Icy cold outside, overheated rooms inside. Especially in winter, the skin is exposed to many additional stresses. The dry office air is particularly troublesome for the skin, especially if it is not ventilated regularly. It is quite common for the skin to be very tight, itchy and scaly in winter.
This is precisely why appropriate skin care is so important in the cold season. But how do I actually care for the skin efficiently and sustainably and which products are particularly suitable for which part of the body? In the following you will find many useful care instructions for your skin:
The face
Low temperatures cause the sebaceous glands to reduce their production or even stop it altogether in icy conditions. The lack of lipids makes the complexion really dry in winter. Therefore, when cleansing your face, make sure to clean it only very gently with a mild cleansing lotion or cleansing milk. Afterwards you should apply a good cream to your facial skin. If your skin is very dry, it may be advisable to supply it with essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Read more about how to get rid of dark circles.
Some of these fat components can no longer be produced by the body itself. But vitamin B3 is also very important in many respects for the supply of your skin, because it promotes fat production and thus strengthens the skin barrier. It also has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect. Especially allergy sufferers and people with very sensitive skin should choose soothing products that are free of preservatives, fragrances and colourings. We recommend products from Dermalogica or La Roche-Posay.
The lips
Brittle lips are a widespread side effect of external circumstances in winter. First of all, don’t make the mistake now and moisten your lips constantly with your tongue – if the saliva evaporates, the lips unfortunately dry out even more. Instead, you should use a lip cream (e.g. Carmex) or apply some honey from time to time. If you don’t like this old household remedy as much, you can use lip balm with soothing honey essence as Burts Bees does. Also make sure that Panthenol is contained in the lip care, because this promotes regeneration. Jojoba oil also has a lasting care effect and is therefore also very popular in lip care products.
The hands
During a business day, they are usually in constant use and on the move and yet are often ignored during care: the hands. In addition, constant hand washing, writing and various other activities can put a lot of strain on the thin skin on the hands, because there are very few sebaceous glands and hardly any fat.
Therefore, use pH-neutral washing lotions or a hand wash cream with moisturising vegetable oils and glycerine for washing your hands. It is also important to always apply hand cream after washing, e.g. with hand creams containing chamomile and marigold. These have an anti-inflammatory effect.
The scalp
Perhaps you also know this: In winter the scalp often reacts very irritated by cold and heating air. As a result, itching and feelings of tension can occur. Especially now it is important not to wash your hair too hot and to use only a little shampoo (a hazelnut-sized amount is enough).
Especially pleasant for the scalp are mild shampoos, which restore the natural pH value of the scalp or are mixed with panthenol, which has a soothing effect. We recommend the hair care products from Glynt. While mild hair oil cures, e.g. with olive oil, care for the scalp pleasantly, you should do without degreasing peeling shampoos!
For the morning styling applies:
Do not blow-dry the hair too close to the scalp, but preferably at a distance of 15 to 20 centimetres. Also use mousse and hairspray for your styling, which are especially suitable for sensitive scalps (e.g. from Marc Booten). These are particularly gentle on the scalp as they are produced free of perfumes, among other things.
The body
Remember to always cream your skin well after showering and bathing – for example with a caring body cream. Lotions with strong natural moisturizers such as urea are particularly suitable, as they help to restore the barrier function of dry skin and normalize water loss.
Also keep in mind that certain parts of the body that are always covered in winter, such as elbows, knees and shins, are prone to dryness. Thick sweaters, pantyhose and jeans rub the skin and cause the particular dryness in these areas. Use oils such as jojoba, almond, pomegranate or olive oil for care. These oils are rich in linoleic acid, which also occurs in the skin. Products with shea butter also intensively care for dry areas.
The feet
Also the feet are usually packed even thicker in winter and therefore need a lot of attention during the care. Therefore, always treat them to an extra portion of care, e.g. with a build-up mask. Creams against cracked skin also help to keep your feet supple in the long term. If your heels are particularly rough or even cracked, a cracking cream can help because it contains urea, soothing allantoin and panthenol.
