About.com - Winter Dry Skin

[Guest guest]

This article from about.com explains why our skin is more dry, itchy,

and flaky in the winter than in the summer. There are also some good

suggestions on helping that, though they don't include coconut oil, I

would certainly substitute it when they say " oil " !

(http://healthyherbs.about.com/cs/herbfaqs/a/aa011501.htm)

Hope this helps!

Carol

Dry Winter Skin

Nov 27 2005

Winter season can have disastrous effects on our skin's condition.

Even when surrounded by snow, the air is actually drier than desert

air. This happens because the moisture is solidified, falls as snow

or ice and is removed from the air. Cold wind, scratchy, coarse and

heavy clothing as well as indoor heating can add insult to injury to

all ready dried out skin.

The first rule of skin protection is to keep it moisturized and

hydrated. Drink plenty of water and add a thin layer of moisturizer

to retard the dehydration rate of the skin.

Moisturizers range from single simple oils, to very expensive

ingredient loaded products. After trying an abundance of different

moisturizers over many years, the results have been consistently

better when kept simple, natural and light.

Many expensive products contain heavy fats, waxes, chemicals or

comedogenic ingredients that may feel good at first, but could cause

problems with long term use The best long term results for me have

been with vegetable oils infused with herbs or essential oils for

face and skin. Isn't that greasy? Not really. The right oil for your

skin will leave it soft, radiant, and balanced. Right after washing

and toning to remove all residues, apply a very light layer of the

oil to your skin. If your skin feels oily, let the oil stay on few

moments, then blot off any excess with cotton or soft tissue. Avoid

rubbing it off with tissue as sometimes there are coarse fibers in

the tissue which can scratch the skin leaving it susceptible to acne

causing bacteria.

There are many oils to choose from. My favorite oils to use since the

last time this article was written now include jojoba, and/or rose

hip seed oil for the face and neck, rose hip seed and macadamia nut

for the rest of the body. If you need to use a commercially produced

lotion, I recommend Aveeno which contains colloidal oats. Don't

forget, it is also important to moisturize your feet and hands.

For internal use, my favorite combination is burdock root capsules

combined taken with a bowl of oatmeal, that can help many skin

problems as well as dry flaky conditions. Other supplements could

include evening primrose, black currant and borage oils as they

contain essential fatty acids which are beneficial for skin ailments.

Herbs you can use topically include chamomile, calendula, comfrey and

rose water which are emollient or hydrating.

Dietary changes may also help your skin. Refrain or cut back on

caffeine and increase your water intake especially during cold windy

conditions. Replace bad hardening fats with healthy oils in cooking.

Keep the system from stagnating with warming, circulation promoting

foods and hot tea such as cinnamon tea. Cold energy food and drinks

slow metabolism and circulation causing congestion through out the

body, including the skin.