Winter Skincare Mistakes You Should Avoid

Here are a few things you must avoid doing in winter for your face and skin.

Make sure to avoid these skincare mistakes this winter. 

(Photo: iStock)

A winter skincare regime is a must and it is not easy to have a smooth transition to winter care for your smooth and glowing skin. In the winter, the temperature comes down drastically, air pressure changes, and the winds become chilly which is bad for the skin as it makes the skin extremely dry resulting in irritation, flakiness, and other skin problems.

Cold chilly winds can damage the outer layer of the skin, making it more vulnerable. Moreover, indoor heating can lead to loss of moisture from the skin which damages the skin barrier, leaving behind dull and damaged skin.

Thus, we are here with a few tips and highlight the common mistakes that people often make in winter. This will help you avoid these mistakes and take the steps to keep your skin healthy in winter.

1. Don't Wash Your Face With Hot Water 

The low temperatures and nighttime skincare It can be very tempting to shower or wash your face with hot water during the winter. But know that is a big no-no. Hot water damages the cells of the outermost layer of the skin, making it vulnerable and prone to dryness thus making the skin more susceptible to damage.

It can also result in inflammation, irritation, redness, and itchiness. If you do not want to use cold water, use lukewarm water to keep skin clean and healthy.

2. Do not Over Exfoliate

People often believe that exfoliation is a bad idea in winter. No, that is not the case. Exfoliation can help get rid of dull and dead skin cells that are often seen in winter but what you should avoid is over-exfoliation. Exfoliation can help remove all the dead skin and sebum from your skin’s surface. But do not go overboard with your face scrubs as it may cause dry and sensitive skin to fall into a trap of various other skin problems. You should exfoliate once every two or three weeks.

3. Do Not Skip Sunscreen 

The first thing we stop doing is going out in the winter and if we do, we think the sun is good for us in the chilly weather. But you are wrong, the sun keeps you warm but may damage the skin even more. Your biggest mistake is to skip sunscreen on cloudy days in winter.

It is extremely crucial to apply sunscreen because UV rays are present even on the cloudiest days of the year. Make sure to use broad-spectrum sunscreen during the winter season as well.

4. Not Moisturising Enough

Moisturising is never enough in winter. People's main concern in the winter is dry skin. If you are not applying enough moisturizer during the winter months, you are making the worse mistake. Your skin's moisture is extracted by the drop in temperature thus it is important to moisturize your skin often. You can choose a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid, shea butter, or glycerine for effective results.

5. Do not Avoid Your Lips and Hands

We often just take care of our face but lips and hands are also important parts of the body and need utmost care in the winter. You can hide the flaws on your face with makeup but the dry, chapped lips will be highlighted even with the best lipsticks on.

Our hands are also prone to dryness. The hands have fewer oil glands and can get cold fast. So, make sure to apply a good quality, thick hand cream to protect your hands in winter.