Home Remedies for Dry Flaky Skin for Winter

The secret of good skin lies in the kind of care it gets. That all the seasonal changes influence the skin to a great extent. Take for example winters. The chill and cold squeeze the moisture out of the skin making it flaky and itchy all the time.

Dry skin means the oil-producing glands have become less active. It lacks both oil and moisture. Such skin becomes more vulnerable to early wrinkling and skin sensitivity with rough, red patches being common symptoms. Regular moisturizing and appropriate care therefore, become very essential.

• Clean the face twice daily with a cleansing cream or gel, containing Aloe Vera, which helps to check moisture loss and also re-hydrates the skin. Apply the cleanser, with a light massage and wipe it off with moist cotton wool. Tone the skin with rose or a rose-based skin tonic.
• Protect the skin from losing moisture during the day. Apply a sunscreen before going out in the Sun. most sunscreens have built in moisturizers. Moisturizes are available in cream and liquid form. For extreme dryness, use a cream. A liquid moisturizer should also be applied under make-up.
• Nourishment is imperative for dry skin, as it not only lubricates the skin but also helps it to hold the moisture better. It also contributes to skin softening. After cleansing at night, apply a nourishing cream on your face and massage in upward and outward movements, for about 3 to 4 minutes. Wipe off excess cream with moist cotton before going to sleep.

• The skin around the eyes is thin and delicate. It acquires lines and wrinkles easily. Apply an under-eye cream and wipe it off after 15 minutes with moist cotton. Or, apply almond oil daily, and massage lightly using only the ring finger for one minute under each eye. Massage in one direction only.
• The skin of the lips is also thin and lacks oil producing glands. It becomes dry and chaps easily. After cleansing, apply almond oil or almond cream on the lips daily and leave it on all night. Sun protective lip balms are also useful.
• For skin of the body, arms and legs, apply warm seasame seed oil before a bath, massaging it into the skin. Use mild glycerin soap. After finishing your bath, apply a body lotion while the skin is still wet. This helps to seal in the moisture.
• For Oily skin in winter season apply the mixture of Gram flour along with rose water, lemon water and curd, leave it for fifteen minutes and wash with warm water.
• For removing the dust particles on your face clean your face with mint water or scrub with tomato.

Cleanser: add 2 drops of vegetable oil (olive, til or sunflower oil) to 1 tablespoon of cold milk. Dip a piece of cotton in it and wipe the skin. Prepare and apply for 2 or 3 days. Store in a refrigerator.

Face Pack: Mix ½ teaspoon of rose water and 1 teaspoon of dry milk powder together into a fine paste and apply on the face. Remove after 20 minutes with water. Applying mayonnaise or egg yolk on the skin also helps to get rid of dry skin.

Dry and Dark Hands: Mix 2 tablespoon of sunflower oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of coarse sugar into a fine paste. Apply and massage on your hands. Wash off after 15 minutes. Apply 3 times a week.

Mix cream butter (cream on the milk surface) with turmeric powder or sandal wood along with rose water them apply on dry skin leave it for ten minutes after that wash with warm water.

Dry Feet and Hands: Add 1 teaspoon of pure glycerine to 50 ml of rose water. apply on hands and feet and leave on for ½ hour. Then wash it off with plain water.

Cracked Heels: Add coarse salt and shampoo to warm water and soak your feet for 15 minutes just before bedtime. Scrub the heels gently with a pumice stone. Apply cream and massage into the skin. Then apply cream generously on your heels. Bandage or wrap with clean cloth or sleep wearing cotton socks. Do this daily for a week.