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Winter Skin Care
According to ayurveda, all the activities of mind and body are
governed by three psychophysiological energies known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When these three principles within us are in perfect balance, we enjoy good health. If one or more of these energies within us is aggravated or out of balance, disorders result.
Each of these principles is also associated with a season. Winter is the season when Vata rides higher than usual in most people's physiologies. During these months, generally from mid-October to mid-February, the qualities associated with Vata—dry, rough, cool—tend to increase in the physiology. Increased Vata can thus result in dry flaky skin, chapped lips and dry, brittle hair. If you are already prone to these imbalances, winter will generally see an aggravation of the conditions.
Here are some ways to keep Vata dosha in balance and prevent Vata-associated skin problems:
1. Avoid exposing skin to harsh winter elements such as
freezing temperatures and drying cold winds. Dress warmly, in
layers, and wear a hat, scarf and gloves when you go out in cold
weather. Wear a natural lip balm to protect your lips. A light layer of ghee (clarified butter) can also work as natural lip protection.
2. Protect facial skin from both cold winds and drying air from heaters with a rich natural moisturizer. Apply the moisturizer at least twice a day, once after your cleansing routine in the morning and again before you go to bed. Always apply moisturizer on clean skin. Your hands can also benefit from the application of the moisturizer.
3. Three or four times a week, offer dry facial and body skin additional lipid support with a replenishing oil. Choose a nourishing base oil such as almond. Add six-eight drops of a Vata-pacifying pure essential oil such as lavender or neroli to two ounces of the base oil, and mix well. Apply to skin damp from the bath or shower to seal in hydration. Test first to make sure you are not sensitive to the essential oil you choose before you apply it on a regular basis.
4. The pre-bath warm oil self-massage, called abhyanga, is a must-do in winter. The massage not only keeps your skin silky smooth, it also tones the muscles, calms the nerves and aids circulation. Pat excess oil off with a paper towel before you step into the bath or shower. Use a nourishing oil such as almond or sesame oil for the massage.
5. The skin on your feet tends to dry and crack more in winter. Treat your feet to a relaxing soak at night, three times a week. A quick foot bath can be made in a large, wide-mouthed bowl with warm water, sea salts, Epsom salt and two or three drops of your favorite aroma oil. After the soak, rub in an herbal lotion, some shea butter or some almond oil on your feet. This ritual will not only keep your feet looking good, it will also help you ease into sleep.
6. Do not bathe or shower in very hot water. Warm water is much gentler on your skin. Do not bathe more than once a day if your skin is very dry.
7. Do not use harsh soaps to cleanse, as they will strip your skin of precious lipids. Use a non-soap cleanser or very mild soap to cleanse.
8. Give your skin lipid support from within by including soaked and blanched almonds, soaked walnuts, whole milk, fresh cheese, and ghee (clarified butter) in your diet. Drink a cup of warm milk laced with 1/4 teaspoon ghee at bedtime for a daily boost of lipid support.
9. Eat fruits and vegetables high in water content at every meal. Zucchini and other summer squashes, tender asparagus, tender greens, and carrots make excellent vegetable choices. Sweet juicy berries, cooked apples and sweet grapes are good fruit choices. Drink lots of warm water through the day.
10. The Amla fruit (Indian Gooseberry) is the richest known natural source of vitamin C. Herbs such as Amla provide concentrated nourishment to the deeper layers of the skin. Take Amla, also known as Amalaki, on a regular basis to replenish skin from within.
Remember that a holistic approach will yield the best results. Try and incorporate as many of the above suggestions as you can to keep Vata dosha in balance and your skin looking smooth, soft and beautiful through the dry winter months.
Note: This material is educational, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical concern, please consult your physician.
When Jack Frost Bites: Fighting Winter Skin Woes
When the temperature outside drops and the temperature inside rises, your skin is under assault. Low humidity, coupled with heavier clothing, and longer, hotter showers and baths can leave your skin feeling dry and itchy. Most people start slathering on lotion and hope for the best, but there are more effective ways to prevent and combat winter skin.
"Your skin is stripped of moisture during the cold winter months, which is why it’s so important to seal moisture into the skin to prevent dryness and cracking," said dermatologist Marianne O’Donoghue, M.D., Associate Professor of Dermatology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke Medical Center, Chicago. "This is the perfect time of year to adjust your skin care and moisturizing routine."
The skin is made up of several layers of cells and thousands of oil glands. The oil that the glands produce keeps the skin from losing moisture and makes it supple and soft. But your skin is constantly losing moisture into the air and every time you wash your skin, you strip away much of the oil, letting more moisture evaporate and drying the skin. However, in humid conditions, the skin can replenish itself by soaking up moisture from the air. So, when the humidity drops, as it does in many places in the winter, your skin loses another opportunity to moisturize itself. Couple that with the low humidity of indoor heating, and hotter showers and baths, and your skin can become dry and irritated.
Face Saving Tips
To keep your face from feeling the effects of winter’s drying weather and to continue protecting it from sun damage, Dr. O’Donoghue recommends the following:
Wash your face with lukewarm, not hot, water and a mild facial soap.
Remember to continue using a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 during the winter months. The snow reflects UV light, so you are still at risk for sun damage.
If you have oily skin, don't assume you automatically need a moisturizer. Your face may feel tight after you wash it. Wait 20 minutes and if your face still feels tight, use a moisturizer only where you feel dry.
Those with acne should reconsider their skincare regimens. Continue to use topical treatments, but modify them slightly. For example, if you use Retin-A, ask your dermatologist to switch you from the gel to the more moisturizing cream formulation.
Be careful to not overuse products containing alpha-hydroxy acids. They exfoliate the top layer of the skin, which is good for dry skin, but they leave the new layer of skin unprotected to the bitter winds.
Don’t forget to protect your lips. Look for a lip balm with an SPF in it to help prevent chapped lips.
Winter Body Basics
Winter stressed skin is also common on the rest of the body. In fact, severely dry skin is less effective at providing a barrier against infection and can split and bleed, creating a greater chance for an infection. Dr. O’Donoghue recommends the following skin care tips for caring for the rest of the body:
Bathe or shower in lukewarm -not hot- water. Hot water removes natural oil from the skin, making it dry and itchy.
Limit your showers to 10 to 15 minutes.
Add bath oils to your water if you must take a hot bath.
Use mild soaps. Try to avoid deodorant soaps, as they can be more drying to the skin.
Apply moisturizers to skin immediately after a bath or shower while your skin is still wet. Putting on a cream, ointment or lotion helps trap the water in the upper layers of the skin and decreases dryness and itching.
Shave using lotion or hair conditioner instead of shaving foam.
Dab petroleum jelly on problem areas to seal in moisture and heal very dry skin.
After washing your hands, immediately put on hand cream to seal in moisture.
Consider purchasing a humidifier to keep the humidity in your home higher during the winter.
Source1 Source2
According to ayurveda, all the activities of mind and body are
governed by three psychophysiological energies known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When these three principles within us are in perfect balance, we enjoy good health. If one or more of these energies within us is aggravated or out of balance, disorders result.
Each of these principles is also associated with a season. Winter is the season when Vata rides higher than usual in most people's physiologies. During these months, generally from mid-October to mid-February, the qualities associated with Vata—dry, rough, cool—tend to increase in the physiology. Increased Vata can thus result in dry flaky skin, chapped lips and dry, brittle hair. If you are already prone to these imbalances, winter will generally see an aggravation of the conditions.
Here are some ways to keep Vata dosha in balance and prevent Vata-associated skin problems:
1. Avoid exposing skin to harsh winter elements such as
freezing temperatures and drying cold winds. Dress warmly, in
layers, and wear a hat, scarf and gloves when you go out in cold
weather. Wear a natural lip balm to protect your lips. A light layer of ghee (clarified butter) can also work as natural lip protection.
2. Protect facial skin from both cold winds and drying air from heaters with a rich natural moisturizer. Apply the moisturizer at least twice a day, once after your cleansing routine in the morning and again before you go to bed. Always apply moisturizer on clean skin. Your hands can also benefit from the application of the moisturizer.
3. Three or four times a week, offer dry facial and body skin additional lipid support with a replenishing oil. Choose a nourishing base oil such as almond. Add six-eight drops of a Vata-pacifying pure essential oil such as lavender or neroli to two ounces of the base oil, and mix well. Apply to skin damp from the bath or shower to seal in hydration. Test first to make sure you are not sensitive to the essential oil you choose before you apply it on a regular basis.
4. The pre-bath warm oil self-massage, called abhyanga, is a must-do in winter. The massage not only keeps your skin silky smooth, it also tones the muscles, calms the nerves and aids circulation. Pat excess oil off with a paper towel before you step into the bath or shower. Use a nourishing oil such as almond or sesame oil for the massage.
5. The skin on your feet tends to dry and crack more in winter. Treat your feet to a relaxing soak at night, three times a week. A quick foot bath can be made in a large, wide-mouthed bowl with warm water, sea salts, Epsom salt and two or three drops of your favorite aroma oil. After the soak, rub in an herbal lotion, some shea butter or some almond oil on your feet. This ritual will not only keep your feet looking good, it will also help you ease into sleep.
6. Do not bathe or shower in very hot water. Warm water is much gentler on your skin. Do not bathe more than once a day if your skin is very dry.
7. Do not use harsh soaps to cleanse, as they will strip your skin of precious lipids. Use a non-soap cleanser or very mild soap to cleanse.
8. Give your skin lipid support from within by including soaked and blanched almonds, soaked walnuts, whole milk, fresh cheese, and ghee (clarified butter) in your diet. Drink a cup of warm milk laced with 1/4 teaspoon ghee at bedtime for a daily boost of lipid support.
9. Eat fruits and vegetables high in water content at every meal. Zucchini and other summer squashes, tender asparagus, tender greens, and carrots make excellent vegetable choices. Sweet juicy berries, cooked apples and sweet grapes are good fruit choices. Drink lots of warm water through the day.
10. The Amla fruit (Indian Gooseberry) is the richest known natural source of vitamin C. Herbs such as Amla provide concentrated nourishment to the deeper layers of the skin. Take Amla, also known as Amalaki, on a regular basis to replenish skin from within.
Remember that a holistic approach will yield the best results. Try and incorporate as many of the above suggestions as you can to keep Vata dosha in balance and your skin looking smooth, soft and beautiful through the dry winter months.
Note: This material is educational, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical concern, please consult your physician.
When Jack Frost Bites: Fighting Winter Skin Woes
When the temperature outside drops and the temperature inside rises, your skin is under assault. Low humidity, coupled with heavier clothing, and longer, hotter showers and baths can leave your skin feeling dry and itchy. Most people start slathering on lotion and hope for the best, but there are more effective ways to prevent and combat winter skin.
"Your skin is stripped of moisture during the cold winter months, which is why it’s so important to seal moisture into the skin to prevent dryness and cracking," said dermatologist Marianne O’Donoghue, M.D., Associate Professor of Dermatology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke Medical Center, Chicago. "This is the perfect time of year to adjust your skin care and moisturizing routine."
The skin is made up of several layers of cells and thousands of oil glands. The oil that the glands produce keeps the skin from losing moisture and makes it supple and soft. But your skin is constantly losing moisture into the air and every time you wash your skin, you strip away much of the oil, letting more moisture evaporate and drying the skin. However, in humid conditions, the skin can replenish itself by soaking up moisture from the air. So, when the humidity drops, as it does in many places in the winter, your skin loses another opportunity to moisturize itself. Couple that with the low humidity of indoor heating, and hotter showers and baths, and your skin can become dry and irritated.
Face Saving Tips
To keep your face from feeling the effects of winter’s drying weather and to continue protecting it from sun damage, Dr. O’Donoghue recommends the following:
Wash your face with lukewarm, not hot, water and a mild facial soap.
Remember to continue using a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 during the winter months. The snow reflects UV light, so you are still at risk for sun damage.
If you have oily skin, don't assume you automatically need a moisturizer. Your face may feel tight after you wash it. Wait 20 minutes and if your face still feels tight, use a moisturizer only where you feel dry.
Those with acne should reconsider their skincare regimens. Continue to use topical treatments, but modify them slightly. For example, if you use Retin-A, ask your dermatologist to switch you from the gel to the more moisturizing cream formulation.
Be careful to not overuse products containing alpha-hydroxy acids. They exfoliate the top layer of the skin, which is good for dry skin, but they leave the new layer of skin unprotected to the bitter winds.
Don’t forget to protect your lips. Look for a lip balm with an SPF in it to help prevent chapped lips.
Winter Body Basics
Winter stressed skin is also common on the rest of the body. In fact, severely dry skin is less effective at providing a barrier against infection and can split and bleed, creating a greater chance for an infection. Dr. O’Donoghue recommends the following skin care tips for caring for the rest of the body:
Bathe or shower in lukewarm -not hot- water. Hot water removes natural oil from the skin, making it dry and itchy.
Limit your showers to 10 to 15 minutes.
Add bath oils to your water if you must take a hot bath.
Use mild soaps. Try to avoid deodorant soaps, as they can be more drying to the skin.
Apply moisturizers to skin immediately after a bath or shower while your skin is still wet. Putting on a cream, ointment or lotion helps trap the water in the upper layers of the skin and decreases dryness and itching.
Shave using lotion or hair conditioner instead of shaving foam.
Dab petroleum jelly on problem areas to seal in moisture and heal very dry skin.
After washing your hands, immediately put on hand cream to seal in moisture.
Consider purchasing a humidifier to keep the humidity in your home higher during the winter.
Source1 Source2
