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Cold season is upon us. At least it has been for some months now but if you live in Canada, you know that February is the coldest month in most places across Canada.
Original photo credit : Jonas Svidras on Unsplash
We all know that our Canadian winters are characterized by harsh winter winds, low humidity levels and dry indoor wind, subsequently leading to dry skin. It is important that as the weather changes, your skincare routine does as well in order to accommodate seasonal changes. Here are some of our favourite tips to gear up for the breeze.
1. Know and Listen to Your Skin.
Truth is, we all have different types of skins and they react differently when exposed to different products and environments. It is important that you self-examine your skin and pay attention to the way it reacts to seasonal changes in order to know which products to use. Additionally, according to Sun Doctors, an organization dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, winter may prove to be the best time for a full skin check. Generally, our skin tends to be drier during winter, which leads us to our next point.
2. Keep Your Skin Moisturized and Hydrated.
This is obvious. The key is to listen to your skin, but as a general rule-of-thumb, you might want to keep that body hydrated and moisturized. That means drinking more water and swapping out that lotion for a cream or a body butter as they are thicker. One of our faves is shea butter. Whether you are using it raw or infused into your body care products, its highly hydrating and nourishing properties can reduce the dryness of the skin during the cold winter months. If you are not sure where to start, we offer a wide variety of shea butter products. You can also read more on the benefits of shea butter here.
Another way to keep moisture in the air is by getting a humidifier. Humidifiers are a perfect way to bring moisture back to your house, particularly if you are vulnerable to heat blasts. The moisture from your skin is sucked by cool, dry air, causing all sorts of complications, such as dullness, dryness, flaking and premature ageing. Humidifiers, however, restore the precious moisture to the skin and air.
3. Avoid Licking Your Lips.
Yes, we said it. This might come as a shock to some of you as it is a natural reflex to lick your lips when they are dry but doing so on a regular basis is counter-effective. Our saliva produces digestive enzymes, such as amylase and maltase, which upon contact with the skin on our mouths may leave them more vulnerable to dry air and at risk for bleeding and chapping. When done occasionally, lip licking does not cause any complications. Chapping, splitting, flaking, or peeling may only occur if done repeatedly throughout the day.
We recommend applying a non-irritating lip balm throughout the day, especially before going to bed. If you are hunting for one, our shea butter lip balm provides lasting protection against the dryness of your lips in all seasons.
3. Limit Hot Showers and Baths.
We know, it is cold, but long hot showers and baths strip the natural oils from the skin, resulting in dry skin. In fact, too much water exposure will dry up the skin or make it crack and raw, particularly when exposed to hot water. Hot water evaporates easily, and the gaps in the skin cause the skin nerves to be exposed to air if the skin is not immediately moisturized, leading to 'winter itch.'
References:
Penn Medicine, January 2017, https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2017/february/dry-skin
Sun Doctors, https://sundoctors.com.au/patient-information/why-a-skin-check-during-winter-is-great/
Health Line, https://www.healthline.com/health/licking-lips#how-to-stop-licking
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