The white blanket of snow, the touch of cold breeze kissing your face, the warm cozy sweaters and a hot cup of tea are the beauty of winters. But as beautiful as they are, the damage they bring to our skin is extensive. Here are a few tips and tricks to help avoid the dryness this beautiful season brings along. 
Showering! It is easy to get carried away with the hot water. Hot water can immediately dry your skin. So hot water is exactly what your face does not need. Use lukewarm water to wash your face. Since winters are already very dry, the last thing you need is more dryness on your face. If you can, try to avoid hot showers all together. The most sensitive skin on your body is that of your face but hot water can be harsh for the rest of your body as well. After showering, use a moisturizer that contains Hyaluronic Acid.  
Moisturizing is key. Some of us carry on with the same light moisturizers in winters, which we use in summers. With the changing weather, your moisturizers need to change as well. Choose skin care products with mild ingredients, that won’t irritate the skin and make it drier. Since most skin care products that make your skin happy and healthy in the summers have harsh ingredients to fight the sweat, oils and clogged pores, avoid using them in the winters. Completely avoid all skin care products that include alcohol in their ingredients. 
Hydration is the one thing you need to keep constant throughout the year. You need lots of water through the hotter months because your body keeps losing water through perspiration but you need the same amount of water in winters as well since the harsh weather starts taking away moisture from your skin. More water helps keep it hydrated. 
Exercising becomes a little hard in winters because none of us want to leave the coziness of our beds or houses. Also you sweat less in winters or in some case, not at all. When you sweat, you lose your toxins, not entirely but to some percentage, which is very important. Therefore, blood circulation throughout your body is very important. Keep exercising to rid your body of those toxins.
Don’t Forget the Hands and Feet! Glycerin and petroleum jelly are the best way to keep your hands and feet moisturized. Don’t forget to exfoliate your feet. When you come out of the shower and your face, hands and feet are slightly damp, that is the best time to moisturize them. Since the moisture is already present on your skin, the moisturizer locks it in. 
Exfoliation for all skin types, oily or dry should be less. Exfoliate once a week and if you have dry skin keep a lighter hand and don’t go deep. This is important because your skin sheds a lot during the dry season and so your pores are prone to clogging. Also it helps with regenerating the skin so it absorbs whatever product you’re using. If you have dry skin use products that are not harsh. 

DIY
Lip Balms

When the temperature drops, our lips get drier and with the wedding season, the last thing you need are chapped lips. Therefore, it’s essential to keep your lips hydrated. Here are two DIY lip balms to last you in winters.

Coconut 
Lip Balm
This balm will leave your lips soft and keep them nourished for all those matte liquid lipsticks. All you need is:
2 tsp virgin coconut oil
2 tsp argon oil
2 tsp olive oil 
Colored lipstick 
Take a pan and mix the coconut oil and about 1 cm of lipstick and melt them on low heat. Once they are mixed, add the remaining two oils and stir well. Heat for about 3 minutes on low heat and pour it into an old balm tin. Refrigerate it for a few hours before using. 

Honey
​​​​​​​Lip Balm
Honey, if not a cure, can help avoid a lot of diseases. It can also help us keep our lips juicy and moisturized. All you need is a handful of easily available ingredients. 
2 tsp of organic beeswax 
1 tsp organic coconut oil 
2 drops lavender 
1 tsp raw liquid honey 
Place a glass bowl in a pan full of hot water and add the beeswax, honey and oils into the glass bowl. Mix until they all melt into each other. Add the two drops of lavender. Pour into a lip balm tin and refrigerate for a few hours and it is ready to use! HH