Disclaimer: This post is contributed by Planning With Kids partner ecostore.
This post first appeared on the ecostore blog.
We tend to hunker down indoors during winter, keeping heaters blasting at home and cranking up the air conditioning temperature in the office. That can leave skin dry and without the glow it gets from sun and natural moisture outdoors.
But there are things we can do to keep our skin nourished and healthy this winter.
1. Choose seasonal produce
Eating healthy, water-rich food that keeps your skin hydrated for Winter. Have a look for things like nashi pears, blueberries and fresh veges. Drinking lots of water and having less caffeinated drinks that can dehydrate you also helps. Try to find produce that’s organic and hasn’t been treated with sprays, because that lowers the levels of toxins entering your body that can affect skin. The Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Pesticides in produce is here.
2. What’s in your skincare products?
Some soaps and body washes have chemicals, preservatives and antibacterials in them, like sodium lauryl sulphate, parabens, triclosan and synthetic dyes. These could irritate or damage your skin. Check the labels on these types of products to see if they contain these additives to try to avoid them – and if you have skin sensitivity or allergies then fragrance free products are a good option. Browse our skincare range online and you’ll find a range of safer, healthier choices.
3. Put healthy oils and fats in your diet
Oils and fats give you skin health from the inside out – try adding oily fish like sardines or tuna to your meals and taking supplements like fish oil and flash seed oil. Give coconut oil a go when cooking and put some extra virgin olive oil in your salad dressing.
4. Moisturise after you shower
In cooler months we tend to have long hot showers to warm us up. But that can actually strip your skin of the protective oils that allow it to hold moisture. As well as shortening your showers, make sure you moisturise while your skin is still damp – and choose a moisturiser that contains natural emollients like jojoba.
5. Get sun where you can
When there’s a break between rain and showers, try to get outdoors even if it’s cold. We need vitamin D that comes from the sun, as well as food sources, and getting vitamin D has many benefits for the skin if you keep your sun exposure sensible. It can help minimise acne, boost skin elasticity and stimulate collagen production.