| Pamper Your
Body! - Body Care Tips - Beauty
Pamper Your Body!
 Come
winters and you may dread those cracked heels and dryness on the skin
surface. Our expert lays emphasis on that extra need to take precaution
during winter to ensure a glowing body and mind.
Though the skin on most parts of the
body is not exposed to the sun, harsh weather conditions and chemical
air pollutants, it can turn rough and dry in winters. This is more so
with the exposed areas, like the arms, feet, neck and face. If the skin
is normally dry, the problem becomes worse in winter.
The lack of humidity in the air robs
the skin of moisture. Another reason why the body skin suffers in winter
is the regular use of hot water and soap while bathing. Hot water also
depletes moisture and so does the chlorine in the water.
Moisturize your body well
The parts of the body, which become
really dry, are the feet, the back of the hands, the knees and the
elbows. These areas need special care during winter. Bath time is
appropriate to pamper the body and supply it with the oils and moisture
it needs. In fact, applying body lotions and creams soon after bathing
while the skin is still damp, helps to seal in moisture.
Choose the right lotion or cream
A variety of creams, lotions and oils
are available for the body. You can get yourself a hand and body lotion,
or a rich cream, depending on the extent of dryness. An apricot cream is
ideal for the hands. You can also make your own body lotion by mixing
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.
Sapless shower gels are better in
winter. Or, you can use glycerin soap. For extreme dryness, it is better
to avoid soap.
An oil massage helps before a bath
Before you take bath, apply oil on the
body and massage it into the skin. This helps to soften the skin as it
helps to cleanse the skin adequately. Sesame seed (til) oil can be used,
or you can use any vegetable oil. Mustard oil is good during winter, but
sesame seed (til) oil can be used all the year round. You can warm the
oil before use. I advise the use of a lemon-turmeric cream as a pre-bath
treatment, for dry skins. In fact, it has even been helpful in treating
cases of dry-skin-sensitivity. It not only helps to soften the skin, but
also lightens skin color over a period of time.
A traditional home pre-bath treatment
is to mix "besan" (gram flour) with a little milk or curd and a pinch of
"haldi" (turmeric) into a paste. Rub the body with this before your bath
and wash it off while bathing. You will not need to apply soap, as this
cleanses the body well.
Go easy on soap
While bathing, go easy on the soap and
do not use very hot water. Give your body a rub with a loofah or rough
towel, especially on the knees and elbows. If these two areas are dark,
rub two lemon halves on them before your bath. After bathing, wipe off
and apply a body lotion, or thicker cream, paying special attention to
the feet, back of the hands, knees and elbows. Rub the lotion or cream
into the skin on these areas.
Don't neglect those cracked heels
Cracked heels are common during winter.
The cold, dry weather not only causes depletion of moisture, but also
hampers proper blood circulation. The skin of the feet suffers as a
result. The skin on the heels is harder and thicker than most other
parts of the body. Loss of moisture causes keratinisation, which is the
process of changing living cells to dead horny cells. Therefore, there
is a build-up of dead cells. If the absence of moisture, cracks develop
on the heels and may even extend beyond the dead cells, causing pain.
Cracked heels can be prevented by
giving the feet daily care, by way of massaging the skin with creams and
protecting them from the cold, dry air. The problem can also be tackled
with proper foot care. Before bathing, apply a lemon-turmeric cream on
the feet and heels, massaging it into the skin. This not only softens
the skin, but also protects it from the drying effects of soap and
chlorinated water. Turmeric has antiseptic properties too and thus
provides protection from infections.
A night care routine is a must
At night, before retiring, soak the
feet in hot water for about 20 minutes. Add some coarse salt and shampoo
to the water, before soaking the feet. Hot water helps to soften the
dead skin on the heels. With the help of a pumice stone or a heel
scrubber, rub the heels gently, in order to remove the dead cells. If
there is any pain, avoid using a metal scrubber.
After washing the feet, massage with a
good cream, rubbing it into the skin. Take a rich moisturizing cream or
Vaseline and apply it generously on the heels. Bandage the heels with
cheesecloth, or cotton wool and surgical gauze, then wear cotton socks
and go to sleep. This way, the cream will remain on the heels and not
get on to your bed cloth. Keeping the heels smeared with cream all night
will soften the skin and replenish moisture loss. Repeat this every
night for at least 5 days or till the skin on the heels improves.
Special preparations for the heels are also available, which may have an
antiseptic effect too and prevent any infection.
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