The season of holidays! The season of gajar ka halwa! The season of gifts! The season of wearing warm socks along with cozy winter fashion! And sadly, also the season of dry cold air that damages your skin
Taking care of your skin in the winter feels like an extra chore due to the overwhelming amount of things you need to do to protect it. But it doesn’t have to be so. If you can just manage to avoid the most common skincare mistakes that people make during the winter, then you won’t have to suffer from dry skin, chapped lips, and all the other pesky little problems.
Let’s dive right into all the mistakes you should be avoiding.
Mistake to Avoid #1: Using Hot Water
Well… it’s winter, it’s freezing cold, so what is our first instinct? To use hot water of course! While it might comfort you at the moment for bathing or washing your face, this is extremely harmful to your skin.
The thing is, hot water really dehydrates your skin. We know what you’re thinking, how can water dehydrate your skin? Sadly, hot water does that if you stay in it for even a little bit too long. It extracts all the natural oils, damaging and irritating your skin and stripping away its natural moisturizing capability.
Hot water hurts the outermost layer of your skin, the epidermis which has keratin cells that are responsible for locking in moisture. Disrupting these cells causes your skin to become rough and dry.
Mistake to Avoid #2: Too Much Exfoliation
Exfoliating your skin is important. But if your frequency of doing it normally is around 2-3 times a week, you should consider lowering it in the winter season.
Exfoliating your skin also removes some of the natural oils along with dirt and grime. If you do this too often, you might end up leaving your skin very dry.
We recommend using a gentle cleanser and face scrub with a low usage frequency per week so your skin retains its natural moisture and stays healthy.
Mistake to Avoid #3: Not Using a Toner
Applying a Toner in the winter as well is very important as it helps hydrate your skin. But always use an alcohol-free toner, else it’ll end up dehydrating your skin.
Mistake to Avoid #4: Avoiding a Face Serum
Make sure you make face serums a part of your skincare routine as you need to take extra measures in the winter.
Face serums help reduce the formation of blackheads and whiteheads on your skin. Due to their antioxidant properties and the exfoliating acids that are present, they help clear out your pores of dirt and sebum.
Mistake to Avoid #5: Not Using a Sunscreen
This is one of the biggest mistakes everyone makes. We can’t say this enough! Please use sunscreen. Don’t let the cold temperatures trick you into believing that the UV rays from the sun aren’t reaching you
Always use a sunscreen that has an SPF of more than 15.
Mistake to Avoid #6: Going Out With Damp Skin
Many people have the habit of not fully drying their bodies before getting out of the bath. When you do this in the winter, it can cause your skin to dry off rapidly as the water on your body evaporates and takes the moisture with it.
Just like we lick our lips when they feel dry to moisturize them, but they end up drying up, even more, the same happens with the rest of your skin.
So make sure you apply a moisturizer or a body lotion and not let the outside cold air come in contact with your damp skin.
Mistake to Avoid #7: Drinking Less Water
Another weird myth similar to not applying sunscreen in the winter. Just because it’s not hot or you don’t feel thirsty doesn’t mean it’s ok to not drink water at a long stretch in the winter.
Make sure you’re continuously sipping on water at regular intervals. This will keep your body and skin hydrated.
Mistake to Avoid #8: Using Products in The Wrong Order
Although not specific to winter, it is a very common mistake that people make. One of the most basic skincare terms is CTM, which stands for Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturising. This is the order in which you should apply your products.
Many people make the mistake of applying sunscreen before a moisturizer. In cases where your sunscreen is too thick, it doesn’t allow your moisturizer to reach your skin properly. So always apply sunscreen after your moisturizer.
