hair and body with warm olive oil, once a week, gives good results. In the adsence of olive oil, you can use coconut oil too. Oil can be massaged in the body either at night, at bedtime or in the morning, before taking a bath. Do not forget to apply sunscreen daily, before you step outdoors. You must remember to eat healthy and drink lots of fluid. Homemade masks prove very helpful in winter.
Jaya, You are right. Homemade masks are very good for skincare in winter. You can blend avocado with a few drops of olive oil and apply the mixture all over the body, twenty minutes before taking your shower. You can also mix grounded almonds with yogurt and apply the mixture on your face. Let the mixture remain on your face for twenty minutes. Wash it off with lukewarm water. Your skin will simply glow. Winter is a time when my hair needs more attention. I am sure it is the same with many of you. I suffer from dry and itchy scalp in winter.
Anandi, In winter, you should not wash your hair on a daily basis. Try to wash your hair three times a week. Try to massage your scalp with a non-greasy oil. You can avoid dryness by massaging warm oil on the scalp. However, when I stayed in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1lace>Delhi</st1lace></st1:City>, my cousin asked me to avoid daily oiling in winter. Do not expose your hair to chemical treatments in winter. The salon my mother frequented always advised to avoid ironing, streaking and hair coloring in winter. They advised her to use “leave-in-conditioners” which keep the scalp moist for a long time. In winter, it is better not to let your hair lose.
The salon I visit advises me to get regular dandruff treatments in winter. Dandruff treatment followed by a hair spa can keep hair beautiful throughout the winter. A hair spa with a purifying base should be opted for. Oil often tends to aggravate scalp issues. It is better to use light oils or light cream based products to nourish the hair. You must trim your hair to avoid split ends in winter. Otherwise the split may work its way to damage the hair shafts. As Jaya says, one should not let their hair loose in winter. Exposing hair to cold winds in the evening and sunrays in daytime make it rough.
It is indeed true that hair needs special care during winter. Adding moisture to hair is very important during winter and we often overlook this important point. As temperatures fall and we get shorter hours to spend in the sun, our hair loses its natural healthy shimmer. The cold air of the winter months lack moisture and harm hair. Indoor heating devices also rob hair off its moisture. All these result in dull hair. You can highlight your hair during wainter. Highlighting livens up the dull look of hair. Adding moisture to your hair is very important. If you have done any chemical treatment on your hair, you must look for a conditioner with cetyl alcohol.
