It is that time of the year when your skin woes augment. While acne could be worse during colder months, the excessively dry and flaky skin is one of the most common skin problems during winter.

Dryness makes the skin itchy, making one scratch his body all the time.

While it gets exasperating, it is quite embarrassing to scratch your head and hands continuously at work. You certainly don’t want any distraction while working, do you?

The cold winter air requires one to modify her skin care routine to have a soft skin While you do that, following tips will help you banish flakiness and dryness:

Avoid Long Showers & Hot Water

It’s quite comforting to take hot showers in the winter season, but hot water absorbs your skin’s natural oils and leaves your skin dry. Retaining natural oils is essential because they keep the skin moist and smooth.

Hence, you should switch to warm water and avoid taking steaming showers. Also, limit your bath time to 5 or 10 minutes.

Apply a Moisturizer

Once done with shower, gently pat your skin dry and apply a moisturizer. It keeps your skin supple and moist, and prevents dryness. Use an ointment or cream that contains olive oil, Shea butter or jojoba oil for they help minimize dryness and keep your skin moisturized.

Avoid using a lotion because it is less effective than a cream and ointment.

Steer Clear of Soaps

Deodorant and perfumed soaps might be your favorite, but you should avoid using them to keep your skin soft and supple. The use of soaps, actually, strips away natural oils and makes you skin flaky. So steer clear of soaps and use soap-free cleansers instead to avoid drying out your skin.

Avoid Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers

Like soaps, hand sanitizers also contribute to dryness. So, you must limit its use. If it is must to wash your hands, don’t forget to moisturize your hands with a fragrance and dye free hand moisturizer afterwards.

The best way to limit its use is to use it only when your hands are dirty.

Protect Your Skin from Sunlight

Sunlight impacts your skin severely by causing dryness, wrinkles and roughness. You can, however, minimize the effects of sunlight by wearing a sunscreen before going out. So, whenever you head outside, wear a sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF.

Drink Lots of Water

Water intake keeps you hydrated and prevents dryness. Hence, you must drink lots of water during a day to avoid flaky and rough skin during winter.

Tuck into Healthy Foods

Increase the intake of seasonal fruits and vegetables for a smooth and healthier skin. Fruits like oranges, kiwi, and apples, and vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, celery and zucchini keep one hydrated and healthy. Also, some of these fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamin C and zinc that are essential for a glowing skin. Include fish in your diet too because they are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids that are good for skin as well as overall health.

So, prepare your skin for winter and consider these tips to keep your skin from the dramatic effects of change in weather. Besides, you should also visit an esthetician in Toledo OH to get more suggestions regarding keeping your skin moist and soft.