Winter brings a lot of wonderful things, but it also brings cold weather, which can cause havoc on the skin. During the winter months, we tend to drink less water even though our body requires we drink the same amount year-round. The cold temperature often times makes us feel less thirsty, which can lead to dehydration. Since water is the primary composition of our body, we need to pay extra attention to dehydration. It may cause a slew of problems and affect the way we look and feel.
If we are getting treatments regularly, dehydration can possibly be counter productive to the results we seek. Without proper hydration, the skin may appear to be dry, exaggeration of pores, appear dull, be tight and flaky and appear to have an increase of fine lines and wrinkles; things that we don’t necessarily we want. So what do we do to maintain the proper level of hydration during the cold winter months and maintain our glowing skin?
- Drink Water – Even if you aren’t feeling thirsty, make sure you drink your H2O. Since caffeine is a diuretic, avoid it. Enhance your water with fruit slices and/or juices. If you are craving warm liquids, have some warm herbal teas.
- Eat Healthy Foods – Vegetables that contain a lot of water and soups can help promote hydration. In addition, add a little extra dose of healthy fats to your meals for added skin benefit. Avoid salty and dry foods, which may lead to further dehydration.
- Shorter & Cooler Showers & Baths– Even though a long hot shower is what we crave, hot water can deplete the skin of its moisture. If the hot bath and shower are a must, add a few drops of essential oils to the water to help with moisturizing.
- Moisturize – Before bed, use a heavy moisturizing cream for face and body. As the skin on the face is more delicate, make sure you use different products for face and body. In addition, consider using a hydrating serum on the face in conjunction with a moisturizer. The smaller particles in the serum will penetrate the skin deeper and help moisturize the skin.
- Humidifier– Try using a humidifier at home and/or in the office to bring in a little extra moisture to your air. The humidity will help keep your skin from drying out.
- Exfoliate– Gently exfoliate your skin once or twice a week. The exfoliation will help buff off the dry and dead cells and increase circulation. Be sure to moisturize your skin after.
Skin dehydration for most of us is a temporary thing we may deal with more during the winter months. With a little extra TLC, we’ll be back to our glowing beautiful selves!
