It’s right around that time of the year when the weather gets dry and chilly. Now, depending on your location, this can either be accompanied by snow or dust (in the case of sub-Saharan Africa). However, regardless of where you are, you’d agree that the weather can pose a challenge for your skin and hair. From itchy patches to flaked skin, cracked lips to dry hair, the weather seems to have it in for you, thus having solid hair and skincare routine for winter/harmattan can come in helpful.
The key to healthy hair and skin in this drier season is hydration. As the weather seeks to dry out your body’s natural moisture, it’s important to counter this. By loading up on your hydration, you’ll certainly have more than enough to take you through each day of the week. Good for you drier seasons means you’ll get thirsty more frequently so when that urge comes, do yourself a favor and take that drink.
Check out 8 easy hair and skin care tips for winter/harmattan you’ll absolutely love…
#1. Regulate the temperature
It’s easy to turn up the heat in the winter as soon as you get home, but high central heat can make the air drier at home, as per the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD). Rather than immediately go hot as soon as you get home, opt for a cool yet comfortable setting to prevent your skin from drying further — the AOCD recommends 68 to 75 degrees F.
#2. Use warm water
As is the case with high temperatures, taking a shower/bath with really hot water will only make your skin and hair drier. Considering that the goal is to save as much moisture in your skin and hair as possible, it’s better to use warm water as you don’t lose as much moisture. This should also be the case even when performing simple actions like washing your hands.
#3. Stay hydrated
As mentioned earlier, maintaining moisture is the most important aspect of any hair or skincare regimen for winter. Think about this: dry, flaky skin, brittle hair, chapped feet, etc., are all the result of lack of moisture. So, be sure to up your water intake this season and avoid carbonated drinks as much as possible. Yes, Coke isn’t water regardless of how much you hope it is.
#4. Moisturize
Failure to moisturize this season is deliberately looking for trouble. In as much as your water intake is important, hair and skin moisturizing are equally so. Don’t use one in place of the other. This means that you should opt for a deeply moisturizing body lotion for your skin and a conditioner for your hair. That way, you’ll be loading up both internally and externally, the dry weather doesn’t stand a chance.
#5. Use butter and oils
While moisturizing is the first step, the next is to lock in that moisture you worked so hard for. Investing in a jar of naturally-occurring butter and oils such as Shea butter and coconut oil will do you a world of good. This will help you lock in moisture on your skin and prevent your skin from looking like that of an alligator. In addition to that, these products can also be used on your feet to prevent them from cracking. Plus, they are good for the hair too.
#6. Invest in a good lip balm
Another effective skincare for winter/harmattan tip is using a good lip balm. The lips tend to suffer a lot this season so investing in a lip balm (or more) that you’ll have handy at all times will help keep chapped lips at bay. With all the holiday parties lined up for you to attend, it would be a disaster if you showed up with the uncanny sight of cracked lips. You get the point.
#7. Invest in a humidifier
Humidifiers work to keep your air moist even when nature fights otherwise. They are super helpful in combating dry air within the home, thus, leaving your skin and hair with much-needed moisture.
#8. Wear warm clothing
There’s a reason why Fall/Winter collections exist. This is because designers are smart enough to know that each season deserves its own weather-appropriate clothing. So while those shorts may be tempting to wear, it’s not worth jeopardizing your skin (and health) over. Let your style game shine this season in warm clothing like cardigans, mufflers, head warmers, etc.
Finally, you want to make sure that you clean your surroundings often to prevent the accumulation of dust (for those in sub-Saharan Africa), increase your fruits and veggies intake to help boost your immune system, and up your Vitamin C consumption to prevent cold, catarrh, and sneezing. And if you do sneeze, please cover your nose with a handkerchief or sneeze into your inner elbow.
Featured image: @patternbeauty/Instagram
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