Winter Care Tips | Winter Beauty Tips

	Changing temperatures mean a change of routine in all parts of the world, even ina country like India that is almost in the tropics. Understanding what your skin goes through in winter can help you tweak a few habits to get a glowing complexion and healthy skin in winter. Here are a few tips to help you get it right!
	Get the blood flowing Exercise is crucial to staying healthy through the winter months. A daily routineof aerobics and cardio exercises can loosen up your muscles and joints and keepyou limber throughout the day—and the winter. Start your day with a hotshower. This will compensate for getting out of bed early. Before you get out of the shower, switch to cold water for about 15 sec and backto hot for 15 sec. Repeat this for 2–3 cycles or for about 2 min. This simple hydrotherapytechnique revitalizes the skin by stimulating blood flow throughout the body.
	Skin care in winter It is time to get out the heavy-duty moisturizers. A highly protective day-carecream with appropriate SPF is an essential barrier to protect your skin againstthe elements Creamy, water-in-oil emulsions are best as they hydrate your skinwhile also protecting them from loss of moisture in the cold winds. Chappedlips are most noticeable in winter. Use a moisturizing lip balm with vitamin E init if you want to avoid looking like you have some dreadful, peeling skin disorder.Keep reapplying the balm with a chapstick throughout the day. Exfoliate! Dead Cells tend to pile up in winter and prevent the moisturizer fromgetting to the healthy skin. The oils in the skin are being produced at a lesserrate than in summer and due to this, skin tends to lose water that would otherwisehave been retained in the lower dermis of the skin. Dry skin can cause premature aging and fine lines can begin to appear in improperlycared for skin. Detoxify your system with plenty of water. If you feel it difficult to gulp downroom temperature water, heat your water and take it with a twist of lemon—a sortof watered-down version of lemon tea. Everyone loves to cuddle up and sleep, burrowing under a pile of warm and toastyblankets while the temperature outside keeps dropping. Ensure you get your beautysleep—7 h is decent if you cannot manage the full 8 or the luxurious 9 h in winternights. Sun protection is essential now as the outdoor weather conditions are such thatmoisture is invariably lost from the skin. Natural sunscreens featuring moisturizingingredients such as aloe vera, cocoa butter and herbal oils can further protectyour skin. Moisturize as frequently as possible. Indoor and outdoor conditionsare drier in winter and alternating a heavier emollient with a lighter emollientcan have your skin feeling cared for while not having to deal with the greasy feeling. Creams and lotions with Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), such as glycolic or lactic acid,can be effective in reversing dry skin and lines at deeper levels. Alternate different products every few days, for example, once a week, so that yourbody is exposed to differing levels of support and does not settle into a fixedroutine that may not be very beneficial in the longer term. Dual-purpose moisturizersact by moisturizing and providing sun protection. Most of them also contain antioxidantingredients which counter the free-radical damage caused by the winter sun. It would be best to avoid clay-based masks in winter as they tend to dry skin furtherin winter. Opting for masks that are specially designed for winter or for dry skinare ideal for winter. Natural soaps or herbal soaps with high fat content are good for the skin in winteras they care for dry skin. Tub baths should be avoided as they can cause drying of the skin and showers shouldbe taken with tepid, not hot, water. Avoid vigorous and too frequent scrubbingwith washcloths in winter as this can further damage and irritate dry skin. Apply moisturizer onto towel-dried skin immediately after emerging from a showeras this locks more water into your skin. While shaving in winter, use a moisturizinggel rather than soap and remember to moisturize your legs well immediately afterward. Rubber gloves will need to be worn while washing dishes or using harsh cleaningagents to avoid further chemical damage. Keep a bottle of hand lotion handyand apply after washing your hands. Winter time also sees the exacerbation oroutbreaks of itchy skin or Eczema. Avoid the use of soap if this happens and tryto use natural emollients such as olive oil or moisturizers with herbal oils suchas tea-tree oil. IFeet tend to be neglected in winter and need extra attention.Ensure that socks and shoes fit properly and dust your feet with non-irritatingtalc before enclosing them in socks and footwear for the day.
	Dressing for winter Though it is natural to want to resort to wool or other warmer fabrics in winter,these may not be great on winter skin. Non-irritating fabrics, such as cotton, allow circulation of air over the skin andavoid trapping of moisture. Dressing in layers will give you the advantage of takingoff or adding clothes if you feel too warm or cold. Synthetic materials are ideal for winter as they provide warmth and yet do not trapmoisture. They even dry faster if they become wet. Since more skin is covered in winter, there is increased potential for developingallergic reactions to irritants in detergents or fabric toners and softeners. Switchingto a gentler brand of detergent or avoiding fabric toners is a good choice in winter. Wearing gloves over your hands can protect the nails and skin from unseemly damagewhile also keeping them supple.
	Diet in winter  The changing weather also seeks it due in terms of dietary changesin winter. Protein needs tend to be higher and diet must reflect this change bythe addition of nuts, peas, beans and lean meat. Dairyproducts are also a goodsource of protein at this time and provide therequired amounts of protein and calciumif incorporated into diet. Extravitamins are necessary to fight the onslaughtson theImmune System inwinter as body resistance to infection tends to fall inwinter. Dark-green,leafy vegetables are excellent at preventing skin drynessand crackingand also provide essential micronutrients to help fight infection. Source : Indian Womens Health

Winter Care Tips | Winter Care for Hair & Skin

Winter is here and the human body (especially skin) starts giving severe problems in this season. Some love & adore this season but for some this is a season of pain & irritation. Taking care of your body seems to be a challenge and people start finding solutions to overcome this.

Below is an article by Priya Devi R., she has in considerable efforts to explain the winter care and winter healing tips. The information carries winter care tips for some of your most sensitive body parts.

Winter is just not about warm clothes, fireside reading, snuggling close to the pillows
wrapped from head to toe with a comfy quilt. It is time to battle the cold winds that hampers your body and hair. A little care will keep the wintry troubles at bay.

Before the winter winds can work havoc with your hair, expose your hair to deep conditioning. Since the cold weather causes to dry your hair, massage your hair in aloe Vera juice for a few minutes. This will restore its softness.

You can also treat your hair with oil massage once or twice a week Olive oil can work wonders in reinforcing moisture to your hair. Heat the oil before using and allow it to soak for a time lesser than the time you allot for the summer season. Too long a period of soaking hair in oil can get you ill. If you are used to treating your hair with herbal extracts or herbal oil do not soak it for a long time. Herbal ingredients are mostly cooling agents that are more suitable for the summer. Keep away from washing your hair too frequently.

Woolen clothing like hats, scarves and turtlenecks can cause damage to your hairline. Since they can cause breakage, first cover your hair with a silk scarf before exposing it to winter wraps.It is the appropriate time for split ends to work their way up to the hair shafts. Hence trim your split ends.

Style your hair with a braid, twist or a knot. Try Keeping away from letting your hair open and wild, as the cold winds can play rough on your hair.Avoid exposing your hair to frequent coloring, streaking, or ironing as they can rob your hair off its moisture and it is advisable to avoid heating appliances on your hair.Expose your hair to natural drying. Keep away from blow dryers. If you have to use, use one with a hood.Always cover your hair with a silk fabric to guard it from the chill winds.

Skin

Your skin texture depends not only on external treatments, but also on the intake. A proper nutritious intake helps in rejuvenating the skin from within. Water plays an important role in keeping your skin alive. A good amount of water helps in retaining the moisture of your skin as well keeping skin disorders at bay. Fruits and vegetables in your daily diet release a lot of water to your system. Primrose syrup and olive oil in your diet also aids in softening your skin.Use the paste of ground green gram powder instead of soap to work your way to a soft and supple skin.Pamper you skin with a little coconut oil before bath to heal dryness and chaps.

Use a creamy soap that renders that extra suppleness to your skin. Moisturizers and cold creams are a must in the winters. Apply some good cold cream on your face before going to bed. Moisten your skin with a good moisturizer or a creamy hand and body lotion. My best buy is ' Jergens' hand and body lotion.Add a few drops of oil to the water that you are using to bath. This will help retain the moisture lost when bathing. Avoid using very hot water during winter as it can decrease the natural oils of your skin. Instead shorten your bath time.

Hands, legs and nails

When treating your legs add a few drops of oil in the water that you use to soak them. With regards to hands, try using rubber gloves while immersing them in water. Use a base coat over your nails against the cold weather.

Lips

A good petroleum jelly will be an effective cover over your lips against the cold weather. Butter is effective in curing chapped lips and renders an extra softness.

So get ready to shield your body against the winter threats.

Please find the published article at http://living.oneindia.in/beauty/winter-care.html