Protecting our skin (and hair) from winter's grasp.
Hair and skin loving ingredients:
Hair Herbs: rosemary, nettle, chamomile, calendula, horsetail,
geranium, carrot.
Hair Oils: jojoba, wheat germ, evening primrose, almond,
avocado, flaxseed.
Now that winter is in full swing, it's time to evaluate your personal care
regimen. Just as you change your wardrobe from season to season, so should
you shift your approach to caring for your skin and hair. This must mean that
you can forget about using the sunscreen you needed in July, right? Wrong.
Although we do tend to spend more time indoors during the winter months, it
doesn't mean we no longer need to protect our skin from the sun. For those
who are challenged by winter sports, the need for protection is even greater.
The exposure to ultraviolet light (UVA and UVB) may seem more subtle in winter
than in summer, but, even on the most overcast winter day, the sun shines
through and is reflected from surfaces, especially if the ground is covered
with snow. Whether it be from a tinted foundation, or from a moisturizing
lotion, a daily application of a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor)
between 15 to 30 is essential for everyone.
The skin is also assaulted by other elements characteristic of the winter
season, such as chafing wind and constant exposure to heated, dry indoor air.
Your skin needs special nurturing at this time of year and it's important
to practice a few simple basics.
Proper Cleansing: Soap can be terribly drying to your skin at any time of
year, but especially so in winter. And, if you're ever tempted to reach for
the liquid hand soap kept on the side of the wash basin, don't. Many of these
liquid soaps are actually detergents. Your goal is to gently remove dirt,
not strip away most of the natural oils in your skin.
Your best bet is to start and end your day by gently washing with a good vegetable-based
soap or cleanser, Moisturize with an alpha-hydroxy lotion, paying particular
attention to areas around the eyes, mouth, and throat. If your skin is very
sensitive, you might want to try a beta-hydroxy lotion. Like alpha-hydroxy
acids, it bonds water to skin, but is gentler.
I often use a light mixture of sandalwood essential oil and mineral water
and spritz my face to "revitalize" the moisturizer throughout the
day.
Bathing Tips: Bathing or showering in very hot water may feel good, but it's
also damaging and drying to your skin. A glycerine/herbal bath bar is best
to use since many bath gels and soaps contain alcohol and sodium lauryl sulfate
(SLS), both drying agents. (SLS is found in engine degreasers and is the standard
agent used in testing labs to irritate skin.) After bathing, gently pat, don't
rub, the skin dry and apply an alpha-hydroxy acid-containing moisturizer to
slightly damp skin.
Hair today, gone tomorrow: Your hair needs special attention, too, and you
should select natural shampoos and conditioners (again, without SLS) with
the same care that you do skin products. If you have very long hair (as I
do), washing it more than 3-4 times a week will result in breaking and split
ends. You should also allow your hair, long or short, to air-dry whenever
possible. Blowing heat from hair dryers can be very damaging to your hair.
If you must use a blow dryer, use the lowest setting possible. Conditioners,
for the most part, only coat the hair shaft, and don't penetrate to repair
the damage.
