There are many reasons why our skin becomes dry during winter. We tend to drink less water because we don’t feel hot and dehydrated like in the summer months, and our exposure to sun increases dramatically during this time. It is necessary to make sure that you take extra care of your skin during this season in order to avoid freckles, wrinkles and fine lines. We at The Week talked to Mohini Duguju, skin therapist at Veda Salon, to find out how to take proper care of your skin during the cold months. 

Face 

The weather and pollution combined is the reason why our skin is especially dry during winters. Because the skin on our face is sensitive, it dries easily than any other part of our body. During the winter, we bathe with hot water and it strips the natural oil of our body leaving our skin prone to dryness. Even seemingly small changes we make in your daily routine can go a long way in keeping our skin healthy and supple. 

Wash your face with your regular face wash at night when you come home and don’t fail to do so no matter how tired you are. Leaving your makeup overnight can dry out your skin and leave your skin looking dull. After washing your face, drop about five ml of cleansing milk on a cotton ball and rub it all over your face. Do this only for about two minutes; doing it for longer may cause breakouts. Wash your face with water after that and apply your night cream. A night cream should become a part of your daily night routine for the night is the only time your skin gets to rest and it needs all the boost it can get. The more care you give to your face at night, the healthier your skin looks in the morning.

Mohini Duguju

In the morning just splash your face with cold water and don’t use soap or face wash. Remember that a moisturized skin is a glowing skin that doesn’t have freckles, fine lines or pigmentations. During winter it doesn’t matter if you have an oily skin either; don’t be stingy with the moisturizer. 

As a general rule of thumb, keep in mind that the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of the sunblock you are wearing multiplied by 10 is how many minutes the sunblock protects your epidermal layer. For example, if your sunblock has SPF 35 written on it, then it will provide your skin with roughly five hours of protection and you should touch up accordingly. The skin takes about five to seven minutes to absorb the moisturizer completely so only wear your sunscreen lotion about seven to 10 minutes after having put on your moisturizer. 

Drink lots of water and don’t let yourself be dehydrated. It doesn’t only affect your skin; it affects your hair as well and makes it look lifeless and dull.

Hands and feet

Glycerin mixed with lemon and olive oil is your safest bet for taking care of your hands during winters. You have to pay special attention to your skin if you constantly need to touch water. Wear latex gloves when you do the dishes in order to stop the dishwashing soap from further drying out your hands and making it rough. Also, carry a tube of hand lotion in your purse so that you can apply some at frequent intervals throughout the day to keep your hands moisturized. 
Feet tend to become rough with the accumulation of dead skin and the heels can crack and cause pain. So don’t neglect your feet during winters. Scrub out the dead skin and your feet will automatically become soft. After scrubbing your feet, apply coconut oil and when it has been completely absorbed, slip on some socks to keep them smooth and supple.     
          
Home remedies
Face
After cleansing your face every night, massage your face for five to 10 minutes with coconut milk on a cotton ball. Alternatively, you can also try mixing a pinch of camphor powder in two tablespoons of coconut oil and thoroughly massage your face with it. You don’t necessarily have to wash your face after this. However, if you feel uneasy, you can wash it after 20 minutes. It helps brighten up dull skin and helps to keep your skin hydrated.

Feet
Soak your feet in a bucket of hot water with two caps of hydrogen peroxide and just a squeeze of shampoo mixed in it. After dipping your feet in it for 15 to 20 minutes, rub it till all the dead cells have been scrubbed off and follow your regular feet care routine. This will keep your feet smooth and soft. 

Recommended products:
Veda products have been especially made for people of Nepal. The manufacturers have carried out extensive research on Nepalis skin and weather. Mohini recommends the Chamomile and Cocoa Butter Veda moisturizer for the day and the Nutrinight for the night. Aqua facials also go a long way to help keep your skin hydrated. 
If your feet are cracked or starting to crack, she recommends the paraffin wax pedicure that will help moisturize your feet at a much deeper level and help the cracks heal faster.    
 

 
• beautilicious
 
• winter care