As the creepy chill of winter sets in, here’s a guide to protecting your skin:
Moisturize: Extra-dry skin like on dry upper arms can trigger a flare-up of keratosis pilaris, that annoying rough skin.
“Try a lotion with salicylic acid to exfoliate dead cells around your hair follicles and reduce the appearance of bumps.
Handle with care: To prevent chapping parched hands, embrace wipe-off, soap-free cleansers and alcohol-free hand sanitizers.
When you do wash, choose a moisturizing soap-free cleanser or a hydrating antibacterial gel, then slather on lotion right away.
Glove up: Anything that creates an occlusive barrier (i.e., traps moisture) on skin helps lotions and creams soak in. So slip on some cotton gloves over lotion to help moisturize parched hands.
Just add honey: To soften stubborn dry patches on rough elbows and knees, opt for a rich, hydrating scrub.
Layer up: For arms, legs, and torso, start with a rich bath oil or moisturizing body cleanser, “something that leaves a creamy film on your skin.
Pick super-gentle exfoliators when using for chest and back like tiny, rounded polyethylene microbeads.
Treat feet at night: For roughed-up feed, before bed, “gently buff away calluses with a hydrating scrub or pumice stone, and apply a thick, buttery moisturizer while feet are still damp”.
Keep showers short
“A long, hot bath or shower might seem tempting when you’ve been out in the cold, but it will strip your skin of moisture.