If there’s one season when your skin is likely to be at its driest, it’s winter, and writer Lucy Slight knows first-hand what it’s like to deal with dry skin. Always armed with hand creams and living in a constant state of trying to balance her body temperature to avoid skin conditions such as chilblains, Lucy shares her tips (and favourite products) for keeping hands smooth and soothed as temperatures drop . Cold air, hot showers, central heating and a lack of humidity.
Winter is upon us, and while many of us may be enjoying the pleasure that comes with a scalding hot shower and turning up the dial on the heat pump, it seems once again, our skin is bearing the brunt. As I sit here typing, there are no fewer than three hand creams on my desk. I have one in the car too, and one that rotates between my handbags.
Dry skin is the bane of winter for me, and even though so far this winter has been relatively mild (according to Niwa, temperatures have been above average for June), my hands are still suffering. Dry skin on hands in winter is primarily due to lower humidity levels, both outdoors and indoors, which reduce the moisture content in the skin. Cold air and wind can strip the skin of its natural oils, leading to dehydration.
READ: Polar blast hits New Zealand.
