Winter is dreaded by many because usually it brings a challenge to every complexion, but you can look your best if you take a few precautions. During the winter months your complexion needs extra care & attention because the oil glands just below the surface of the skin become relatively inactive & produce less moisture than usual. This & the increased dryness of the skin due to the drying effects of the sun & the wind are responsible for causing the tiny wrinkles & giving rise to various skin ailments like scaling, itching, chapping & eczema.

The best way, however, to counteract these ailments is to dispense with the use of soap completely, because it has been known to have a marked degreasing action on the skin. Instead, clean your face with milk cream or top-of-milk blended with a few drops of lime juice & a pinch of turmeric powder. Excessive use of cosmetics, hair dyes & sprays, too many hot baths & perfumes also make the hair dry. Every night before going to bed, take one tablespoon of milk cream & mix in a few drops each of glycerine, olive oil & rose water. Mix well & apply over your entire face, neck & hands. Leave overnight; in the morning wipe off gently with a tissue paper, then bathe the skin in warm water until it begins to feel warm & also rinse for the same length of time in cold water. Pat dry with a soft towel.

Also, massage your body well with olive or coconut oil blended with a few drops of rose water 10 minutes before your bath to make your skin soft & glowing. If dryness has resulted in scaling, take foods rich in vitamin A, because this vitamin is stored in the fat just below the surface of the skin counteracting any tendency towards dryness & roughness. In case the scaling is quite severe, also take this vitamin in the form of tablets but as this vitamin sometimes produces toxic effects in the body if taken indiscriminately, it should only be taken under medical supervision.

Another common skin ailment in winter is eczema. Initially the surface of the skin becomes red but later it turns dry, rough & scaly. Here are two effective remedies for this ailment. Grind a walnut to a paste, squeeze out its oil & apply on the affected parts a few times daily. In case this does not give relief, try this remedy.

Take a dry coconut & hold it with a pair of tongs over a burning flame. When its skin turns completely black & while it is still burning, place it on a tin-plate & cover it immediately with a small vessel. Remove it after a few seconds & you will find a layer of oil on the vessel. Rub this on the affected parts twice daily & within a week you will find definite relief in your condition. Itching too is a common complaint during this weather. Take a tablespoon of sandalwood oil & mix in an equal quantity of coconut oil. Apply on the itching parts of the body a couple of times daily until you get relief. The juice of Basil leaves is also equally effective.

Another type of itching which is very severe is known as winter's itch. This is usually due to the excessive dryness of the skin. It is also due to wearing too many woolen garments, too many hot baths, too little sun, lack of sweating, too much use of soaps & scent & dietary deficiencies. Arms & legs are commonly affected by it. To minimize winter's itch, every day an hour before taking your bath take two tablespoons each of curd & olive oil & mix in a few drops of essence of rose. Mix well & apply on the body an hour before you take your bath. Abstain from wearing woolens next to the body. Reduce hot baths and. the use of the soap to the minimum. Take vitamin A in the form of tablets & expose yourself to the sun for at least an hour daily. It automatically disappears in the warm weather because perspiration caused by the heat helps to keep the skin soft & moist.

If the skin on the soles of your feet becomes hard & cracked, rub the soles at bath time with soapy water & pumice stone. After bathing be sure to dry the feet well especially between the toes to prevent cracking. Massage them well with olive or coconut oil to keep the skin soft & smooth & to help the circulation of blood. After exposure to cold, take a foot bath using warm water & soap. Wipe dry, massage them vigorously for five minutes & then wear woolen socks. This is very important to prevent chilblains.

If your lips happen to chap, peel or crack, here is an effective remedy.

Take a rose flower & grind the petals to a paste. Mix in a little cream of milk & apply it generously on the lips before going to bed in the night. This will help keep the lips soft & pretty. Dry, itchy skin around the mouth is a common complaint during winter. Vitamin B tablets will help in this case. To protect your hands from rash & chapping wear a pair of rubber gloves when doing household chores. Every night before going to bed take an equal quantity of lime juice, glycerine, rose water & Cologne & apply nicely on the hands & after you finish your household chores rub glycerine & sugar on them for a couple of minutes & then wash off. This will help keep them soft & smooth.

Winter plays havoc with the hair, making it dry, brittle & dull. To bring a healthy shine to your hair, take some warm coconut oil, make partings along the hair & dab it along each parting with your finger-tips. Continue in this way till the whole scalp has been oiled, then wrap hot towels over the Human head to keep the scalp as warm as possible. After half an hour when the scalp has absorbed oil, wash the hair with shikakai & water Hair can never be completely clean & shiny until it is rinsed thoroughly-it should squeak at your touch.

Use a moisturized foundation to protect your ,skin against the harsh effects of the cold weather. Touch up your lips with warm, creamy colors. Pale lipsticks will make you look pale & sickly in this weather. Add lipgloss or a little Vaseline to keep your lips soft & pretty.

Also follow a healthy diet scheme to enable your body to fight against the many ills of winter & to put an attractive bloom in your cheeks.

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