Winter Skin Care

Shahnaz Husain

The secret of good skin lies in the right kind of care. Seasonal changes affect the skin. In winter, due to lack of humidity, the skin loses moisture to the atmosphere. Also, the air is heavy in winter and pollutants tend to hang low. All this affects the look of the skin, which becomes dry, dull, taut and uncomfortable, especially after washing with soap and water. It begins to flake, with rough, chapped areas developing easily. Normal to dry can become sensitive, with dry, red patches. If the skin is oily and prone to pimples, there may be superficial dryness with a lack of moisture in the outermost layer. So, come winter, you need to adjust your daily routine.

If your skin is normal to dry, discontinue soap and water washing and use a cleansing gel containing aloe vera, so that it cleanses the skin without disturbing the moisture balance. Apply it on the skin and wipe off with moist cotton wool. For oily skin, use a cleansing milk or lotion. Use rose water to tone the skin after cleansing. Soak cotton wool pad in it and wipe the skin with it. Rose water is one of the best natural skin toners and suits all skin types. For dry skin, night-time cleansing should be followed by nourishing. This actually helps the skin to hold moisture. Apply cream on the face and massage it on the skin for 2 to 3 minutes, wiping off with moist cotton wool.

Protection of the skin is imperative. This can be done by the application of moisturizers. If you are going out during the day, apply a sunscreen. Sun-exposure actually depletes moisture. If the skin is oily, use a sunscreen lotion. You may add a drop or two of water to the sunscreen lotion, to provide a lighter coverage. Oily skins need a light moisturizing lotion. Heavy creams tend to block the pores in oily skins, leading to blackheads and pimples.

Facial masks should also be part of the skin-care routine. You can mix a mask at home with two teaspoons wheat bran (choker), one teaspoon almond meal OR oatmeal and one teaspoon each of honey, curd and rose water. Mix together and apply on the skin two or three times a week. Wash it off after 20 to 30 minutes.

Apart from general skin care, we need to pay special attention to certain areas of the face, where the skin is different. The skin on the lips, for instance, is very thin and lacks sebaceous (oil producing) glands. That is why it becomes dry and chaps easily, especially during winter. After washing the face, rub the lips gently with a soft towel to remove dead skin. Apply cream of milk (malai) daily and leave on for an hour. If the lips are dark, add a few drops of lemon juice to the cream of milk. At night, apply pure almond oil or an almond cream daily on the lips and leave on overnight. Avoid matte lipsticks.

Dry feet and cracked heels need intensive care. At night, before retiring, soak the feet in hot water for about 20 minutes. Add some coarse salt and shampoo to the water, before soaking the feet. Hot water helps to soften the dead skin on the heels. With the help of a pumice stone or a heel scrubber, rub the heels gently, in order to remove the dead cells. Avoid metal scrubbers. After washing the feet, massage with a good cream, rubbing it into the skin. Take a rich moisturizing cream or vaseline and apply it generously on the heels. Bandage the heels with cheesecloth, or cotton wool and surgical gauze, then wear cotton socks and go to sleep. This way, the cream will remain on the heels and not get on to the bedclothes. Keeping the heels smeared with cream all night will soften the skin and replenish moisture loss.