7 Winter Skin Care Tips

7 Winter Skin Care Tips

Winter is here which normally means cold dry air or dry indoor heat. Your skin naturally becomes dry, itchy, and even irritated if not taken care of properly. You can’t change the weather, but you can change your skin care routine!

Since tanning is something people do even in the colder seasons, its best to value your customers skin care and provide them with the best tips to know how to take care of their skin this type of year. Here are 7 tips to provide your tanning clients in your business:

1. Keep your skin moisturized!
If you’re already using a tanning bed, your skin will tend to be more dry unless you apply moisturizer before and after each session.

Lotion increases your tan up to 60%. When you have dry skin it reflects UV light wasting the first few minutes of your tanning session. Moisturized skin will absorb the UV light helping you tan quicker. If you haven’t been in a tanning bed or exposed to UV light in a while its best to keep lotion off of those sensitive areas.
Don’t apply lotion at home before going to your tanning salon. Getting dressed and going in the cold will dry your skin, it is best to apply your lotion right before your session.
The use of indoor tanning lotion will increase the efficiency of the tanning process. It helps with the absorption of UVA and UVB, allows tanning results to be faster and extends the life of your tan. (Avoid lotions that contain mineral oil because they do not absorb into your skin (such as baby oil or Neiva))

Apply a natural moisturizer such as coconut oil, after showering while your skin is still damp to hold in the moisture.

Apply lip balm for chapped lips. Frequent lip licking is only temporary relief but it dries out your lips as the saliva evaporates. Look for a rich lip ointment or lip butter. Apply under lipstick, throughout the day, and before bedtime to protect against dry indoor heat. (Avoid plumping lip glosses which contain irritating ingredients that can make them drier)

2. Add humidity!
Using a humidifier by setting out pans of water to evaporate into the air to keep moisture added to your home and business’ dry air from the heater. This will overall improve your skin, breathing, and static shocks. A comfortable air seeing is a humidity level between 30-50%. (Avoid going higher to prevent bacteria)

3. Stay hydrated! 
Drinking lots of water is always the best to stay healthy. It might not be as hot in the winter season so you don’t feel as thirsty as you do in the summer, but being dehydrated will make you look and feel shriveled. Making sure you drink plenty of fluids will keep your skin and mouth moist. (Avoid caffeine because those drinks will make you lose more water. Try a little bit of tea or fruit juice to add flavor to water)

4. Eat more fatty acids!
Your skin cells are wrapped in a protective bubble of lipids (fats) that help keep your skin soft, plump, and flexible. Your body won’t have enough building blocks to maintain this protective wrap if you do not consume enough of these. Try eating “good fats” like omega-3 fatty acids including oily fish (such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel), tofu, walnuts, flaxseeds, soybeans, and orange juice into your diet every day. In addition, some people with dry skin and itchy rashes can benefit from evening primrose oil supplements.

“Increasing your fluid intake is always good,” said Dr. Allan. “The other way to treat it from the inside is to take omega-3 supplements. That can help normalize the fat in your skin cells, which helps keep the moisture trapped, and helps keep the oils on the surface of your skin.”

5. Monitor your shower habits!
Try taking shorter, less hot showers. Long, hot showers might feel great during the cold days, but the heat can dry out your skin. Try turning the temperature down and using warmer, not hot, water. Try not to shower for more than 15 minutes once a day.

Also use bath oils or gentle shower gels that are free of harsh chemicals such as deodorant soaps that remove your skin’s natural oils. Harsh bar soaps that contain detergents will leave your skin dry and more sensitive.

You might also consider investing into a shower filter. Filters remove chlorine and other chemicals in the water which will be helpful in keeping your skin hydrated.

After your shower, make sure to pat your skin dry – not rub.

6. Carry your own moisturizing liquid hand soap!
Frequent hand washing and public bathroom soaps and sanitizers are both very harsh and drying to your skin. Public soaps usually contain alcohol to kill germs, but can leave your hands cracked which can cause more problems. Bringing your own travel size will provide you with your own sanitary and rich hand soap. Gloves will also be nice to protect your delicate hand skin from the colder elements.

7. Wear the right clothing! 
Wearing scratchy fibers like wool can agitate the skin especially for sensitive skin. Try wearing cotton, silk, and other softer fabrics that allow your skin to feel nice and be able to breathe. Even though it’s winter, you might not completely layer up because the sun is still out. But, exposure can dry out your skin, so cover up as much as possible though with hats, scarves, gloves, etc to hide the harsh cold air.

If you are able to follow these tips, you and your customer’s skin will feel and look great! The winter blues don’t look as great as the winter tans.

 

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2016/02/can-best-combat-effects-dry-winter-air/ http://www.natlallergy.com/learning/2014/01/06/winter-itch-skin-care-for-cold-weather/
https://www.webmd.com/women/dry-indoor-air#2
https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/dry-skin-relief/dr-wu-causes-of-dry-skin/