Winter Skin

So it is about to snow again here in Philly which made me think about today's post. How to protect your skin from this horrible winter weather. Like it or not, cold weather can have a devastating effect on even the best of skins. Add to that conditions like eczema and psoriasis and you have a major disaster. In my case, my hypothyroid condition is the cause of my chronic dry skin and hair. But there is a way to beat the system or at least trick it for a little while.

Your skin is the guard against major infections. Moist supple skin keeps the really nasty bugs out. When you allow your skin to become dry, it makes it hard enough to crack allowing breaks in the skin, breaks in your protection. Not only that, but dry skin is itchy skin, so you find yourself scratching a whole lot more. This scratching can cause further break down. All this can lead to tired looking skin, making you look tired and OLD! (not for me :( )

Well what to do:

Help with your barrier protection. Take lukewarm showers (sorry) Really hot water further dries out the skin by encouraging evaporation (that's the steam) from your epidermis (uppermost layer of skin). That evaporation means water is being lost and water equals moisture. After the shower apply a nice oil. A lot of people recommend baby oil but baby oil is nothing but mineral oil with a scent. Mineral oil can provide temporary smoothness but over time will block the pores of your skin. Besides that it doesn't even provide nourishment to help with the building blocks of skin construction. Instead, use something like extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil. These oils are very nourishing and absorb very quickly into the skin, so no need to worry about greasy clothes. You may also try jojoba oil. Jojoba oil is more like a liquid wax but it mimics our skin natural sebum (oil) production making it a perfect moisturizer.

You may also try using a whipped butter. The most commonly used whipped butter is shea butter. This butter has been used for centuries by Africans for all sorts of skin conditions and has even been proven to provide a light spf. You may buy whipped shea butters from shops and stores like mine or you can make your own:

approx 2 oz raw shea butter
1 oz of vegetable oil like olive oil

A good egg beater

Whip mixture until light and fluffy, be careful splattering may occur in the beginning stages. No melting is necessary

you may also add essential oils for scent: lavender, bergamot, jasmine and rose make lovely scented whipped butters