Prevent Dry Skin This Winter Season

I'm not too fond of this winter weather that we've been having here in Toronto lately.  With the frigid temperatures you may have noticed that your skin has become somewhat dry.  This is due to the low moisture in the air and less humidity.  Dry air sucks out a lot of the moisture in our skin.  So help prevent dryness there are a few tips on how we can do to help prevent moisture loss.  

 

1.  Drink lots of water:  The rule of thumb is 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.  Try to avoid caffeinated beverages as the caffeine can cause dehydration.

2.  Moisturize:  I like to use heavier and creamier lotions during the winter months.  A really good one I like is Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Lotion.  It will leave you skin feeling soft and smooth while adding a beautiful healthy glow.

3.  Exfoliate:  A great exfoliator that I swear by is LUSH's Buffy Body Butter.  After cleansing with body wash I like to rub the Buffy bar all of my skin.  It gets rid of the dry dead skin and keeps my skin hydrated.  In the warmer months you don't even have to use lotion after using it.  But be warned, if you like hot showers this bar will melt really fast.  So try not to keep it under the hot water too long!

4.  Keep warm:  As mentioned earlier, the cold weather will suck the heat and moisture right out of us.  So we'll want to lock that warmth and moisture in.  One way to do this is by dressing warmly.  Layer up and use a thick heavy coat when you go outdoors to prevent heat loss.  Try a down feather filled coat.  It'll keep you very warm.

5.  Turn down the heat and up the mosture levels:  I know with it being freezing outside, we tend to up the temperatures in our homes.  But when we raise the heat we're actually raising the dry air.  Try to keep the temperatures at normal levels (73 degrees F) and use a humidifier.  The humidifier will not only lock in moisture in our skin but you will notice that it also keeps the house slightly warm as well.

Keep warm and hydrated.  Good luck!