Winter Bodycare - Our Tips & Tricks For Healthy Skin

Winter Bodycare - Our Tips & Tricks For Healthy Skin

If you’re one of those that suffer from dry skin in the winter, you’re not alone! The dryness in the air during this time leads to a loss of moisture from the upper layers of the skin, leading it to dry out and eventually also become dull over time. Hot water aggravates dry skin as well; long showers or baths using hot waters strip your skin of it’s natural oils resulting in a cracked skin surface. Skin also becomes thinner and drier with age (which is accelerated even further by other internal and external factors!) so it’s important to take extra care of your skin as you get older.

Healthy, radiant skin - whether on the face or on the body - is the result of a holistic lifestyle and is a combination of multiple factors, including the food that you eat, how you sleep and how long you sleep for, the kind of lifestyle that you live and of course, the products that you use. At UMM, we have always believed that how you take care of your body internally is just as important as how you take care of it externally and below, we’ve compiled some of our favorite holistic ways to combat dry skin and help you live your best life through the season and beyond:

HYDRATE

Drinking water is one of the simplest ways to ensure that your body remains hydrated. If the weather makes it difficult for you to hit your daily quota, try to get it in via a cup of your favorite herbal tea. Fresh, homemade soups are also a great way to get in some water as is a glass of warm water with honey and lemon early in the morning. Pro tip: Fill a bottle with warm water and keep it with you throughout the day to help you quickly quench your thirst!

INCORPORATE AN ABHYANGA MASSAGE INTO YOUR ROUTINE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK

It’s no secret that we love an abhyanga massage for the many many benefits that it gives us: a daily abhyanga massage helps improve circulation, strengthens bones and muscles, calms the nerves, improves sleep, enhances vision, aids in stronger, healthier hair and softens and smoothes skin. It also aids in detoxification, increases stamina and imparts a tone and vigor to the body. If you’re not able to get in an abhyanga massage every day, try and incorporate it into your routine at least once a week using a warming Ayurvedic oil such as our Body Oil.

USE LUKEWARM WATER WHEN HAVING A BATH

Hot water is one of the biggest contributors of dry skin as it strips the skin of it’s natural oils, resulting in a dry, dull surface over time. If you love a hot water bath in the winter, try and limit it to not more than five minutes and if you can, make the switch to lukewarm water.

DON’T WIPE, TAP!

So often after a shower, we quickly wipe dry our skin with a towel - a practice that can often lead to a loss of moisture from the upper layer of the skin. For best results, we suggest that you gently tap it until it’s just wet and apply a hydrating moisturizer immediately after to help it quickly sink in and moisturize the skin on your body.

HAVE YOUR GHEE (AND EAT IT TOO!)

Ghee is great to consume all year round, but especially during the colder, dryer months of the year because of it’s ultra rich fat content. Ghee helps your body stay warm, boosts metabolism (that can often slow down during this time of the year), prevents respiratory issues, repairs and treats chapped lips (simply swipe it across your lips anytime you feel like they need some extra love and care) and of course, nourishes and hydrates your skin from head to toe.

If you’re looking for a way to take care of your skin this winter, don’t forget that a holistic lifestyle goes a long way and will help you to achieve the skin of your dreams, both for this season and beyond.

- Soha Joshi

feature image courtesy @bombay2brooklyn and @olivia.steuer 

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