It's cold outside and during this time of year the streets of Chicago are bone chilling. Perhaps it's cold in your neck of the woods as well. Below you'll find a few tricks to fix winter dryness.
The common issues are parched frizzy over dryed hair, itchy or flakey skin, and cracked lips. Most of the common mistakes we commit trying to fix or ward off the cold. Each day I see commuters applying salves while waiting for the El, passing lunch breakers skirting into gleaming buildings with scorched hair and itchy and dry skin.
Most of the dryness is caused by our need for quick warmth and many of us are from the More is More School of heat. Not so; easy does it with is the rule. Who doesn't enjoy that steaming hot shower, comforting radiator, and the hot air of a dryer. But these are over used sources of quick heat that we pay for later. The cure? Moderation and some good sources of moisture to rapair.
Hair
Your scalp produces fewer oils in the winter. Shampooing every day is not necessary so be kind to your hair. Naturally, if you skip a day or two it's going to feel unnatural. Hey, it's a change to your process and you may even think that your hair feels dirty. But don't worry. Rinse with warm water and use an organic conditioner.
Static is often the biggest hair problem in cold weather. I recommend using a dime sized portion of vitamin E or Camellia Oil immediately after getting out of the shower, then drying your hair on a medium setting or air drying if time permits. Careful, a little goes a long ways and be careful to avoid over moisturizing.
Lips
Ever heard the urban myth that you can be "addicted" to lip balm. Not true, but you may be addicted to a routine that is not working for you.
The solution is finding a hydrating balm with lipids that will give the barrier layer time to heal. Stay away from long-lasting lip color formulas and balms with menthol. These items can dry and open the lips natural moisture layer to attack. Finding and using natural lip balms with lipids is an easy trick.
Most commercial brands, including the so-called medicated lip balms, have a petroleum base. Petroleum jelly, petrolatum, white wax, paraffin wax, and mineral oil are all synonyms for petroleum or petroleum by-products, used to hold moisture against the skin – but these may be toxic.
Add to that aluminum salts, preservatives, artificial flavors and sugar or artificial sweeteners and you've got a potentially dangerous combination of chemicals that natural health experts say should not be used anywhere on the skin, and certainly not near the sensitive mucus membranes of the mouth.
But the real culprits, as far as dry lips go, are additives like menthol, camphor, phenol or alcohols that are used as counter-irritants to give lips a cool, soothing sensation as lip balm is applied.
Hygroscopic ingredients are your moisture loving friends. Look for lipid rich hemp oil based balms, those with aloe and organic ingredients as well as good old glycerin, sorbitol, and glucose or sucrose. These Ingredients can maintain a high level of moisture in the upper layers of the skin for several hours and can reduce the rate at which water lost.
Skin
Ceramides, lactic acids, peptides and glycerin are the best ingredients to look for in skin moisturizers.
What does that mean? Skip the anti-aging aisle (the chemicals designed to stop wrinkles can be drying) and check for vitamin E.
What happens in the shower matters too. First, pass on the boiling water. You can douse your whole body in cream but if you totally stripped your body of that protective barrier, it's going to take a lot to get it back to that natural balance. Then switch your soap for a creamier body wash that will add moisture as it cleanses.
Cheap fix: A humidifier for your bedroom will replace the moisture that your heater sucks out of the air, stopping the problem before it starts.
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