Winter Skincare Tips for Kids: Protecting Little Faces from the Cold
Skin care is an essential health habit. It helps protect the body’s largest organ, which is consequently almost always stressed by outside elements. For this reason, the skin must seasonally defend against different elements, which is why skin care tips in winter are an absolute must.
Skincare is often touted as a very daunting and complicated activity. Common advice will usually revolve around some expensive brand or a particular ingredient. In reality, effective skincare comes from routine and consistency, with the only major requirement being non-toxic products. This is even more of an essential requirement when children’s skincare is considered!
In this blog, we’ll deep-dive into how you can help your child build a skincare routine when they need it the most - in winter!
Key Takeaways
- Skincare is one of the best health habits one can practice.
- Effective skincare is often simple, uncomplicated, and easy to follow.
- Skincare as a habit must be introduced early on.
Why Children's Skin is More Sensitive?
Today, it’s important to follow winter skincare tips, especially when it comes to children. The skin usually possesses a natural barrier and defence system against environmental stressors and irritants. It’s like a natural defence given to us by evolution! However, this develops fully only later on. As a result, the natural barrier in kids’ skin is extremely weak, and in need of enhancement itself.
Tips for protecting your kid's skin in the winter
Here are some of the best recommended and easy-to-follow skin care tips in winter:
Keep Baths lukewarm
Lukewarm baths provide two key advantages. First, they are inherently comfortable, especially in the chilling winter cold. Secondly, lukewarm temperatures also make cleansing pores easier. This means that any dirt and irritants blocking pores can more easily be dislodged, avoiding potential acne.
Get Soap-smart
Soap not only allows dirt and sweat to be cleansed off, but it also manages to kill and get rid of bacteria. However, over-using soap risks stripping the skin of its natural moisture. This may leave the skin very dry and susceptible to irritation.
Gentle Cleansing
Skincare need not use harsh or overactive ingredients. A simple gentle cleanser can achieve much more, without any irritation. Such cleansers especially excel in cleaning pores - targeting both the bacteria and other potential irritants behind acne.
Moisturize Regularly
Well-moisturised skin provides three key benefits. First, it helps the skin stay nourished and fresh. Second, moisturizing helps strengthen the skin’s natural barrier against irritants. Third, moisturizing effectively avoids irritation associated with dry skin.
Stay Hydrated
Individuals often try out the most sophisticated skincare routine and end up gaining nothing from it. Why? It’s because the body lacks sufficient internal hydration to heal and repair skin. Hydration does wonderful things for the skin, from helping it glow to engaging repair.
Dress Appropriately
Winter brings three major environmental challenges for the skin - low temperatures, wind, and low humidity. All three contribute to making the skin dry, eroding its natural defences, and stressing the natural barrier. As such, it’s always best to dress in warm and woolly clothes. This not only blocks wind and cold air but also traps body heat to maintain warmth and comfort.
Use Humidifiers
Low humidity is a major challenge in winter. The various environmental factors at play lead to an overall lack of moisture in the air itself. While moisturizers and drinking water can help against this, it’s a good idea to introduce additional humidity in a room using humidifiers!
Common Winter Skin Issues in Kids and Their Solutions
It’s essential to apply winter skincare tips to avoid these common concerns.
Dry Skin and Eczema
Low humidity and cold air manage to heavily strip the skin of its moisture. This may lead to rough, tight or flaky skin i.e. Dry skin. Pre-existing conditions like Eczema may lead to red, inflamed, and itchy patches. Increase hydration to avoid this.
Chapped Lips and Cheeks
Lips and cheeks are very rarely protected by most winter wear. They are always exposed to cold wind and are thus prone to chapping and irritation. On cheeks specifically, windburn leads to dryness and peeling. When this is a concern, lip balms and scarves are your friend.
Sunburn and Snow Burn Protection
Winter months still pose the risk of sunburn. This specifically happens as snow can reflect the sun’s UV rays right into the skin. Sunscreen is important to prevent this from happening.
When To See A Doctor?
While following the winter skincare tips mentioned so far can help negate most skincare concerns, it’s important to be mindful of serious concerns. Look out for redness and irritation that simply won’t go away, or puts children in extreme anguish. Sudden and extreme breakout of acne is also not to be taken lightly. Overall, if your child reports extreme discomfort with a skin concern, it’s wise to visit a doctor.
Final Thoughts
Overall, here is one of the best and most defining winter skincare tips; use non-toxic and kids’ skincare products. It is an unfortunate fact that most products are simply not suitable for a child’s sensitive skin. By integrating safe products into your kids’ skincare routine, you ensure that they get all the care they need, without any of the side-effects!
