Winter Moisturizing Tips

By Kathryn M. D'Imperio

Moisturize from Head to Toe ... Winter Tips for Soft, Smooth Skin

Flaky, dry skin… red, chapped lips… scaly alligator legs…. From winter’s frosty bite outside to heated homes and hot blasts from hairdryers, one’s skin puts up with a lot when the colder months roll in.

Moisturize for a smooth, beautiful visage

During the chillier months of the year, you may notice the skin on your face becomes especially dry in some places. To fend off flaky skin, massage a little bit of moisturizer into your face. Use it as needed, but try to work moisturizing into your daily skincare routine. Cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize your way to healthy, glowing skin!

If you haven’t yet picked out a moisturizer to suit your skin, some normal, unscented lotion will do in the meantime, but use this with caution if you have exceptionally sensitive skin. Johnson & Johnson makes a wonderful moisturizer, Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer. This product contains salicylic acid, which works to fight acne while skin conditioners keep your skin soft and smooth.

Enjoy sweet and fruity flavors of lip-gloss and Chap Stick to keep your lips kissably soft. Some lip balm contains sunscreen for added protection from the elements. Try to keep a tube of lip balm with you at all times incase the wind and chill start beating up on your sexy smile.

Moisturize for soft and supple skin

While dryness and peeling on the face becomes apparent immediately, dry skin on other parts of the body may not be so obvious. One thing women should watch out for is dry skin on the undersides of the breasts. Friction caused by bras and the onset of the winter weather makes the skin more susceptible to peeling and dryness.

To combat this undesirable dryness, select a body lotion that you like and warm it up by rubbing a small amount between your hands. Smooth the lotion over the dry parts of your chest to prevent the dry areas from becoming worse. Just before bedtime and just after getting out of the shower are great times to moisturize!

Moisturize for sleek, sexy legs

Just like your face and chest, your legs become more susceptible to dryness in the winter, too. A great way to keep your legs silky smooth - invest in some shaving cream with extra moisturizer added. If you can bear it, also consider shaving less frequently. If your legs will be safely tucked inside pants all day, you might be better off shaving your legs when you have time to moisturize them after your shower.

After you get out of the shower and whenever you think of it, slather on your favorite lotion from your thighs to your toes, paying special attention to your knees, shins, ankles and heels. Many people experience cracked skin on the bottoms of their feet from excessive dryness. You can ward this off with lotion formulated for extra dry skin. As you are caring for your lower limbs, take special care to treat your elbows, which often become dry this time of year as well.

The backs of your arms may also need some special attention, and don’t forget about your hands! If you do a lot of housework – especially washing dishes – your hands may crack easily. Keep a small bottle of hand lotion with you at all times so you can treat problem areas before they get worse.
Treat your skin daily with a moisturizing cream or lotion and you should have smooth, flawless skin no matter what the weather’s like!

Also see: Moisturizing Creams For Skin Types