For most people, winter equals dry skin, cracked lips, and flare-ups. You may have noticed that your children's skin is even more prone to react during the colder months. This is because the skin of children is still immature and therefore thinner and more vulnerable to external factors.
However, in our experience, there is a combination of factors that triggers dry skin:
- Cold and dry climate
- Soap
- Over cleansing
- Dehydration
- Use of skincare products containing alcohol and drying agent
There is not really a definition of over-cleansing. How often to cleanse is very individual, while some parents can't imagine not bathing their children every day, others do it once a week or even less. We recommend observing your child's skin and seeing how it responds to the frequency of baths. More than frequency, the temperature of the water (the warmer, the more drying) and the length of the baths affect the skin as well. On days when not bathing, you can use a muslin cloth with water and oil to gently clean the face and intimates.
Skip the soap! There is no good reason to use soap on the body. Soap will dissolve the skin's natural protective barrier and its beneficial microbes. By using a cleansing oil, you will get rid of any impurities, and the skin barrier will be left intact, clean, soft, and moist.
The next step is so important, especially when suffering from dry skin. Moisturize! We believe that moisturizing is an underestimated act of health since moist skin is a beneficial environment for a healthy skin microbiome. Moisturize with a natural plant oil while the skin is still wet and let the oil be absorbed. Our baby oil is formulated to maximize moisture while still being quickly absorbed, both a must when using it on a child!
Making sure your child is not dehydrated is important, not only for the skin. When still breast/bottle feeding, this is not an issue, but when food is introduced, you need to start keeping an eye on this. Fun water bottles, straws, berries in the water, or maybe a playful drinking competition are ways to ensure water intake is covered. However, hydration is not only about water intake but also ensuring sufficient intake of minerals. The best sources of minerals are found in vegetables, nuts, olives, and mineral salts. You can also add some sea salts to your children's bath.
When it comes to skincare products, you should look out for alcohol from ethanol and any synthetic preservatives or ingredients. The reason we never add alcohol from ethanol to our products is because of the drying effect it has on the skin. Adding synthetic ingredients and preservatives to skincare products is very efficient at killing any bacterial overgrowth and obtaining a long shelf life for the products. However, those chemicals may just be as effective in killing the bacteria on your skin and consequently alter the microbial balance that is fundamental for your skin to be able to produce the fatty acids of the skin barrier.
And lastly, regarding the influence of colder climates on skin, there is not too much to do but to follow the steps above, give the skin a little extra layer of protective moisture, and cherish the cold days!