In recent days, some of you have told us that you notice your skin gets drier in winter and that some of the problems you suffer from during this time disappear in summer. For this reason, we think it's important to explain what happens to the skin in winter. As you can imagine, cold and lack of humidity are the main enemies for our skin. In fact, we are very aware that we must take care of it during the summer because we have been told a lot about the harmful effects of the sun's rays but, sometimes, we forget that winter also affects us. In fact, how can we not take care of our skin! It covers 2 square meters and weighs 4 kilos. That's why it's the largest organ we have.
But what exactly happens to our skin in winter?
It's easy to understand. It's colder, we are exposed to gusts of wind and we tend to experience sudden changes in temperature; when we enter our homes or commercial areas it's warm, and outside the temperature drops considerably. All these factors affect the skin and the result is what we commonly suffer: redness, dilated veins and skin that is much drier than at other times of the year.
In fact, cold contracts our veins and, as a result, the skin becomes congested. This process is called vasoconstriction and occurs automatically. We all know that the body is wise and, in this case, what it does is carry out this process so that we do not lose heat through the skin. As a counterpart, our cells receive less oxygen and nutrients and the epidermis loses some strength and thickness.
Tips for winter skin
Here are some tips to take care of your skin in winter. Easy, fast and super necessary.
- Don't forget facial cream
When some of you ask us that you don't know which face cream to choose, we always give you the same advice: a cream that deeply nourishes you; that is, someone who has combination skin with a tendency to dryness, should opt for one of the latter type if it is winter. Therefore, it is essential that the skin of the face, which is the area we expose the most, is completely hydrated from early morning with a moisturizing facial cream.
Perhaps we are a bit insistent in this regard but it is important to remember that to hydrate and nourish the skin, our cream must be free of toxic substances and that you should opt for natural cosmetics.
2. Hydrate the body naturally from the shower
On the other hand, it is important that the skin of the rest of the body remains soft and flexible, something we can achieve with a shower gel that already incorporates natural oils and does not contain synthetic perfumes. This is how we work with our shower gels. We do not use synthetic perfumes or raw materials that have been processed. In this way, we achieve that the shower gel performs several functions: it cleanses us, takes care of us and leaves our skin quite hydrated. This last point is essential if we do not want the skin to dehydrate or crack due to the excess of toxins contained in some of the products we use in the shower.
- Humidify the environment if you use heating
Similarly, heating usually dries out our skin and eliminates humidity in the environment. If you are one of those who spend many hours in an office or at home with the heating on, it would be advisable to get a humidifier to increase the humidity levels in that environment. There is a homemade way to create a humidifier, which consists of heating water in one of the pots you use for cooking and then leaving it in the room you are in, as long as it is a fairly small room.
- Even if it's cold, drink water. Reduce coffee or alcohol
Alcoholic beverages or drinking several coffees a day are diuretics, so consuming them in excess will cause us to lose the natural water our body has, which is, after all, what keeps us always in an optimal state of hydration. Similarly, those who suffer from redness or rosacea should eliminate the intake of hot drinks that are usually appealing in winter such as teas, chocolate or even coffee because they cause more redness on the skin. In addition, some of these foods can increase stress problems, which increases the risk of suffering from these spots during winter.
On the other hand, it is very important that we drink water. Sometimes, during winter the sensation of thirst disappears because we don't have the summer heat, but even so, drinking two liters of water is necessary for our skin to remain hydrated and to counteract the process we have already explained.
- The more cotton, the better
Sometimes we really like to wear wool fabrics because they are very warm for winter. On other occasions, some opt for synthetic fabrics. However, these types of fabrics can cause friction with the skin, exfoliate excessively, and damage it. Therefore, our advice is to opt for cotton clothing, at least in those areas that directly touch the body. In fact, this would be good advice for all those with atopic skin.
- Our hands, our best allies
Other areas that are most affected by low temperatures are the hands. Hydrating and nourishing them with a good hand cream is necessary to prevent the redness and chilblains that many people suffer from during winter. We hope to show you our hand cream very soon, which we are sure you will love. You will still have to wait a few weeks to see it.
One of the best times to hydrate them is at night, and you can carry out a very homemade remedy. You could rub your hands with olive oil and then wrap them in cling film or in gloves so that your sheets or duvet don't get stained. When you wake up, you will notice that your hands are much more hydrated and soft than before you went to bed.
So, if we follow these small tips on how to take care of our skin in winter, we will be able to show off more radiant and flexible skin during the winter. It should be remembered that the skin is a mirror of our emotions and if we manage to balance them from within, it will always help it look much healthier, even if the lack of humidity and cold affect it. And, you know, according to the Maminat philosophy, being well inside means being a little more aware every day, eating well, exercising a little, and feeling good about our daily lives. And yes, it is not easy at all...