
Over exfoliating
Winter coincidentally falls at the same time as the wedding season. And wedding season implies a lot of makeup and consequently, way too many harsh cleansers and exfoliators to get all the goop off your skin. But remember, while you do need a thorough cleansing, you can’t treat your skin the same way you do during any other season. Winter leaves your skin in a super sensitive state, making it flaky and dry. To complicate matters, if you aren’t hydrating your skin with ample moisturiser and drinking lots of water, your skin is going to start looking terrible.

Saving the SPF for the summer
So many women (including us) give sunscreen a slip if it’s not summer; probably one of the biggest mistakes according to most dermatologists. Unfortunately, the sun’s rays don’t rely on the seasons to cause skin damage. Irrespective of whether it’s January or July, you’ve got to employ a broad spectrum sunscreen in your beauty routine. In addition, a tiny detail you should pay attention to is ensuring that the lip balm you’re using has SPF to ensure that lips too are sun protected.

Taking hot showers
While stepping into a hot shower might be the one of the best ways to deal with the drop in temperature, it isn’t advisable. Since your skin is already quite sensitive in the winter, hot showers can suck the moisture and dry it out further, causing it to itch and flake. So take warm showers lasting not more than five to 10 minutes and replace your regular body washes with a milder one for the winter months. Once you’re done, wipe your body and while you’re still in the bathroom, slather on some winter protect moisturiser or oil to hydrate your skin (the moisture in the bath helps your skin better absorb emollients).
Written by Girija Naiksatam on 9th Jan 2015