The Tips and Tricks for a Natural Skincare Routine in Winter

  During the winter season, your skin needs as much attention as your clothing. So you must follow a healthy skincare routine in winter. One way to do it is by taking natural remedies. It's one of the best ways to handle skin-related issues in the cold months.

So, if you want help, here's a guide. Yuktie Jhangiani, Kosha's founder, had an interesting chat with Dr. Nirmala Shetty. She's the founder director of Nirmal Herbal. It's an all-natural beauty and spa salon. They also have Nirmal Herbal Health, a consultancy service for skin and hair care challenges. During this chat, the two discuss the remedies for a natural skincare routine in winter.

This post will include bits of their conversation with an elaboration on the topic. So make a note of the things you'll come across further. These tips for healthy winter skin might come in handy during the colder months.

Shetty's Advice for a Skincare Routine in Winter

You'll often see your skin start reacting to the cold even before winter begins. Dr. Shetty suggests that you start taking care of your skin before the onset of winter. It holds true, especially when you live in cold climates or regions. Dr. Nirmala Shetty: "I have always believed in natural, and I've only used natural products." Dr. Shetty also suggests using natural moisturizers more than creams and lotions. They're well absorbed by the skin and have more nutrients as well.

The Value of Hydration for a Skincare Routine in Winter

Pic Source: Johnny McClung (Unsplash)

Dr. Nirmala Shetty: "The first step, I would always say is, hydrate yourself! Nothing works better than taking care of your skin from within. Start having lots of water just two weeks before winter sets in.

Make it a regime so that you're accustomed to drinking water. It could be liquids, natural juices, or fruits and vegetables with lots of water intake also." Here's one of your tips for a healthy skincare routine in winter. You've always been advised to keep yourselves hydrated through every season. But it could go under the radar during the winter season. Yuktie, too, addresses the possible negligence among people to stay hydrated in winter. You must also avoid using soap while bathing.

Dr. Nirmala Shetty: "One should cleanse their skin with simple ingredients like lentils, pulses, and fruits as cleansers." A fruit like a papaya is so versatile when it comes to your natural skincare routine in winter. You can use it following reasons:

• Exfoliation
• Cleansing
• Moisturizing Effects

As Dr. Shetty suggests, you could also use a peach to cleanse your body. It has lots of moisture as well as water content in it. Avocado is another must-have as part of your natural skincare routine in winter. It's been around for ages. But it still is as relevant as ever. Dr. Nirmala Shetty: "When you get a good avocado, scoop it out or grind it. Use it both for your skin and hair. The essential fatty acids in it are great as moisturizers. The essential fatty acids in it are great as moisturizers."

Here are some more interesting ingredients that could do wonders for your natural skincare routine in winter: Dr. Shetty: "One more thing which is very hydrating is oats meal. If you just mix in some oatmeal powder, it's more softening and better for cleansing." Did you know that the oatmeal you have for breakfast can help you with your skincare routine? Well, you're in for a surprise awaiting ahead.

You can mix in oatmeal powder with either plain milk or buttermilk. Butter milk helps you create an acid mantle on your skin. It can help you when you're dealing with acne on your skin.

How to Use Oils the Right Way

Dr. Nirmala Shetty suggests that you should never use oil directly. You could mix it with water and then apply it on your face. Let's understand it with two examples she shares during her chat with Yuktie.

1. Applying It on Your Face

First, wash your face and ensure that it's wet. Dampening your face is essential in this process. Then, you can apply the oil. It leads to better absorption, and your skin won't feel dryness or tightness.

2. Applying It While Bathing

After finishing your bath, take two mugs of water and add some oil. Add a quarter cup of any natural oil that you like. Now you're free to pour it all over your body. Finally, when you're done, gently dab your skin. So these were some natural remedies for moisturizers in winter. You should add them to your list for a natural skincare routine in winter. And as I've mentioned, please ensure you follow the routine diligently.

Dealing With Oily Skin and Acne

Next up, Dr. Shetty advises against using facewashes for oily or acne-prone skin. But she does have a few worthy alternatives that could be useful to you. You can use green gram and oats together to cleanse the skin. Mix it with buttermilk to ensure it creates that acid mantle mentioned before. It will allow you to prevent bacterial attacks on your skin too. You could also grind mint leaves, coriander, and cucumber together.

Make a paste of these ingredients and apply it to the necessary parts. These can feel highly refreshing and cooling on your skin. Hence you must consider these remedies for your skincare routine in winter.

Dealing With Pigmentation

Dr. Shetty also has some tips to help you deal with pigmentation. First up, you must understand how it comes about: Dr. Nirmala Shetty: "Pigmentation is often caused due to hereditary factors." If anyone in the family has experienced it, you could face it. But you might encounter it at a later age. It's not an issue that you will face during your younger days.

Pigmentation isn't something you can get rid of completely. But there are ways to bring the problem under control and lighten it. All you need to do is work at it diligently. Let's see some home remedies you could follow to bring the pigmentation problem under control.

1. You can apply grated potato to tackle pigmentation.
2. You can also scrape nutmeg with milk and apply it on the pigmented parts. But if you have sensitive skin, mix it with curd or buttermilk.
3. Almonds act as natural bleaches. You can soak or grind them for dry and oily skin. Mix almond powder with cream, milk, or any good oil for dry skin.

Apart from this, there are many reasons behind the pigmentation problem. Something as simple as colouring your hair can cause pigmentation. Here are some more reasons:

• Genetics
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Use of steroids
• Thyroid Problems

Ways to Tackle Sunburn in Winter

Sunburn can be another major concern for your delicate skin to handle. Don't worry. There are ways to tackle the problem. Dr. Nirmala Shetty says that she never suggests using sunscreen in winter. But she did suggest two natural remedies to address sunburns.

• You could use red sandalwood paste. It's also known as "Rakht Chandan" and has been used in the past. She informs Yuktie about how people have used this natural cooling agent as a facewash.
• She also suggests using buttermilk to cure tanning. Suppose you've had a bad day out in the sun. You don't need to worry. You must apply the buttermilk to your skin once you reach home. It takes off the burn, and you won't tan much.

Tackling Dry Skin

Pic Source: Alexander Grey (Unsplash)

Dr. Nirmala Shetty: "You can make your own creams by using shea butter. You can take cocoa butter and melt it in a double-heating method. Melt this cream so that it's almost liquid. Add some coconut oil to it. You can add your favourite essential oil and then bottle it." Wherever you need to apply these butters, please ensure that you only do it with water.

Wet the necessary parts and then use the creams. This way, the absorption is much more. Along with this, you must also consume essential fatty foods. One such food item would be egg yolks.

You could also apply egg yolk on your skin. Well, yes, you might hate the egg yolk. But it could be very useful for your skincare routine in winter. Dr. Shetty suggests you can use it for extremely dry skin. You can use it with cocoa butter and add lavender oil. Use these ingredients together and massage your body with them. It works wonders after a nice bath.

Conclusion

Pic Source: Alexandru Zdrobău (Unsplash)

There are many methods to ensure you maintain well-moisturized skin in winter. But for that, you must be regular with your skincare routine in winter. And as Dr. Shetty does, "believe in natural." It's a worthy alternative to branded products. Also, remember one thing. It's unnecessary to wait until the winter kicks in to start the routine.

Dr. Shetty suggests that you should begin to settle a month prior. The topics and information shared here highlight natural remedies. So you won't need to spend much on medication.

Try this out and assess the results. You might find a solution for a lifetime's worth of winters. But please follow these tips for healthy winter skin diligently. And while you enjoy some fantastic winter wear, pay attention to your skincare routine. If you wish to listen to everything Dr. Shetty had to recommend, here's where you can catch the complete conversation:

 

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This post was written by Kosha team member - Shawn Mathias