Have you ever wondered why winters torment the Skin so much? You cover your body to protect it all year long – throughout summers, from the harsh sun rays – but in winters, the skin demands extra care. What happens in winters? Why does your skin become dry, flaky, itchy and dull?

Winters bring change in temperatures – they dip low and go high – the temperature outside is low while the heaters inside raise the room temperature. So, one moment your skin has to deal with the cold and it shrinks the pores and the next moment, it has to open the pores when you are in a heated environment. It’s confusing for your skin. The shrink pores lead to accumulation of heat beneath the top layer of the skin causing it to be loaded and oily. This further results in rashes, acne and loads of other problems.

The solution to all these is hydration and a good skincare routine that will prevent skin issues in winters.

Importance of Hydrating Your Skin Internally

Your skin needs a lot of love, especially in winters when it is going through a dry and flaky phase. If you treat it right now, it will reward you with a glow that will be the envy of others. To treat it right, you need to keep your skin hydrated within and without. This also includes drinking plenty of water and slathering moisturizers.

Does More Water Make You Feel Better?

Well, kind of. Everyone knows the importance of drinking adequate water. It is essential for all the processes occurring inside the body. We also know that inadequate water intake results in stomach problems, which manifest themselves physically on the skin. While there is no sufficient evidence to prove that drinking more water than required is better, there is evidence that proves conclusively that you do need to drink sufficient water, especially if you have started having chapped or dry lips, dry, flaky skin and others. Add a few ounces of water intake to your everyday routine and your inner hydration is taken care of.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

The age-old recommendation is to drink 8-10 glasses of water every day to keep your insides clean and flush the body of all toxins. If you exercise a lot and lose a lot of water through sweating, then increase the quantity of water intake.

Importance of Hydrating Your Skin Topically

Winters bring along change in ambient moisture and temperatures, which is why you get symptoms like skin irritation, flakiness and dryness. Pay attention to topical hydration to ensure that the atmospheric changes do not damage your skin.

The best way to take care of your skin is to moisturize it regularly. Moisturizers provide hydration and trap it there. Moisturizers can be categorized into 3 main categories as given below:

Humectants – These contain sodium hyaluronate, a humectant that draws water from the atmosphere and attracts water.

Occlusives – They contain glycerin which traps water beneath the top layer of skin to keep it hydrated.

Emollients – These types of moisturizers contain ingredients that provide the moisture themselves.

Moisturizers are also excellent for ageing skin. They don’t have to be complicated or expensive and can be as simple as oil that suits your skin. However, to simplify things, we have rounded up a few moisturizers.

Top 5 Moisturizers For Winters

1. Olay Regenerist Advanced Anti-Ageing Micro-Sculpting Cream Moisturizer SPF 30

This moisturizer from Olay should be your best friend if you have ageing skin. It has anti-ageing properties combined with SPF, which protects your skin from the harmful effects of sun’s rays. It contains ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and amino-peptides that moisturize your skin and activate the skin cells, re-energizing it.

2. Pond’s Moisturizing Cold Cream

This is a well-known brand that not only takes care of you in the summers but also helps moisturize your skin in the winters. It moisturizes the skin deeply and gives it a glow. The moisturizer contains sunflower oil, skin lipids and soya proteins to pamper your skin and impart a rosy glow.

3. Nourishing Cold Cream By Avon Care

Your skin no longer needs to be dull and dark in winters. This Nourishing Cold Cream by Avon Care is a complete skincare solution – it is an anti-ageing cream, a toner, moisturizer and a fairness cream – a complete package.

4. Clarins Gentle Day Cream

This brand from Paris is good for sensitive cream that reduces peeling and flaking that occurs due to dryness. It is a creamy, rich formula that will transform dry sensitive skin into a moisturized glowing skin.

5. Aloe Vera Cold Cream By Aromamagic

Aloe Vera is good for the skin. Everyone knows that and this ingredient has been used in this cold cream by Aromamagic. It is perfect for winter and imparts a pink glow to your skin, protecting it against the harsh cold, damaging sun’s rays and dryness.

Conclusion

While everyone remembers to moisturize, water intake and sun protection are largely ignored or forgotten in winters. Do remember that the moisturizer will work effectively only if you are hydrated from within too. Also, don’t forget to use sun protection since the sun’s rays are as damaging to the skin as they are in summers.