subject: Keep your Body from winter Dryness [print this page] Keep your Body from winter Dryness Keep your Body from winter Dryness
In winters certain parts of the body like feet, the back of the hands, the knees and the elbows become really dry. These areas necessary special care. Bath time is appropriate to pamper the body and supply it with the oils and humidity it needs. In fact, applying body lotions and creams quickly after bathing, while the skin is still damp, helps to seal in humidity.
Give your body a fine scrub
An apricot cream is perfect for the hands. You can also make your own body lotion by combination natural ingredients. You would need a loofah or rough towel to give your body a rub, after applying oil, cream or lotion. This helps to smoothen rough skin and also improves blood circulation to the skin surface, leaving the skin glowing. It is particularly helpful on rough areas like the knees and elbows. Soap-free shower gels are better in winter. Or, you can use a mild glycerine soap. For extreme dryness, it is better to avoid soap. Oil massage and body rubs can stop to cleanse the skin adequately.
Go in for natural cleansers
Before bath, apply oil on the body and massage it into the skin. This helps to make softer the skin. Sesame seed (til) oil can be used. According to Ayurveda, mustard oil is nice during winter, but sesame seed (til) oil can be used all the year surrounding. You can warm the oil before use. I recommend the use of a lemon-turmeric cream as a pre-bath therapy, for dry skins. In fact, it has still been effective in treating cases of dry-skin-sensitivity. It not only helps to soften the skin, but also lightens skin colour over a period of time. A usual home pre-bath therapy is to mix besan (gram flour) with a little milk or curd and a pinch or haldi (turmeric) into a paste. Apply the paste on the body. After 20 minutes, dampen down with water and rub the paste gently on the skin and clean it off while bathing. You will not need to apply soap, as this cleanses the body well.
Lemon and turmeric remedy
The elbows also suffer during winter. The skin is incredibly tough on this area and also lacks oil glands. It can turn out to be dry, rough and dark. Take two lemon halves and rub them on the elbows. Then apply sesame seed (til) oil, massaging it into the skin. I also suggest the application of a cream containing turmeric and lemon before bathing. The cream must be rubbed into the skin. This not only softens the skin, but also lightens skin colour. At some stage in your bath, take a rough towel and clean the elbows well. After bathing, apply a moisturizing cream, again rubbing it into the skin. This kind of standard care would prevent to keep the elbows soft and smooth.
