Cracked lips, dry hands and an itchy face can all affect your performance as a musician. Combat these winter blues with moisturizer and oil—inside and out.
The winter season—with its cold, windy weather—can wreck havoc on your skin, your most exposed organ. Chapped lips, cracking heels and elbows, and dry, flaking skin can be generally uncomfortable and affect the way you, as a musician, perform throughout the season. Here are some ways that you can combat winter skin from your face down to your toes.
Body
One of the best ways to prevent dry, cracking skin during the winter months is oil, which can be used both internally and externally. Adding canola or olive oil to your diet can be extremely beneficial.
Try using balsamic vinegar and olive oil to dress your salads and use a bit of canola oil in your cooked foods. Also, adding avocado in your salads provides a good dose of healthy fat and oils.
Adding an oil regimen to your daily shower is also a great way to maintain healthy skin during the harshest months of the year. Pick up a big bottle of sesame oil—Neutrogena makes two kinds, scented and unscented—and a loofah, the kind that looks like it belongs in the ocean.
First, do a dry scrub before you get in the shower, or if you have especially sensitive skin, do a wet scrub while in the shower. Make sure to concentrate on your problem areas. Use the loofah in a circular motion and apply moderate pressure in order to stimulate blood flow and greater circulation.
After you scrub, do your regular shower routine. Before you finish up, rub some sesame oil all over your body. Rinse off slightly; you should still feel some of the oil on your body. Lightly towel off— the oil will rub into your skin.
Face
If your face gets really dry, use loofah gloves along with a gentle face lotion or sesame oil in the shower. You could also try an oil facial. Heat up a few tablespoons of oil in a small bowl and use your fingertips to massage the oil all over your face.
Make sure to massage your jawbone, eyebrows, sides of your nose and the outsides of your ears. Wipe the oil off with a soft cloth. If you have acne-prone skin, also use your normal facial cleanser.
Be sure not to overuse acne-fighting products throughout the winter as these cleansers can dry out your skin.
Lips
If your lips get extremely chapped, use an old toothbrush and some Vaseline to get rid of the dry skin, and then apply a moisturizing lip balm. Be sure not to lick your lips to try to keep them moisturized as saliva actually dries out your lips further.
Heels and Hands
For dry heels and hands, use a pumice stone or stick to first get rid of the dry skin. Then you can slather on a hefty amount of lotion all over the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet. Put on socks and beauty gloves, found at most drugstores, and wear overnight. Happy skin is on the way!
