How to Protect Your Skin During Harsh Weather Conditions
| Protect your skin during harsh winter or summer months to ensure that it's getting enough moisture. The elements outside can really take a toll on your skin. |
During winter months, low humidity, strong winds, and lower temperatures can lend to dry, parched skin. On the other hand, strong summer sun rays and extreme high temperatures can also be problematic for your skin during the summer. Either way, you need to be proactive in your skin care regimen.

Cool mist humidifiers serve you well any time of year but are especially helpful during the dry winter months. Every day, you’ll need to take care of your skin from head to toe. Exposed skin is susceptible to the elements, while skin that packed in layers of clothes, gets abuse from clothing rubbing off moisture, which make make your skin feel scaly and reptile-like. So, do you really know what to do to take good care of your skin? Its not brain surgery but these facts will help you give your skin the protection it needs, no matter what time of year it is. Read over the answers to the questions below to ensure that you know how to protect your skin, no matter what the weather is like outside. How to Protect Your Skin from Harsh Elements
You need to change regular face moisturizer during the winter time?This is false. You don't have to buy a different moisturizer in the winter unless you live in an extreme climate like the Arctic Tundra. Your regular hydrator should hold up during any season. During the winter, you may need several layers of moisture though, just like you layer your clothes. Give your moisturizers more oomph by applying a moisturizing serum first. Serums are lightweight, so they won't change your lotion's consistency. Plus, they penetrate deeply, delivering ingredients more effectively. Choose a serum with hyaluronic acid, which plumps up skin cells by attracting more water. ROC Deep Wrinkle Serum is a fine example. Other serums to try - LOreal Skin Genesis Pore Minimizing Serum or Olay Regenerist Serum or Estee Lauder Idealist Serum. In the summer time, you may need to reapply your regular moisturizers several times a day if you’re sweating a lot. To protect your skin from the hot summer rays, you’ll also need a good broad spectrum sunblock . Soaking into a hot tub is a big no no during the winter?This is true. When you take a bath your pores open up and the moisture in your skin evaporates. If you love to take baths, try and keep them short and use a creamy body wash with petroleum or sunflower oil afterward or while you're soaking in the bath. The same rules apply for hot showers! Your goal is to leave a coating on your skin, which helps to trap the natural oils in your skin. Pat your skin dry with a towel instead of rubbing and immediately apply body lotion . This helps lock in the moisture and helps to protect your skin. You might also try using a 10 minute body massage into your skin care regimen. It will help moisturize and tone muscles at the same time! Products to try - Dove Cream Oil Body Wash and any brand Cocoa Butter lotions . During the summer months, most people don’t take as many hot baths or showers. This really cuts down on the amount of moisture that leaves your skin. Either way, always pat dry your skin after you get wet. Chlorine in swimming pools and salt in the ocean can also dehydrate your skin, so rinse well after you get out of the pool or ocean and reapply body lotions and sunblocks often if you swim a lot. Drinking lots of water will help quench dry skin?This is false to a certain extent. Drinking water helps but your skin needs inside and outside hydration. To ensure that your skin stays hydrated, consume foods that are nutrient rich and help strengthen your skin to retain its natural oils. Choose foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon and halibut or use Olive Oil in your salad dressings and dishes. Products to use – Take Natural Fish Oil Supplements and Drink Fresh, Pure Water Heavy lotions are more effective during cold weather?This too is false. Lotions don’t have to be heavy to be effective. Lighter lotions can be just as effective when you need to protect your skin. Both do the jobs but in slightly different ways. Lighter lotions rely on humectants, which pull moisture into the skin. Thicker lotions and creams are occlusive and help to prevent moisture from evaporating from your skin. Products to use - Priori Advanced AHA Hand & Body Lotion and Kiss My Face moisturizers. In the summer, use lotions that are water based only, unless you have dry skin. Using heavy lotions or creams may only make your skin break out in zits. To protect your skin, use sunscreen daily. You get dandruff more in winter than other seasons?This is false. It may seem like you have more flaking during the winter but the fact is that white flecks show up more on darker clothes, and most people wear darker clothes during winter months. Surprisingly, dandruff isn't caused by dryness, but a fungus called Malassezia globosa. Also in winter the low humidity dislodges flakes from your scalp more easily. Stop dandruff in it's tracks by using shampoos and conditioners with pyrithione zinc. If flakes don't vanish in a month, see your dermatologist as the condition can also signal psoriasis. Products to use - Nizoral shampoo , Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Care or Neutrogena T Gel Shampoo You can also get a case of dandruff in the summer but it won’t show up as much. To moisturize your scalp, apply coconut oil , argan oil, or olive oil to your hair and massage it into your scalp during any month of the year. Wear a protective cap on your hair over night and rinse and shampoo the next day. Your lip balm addiction can give you chapped lips?This is false. If going without your lip balm for a day sounds as challenging as skipping your morning latte, you may be subconsciously licking it off or pressing your lips together more often, which leaves behind your saliva. That's bad news for your lips because saliva is acidic (to help break down food for digestion) and is dehydrating to the thin skin on lips. Make an effort not to lick, and choose salves with superstar softeners such as jojoba oil or shea butter. Products to try - Chapstick Moisturizing Lip Balm During the summer, your lips need just as much protection as the winter. That’s because your skin is extremely thin on your lips. Apply lip balm to your lips before bed every night to protect your skin from excessive drying. Whatever your skin type, (oily, normal, combination, dry, or sensitive), find good lotions and products and stick with them. If one name brand works well for your skin, don't try and reinvent the wheel by changing it. The point is to use products that work well for you and to reapply them as you need to. Protect your skin from the elements and you'll help fight the visible signs of aging!
Related Pages on This Site Summer Skin Care – Anti Aging Skin Advice Antiaging Winter Skin Care - Combating the Elements Oily Facial Skin Care 101 Dry Facial Skin Care - Tips for Skin Success! Dry Skin Brushing – Radiant Natural Skin Care Find the Best Prices Clinique All About Eyes Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Garnier Skin Renew Loreal Revitalift Clinical Repair 10 Subscribe to my free newsletter. Get interesting facts and money saving tips to help conserve and improve your beauty and your health.
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