Even though we have had many more sunny warm days than usual this season, winter is still here.
Have you ever suffered from the dreaded “Dry House Skin Syndrome?”
The symptoms are dry, patchy skin, cracked lips, sandpaper hands and static hair. If you do suffer from the effects of dry air, here are some super great tips to keep you from feeling the effects. These ideas really piggy back off of last week’s column about dry skin. Just when you thought you read it all...
For your hair
Cold, dry, winter air will make your hair limp and full of static. Almost every hair type will get more static in the winter.
This is due to the lack of moisture in the air. Try using a silk pillowcase, which will help solve this issue. You can also spray a small amount of hair spray on a natural-bristle brush and smooth it from the roots to the ends; or you can also skim a dryer sheet over your hair. Unless you have very fine or limp hair, do a deep-conditioning treatment once a week.
For your body
As you probably know from last week’s column, that my all-time favorite tip to keep your body from drying out, is to put a water bottle in your shower, fill it with water, then add a few drops of olive oil or your favorite essential oil. Just be careful, the infused water might make the floor of the shower slippery!
Don’t forget to DRINK plenty of water during the day. Dehydrated skin is not pretty skin and water is helpful, healthy and necessary for every body function, so drink up!
For your face and lips
Another favorite for me is a vitamin lip conditioner. Sorme makes the best. You can use it alone, under, or on top of your best lip color. For your face, don’t forget to gently exfoliate your skin. This will remove all the dead, dry skin, so your moisturizer can do its job without trying to work through all of the dead, flaky stuff. Next you might want to amp up the nighttime moisturizer during these months, and don’t forget a nice day lotion. There are many different types of lotion for all different skin combinations, so be sure to get the right one.
For your hands and fingernails
Don’t forget these. Dry, cracked fingers can be really miserable, not to mention dry cuticles. Sleeping in white cotton gloves after applying cuticle oil to your cuticles and an ample coating of a heavy duty hand lotion with shea butter will help loads. It’s not too sexy, but neither are cracked, peeling hands.
As always, I hope that these simple, yet effective tips, are helpful to you. I am going to take my usual two week hiatus from writing this column. This season is a busy one for the salon, as it is for all of you as well.
I wish you much joy and happiness as you begin to celebrate the season, and I want to thank you, so very much for reading this column.
Have a very, Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year! Oh – and, have a beautiful day.
