The nip in the air is a sign that winters have set in. While that means layers of clothing for your body, it is bad news for your skin. The cold weather tends to suck out the moisture in your skin, making it dry and lifeless. You can feel your skin getting stretchy and dry in patches, especially your face.

There are various problem areas that need extra care in winters. Areas like your face, elbows, knees, hands and feet. Read on to know how to protect your skin from drying this season:

  • Face

Our facial skin is very delicate, and has a much thinner layer of fat as compared to the rest of the body. It is also the most exposed part, making it more prone to dryness. Therefore, the most important step to keep facial skin supple is to moisturize well.

Summer moisture lotions have less oil content so you may have to switch to a different lotion. Choose creams that contain extracts of walnuts, almonds or peach.

Get a facial massage done every month to keep moisture levels high. Alternatively, you can try home remedies such as face packs made of milk cream, avocado, oatmeal and banana.

  • Lips

Our lips have no oil glands and tend to get chapped in the dry cold weather. Make sure you apply a good lip balm at short intervals.

For severely chapped lips, put a light layer of ghee on your lips before going to bed. Do not lick your lips as it will lead to more dryness in that area.

  • Elbows and Knees

The skin on our elbows and knees is prone to dryness, which causes them to look darker than the rest of our skin. To take care of these problem areas, use a good moisturizing lotion containing extracts of coconut milk, avocado or cocoa butter.

More importantly, these areas require gentle exfoliation so you can use homemade scrubs made of lemon juice and baking soda, or milk cream and gram flour (besan).

  • Hands and Feet

No matter what the weather, we can’t stop using our hands. Without proper care, however, the skin on the hands gets dry and stretchy. The best solution is to massage your hands with olive oil or coconut oil, at least twice a day, especially before going to bed.

You can use a nourishing hand cream for the same. For feet, extra care needs to be taken as the heels tend to crack and become painful.

Keep your feet warm at all times and exfoliate well every morning. Before wearing socks, dry your feet and the area between your toes.

Use a good foot cream to avoid getting cracked heels. The more covered your feet are, the softer they’ll remain.

  • Body

While you take care of problem areas this winter, don’t forget that the rest of your body also needs moisturizing. Make it a point to use a good body lotion after your shower.

Use a good sunscreen when you step out as the winter sun is harsher on the skin. It should contain extracts of avocado or shea butter.

You can also massage with olive oil as it is absorbed fast by the body.

Try and make time for a spa appointment at least once a month. It will help soothe out the muscles while stimulating blood circulation.