Slope skin care has its own rules. It is affected by strong wind, low temperatures and sun, which we often unduly disregard in winter. In order to effectively protect your skin during the winter madness, it is worth replacing your everyday cosmetics with those that will prove to be more effective in skin care on the slope. Read on how to best protect your skin from adverse weather conditions while practicing winter sports.

Taking care of the properskin care on the slopewill allow us not only to maintain its better appearance. This is even a secondary issue - thanks to the protection of the face, mouth and hands, we will be able to devote ourselves more comfortably to winter physical activity, without persistent pain, redness, swelling and frostbite. Because it is worth remembering that winter on the slope creates not the easiest conditions.

There are thermoreceptors in various areas of our skin, as well as on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and digestive tract, which perceive changes in body temperature that we feel as cold or warm.

Cold receptors (the so-called Krause flasks) are 10 times more than heat receptors, which is why it affects us much more intensively. Minus temperatures can cause swelling, redness, burning and - in the worst case - frostbite.

Considering the care of your skin on the slopes, you shouldn't forget about the sun either. Although it would seem that it works less intensively in winter than in summer, it is not. For every 1000 meters, the intensity of UV radiation increases by 15 percent, in addition, ice and snow reflect 85 percent of the sun's rays. As a consequence, the UV radiation on the slope is 2.5 times stronger than on the beach.

Let's not forget about the wind that dries the epidermis. All these factors make the memory of proper skin care on the slope an important element of preparations for a winter expedition.

Skin care for the slopes: face cream

Before you go to the slope, get your skin used to the frost, e.g. go for long walks more often, get off the bus a stop earlier when returning from work, etc.

The cooler the temperature, the slower the sebaceous glands work, which in turn leads to loss of water from the body. Therefore, not only before going toslope, but also in winter, it is worth choosing creams with: hyaluronic acid, petroleum jelly, silicones, ceramides, paraffin, coconut or olive oil, because they rebuild the lipid layer of the skin, creating a protective surface that prevents water loss from the body.

The basis is oiling - a very greasy cream will act as a protective barrier against frost and wind - but you should not forget about moisturizing. Why? In winter, also during madness on the slope, we are affected by changing temperatures: minus outside and often above 20 degrees Celsius inside buildings, which leads to water loss from the deepest layers of the epidermis. Moisturizing creams with vitamin K, mountain arnica or horse chestnut extract will prevent cracking and dilating blood vessels.

Skin care on the slope also includes creams with a UV filter

UV radiation can especially harm skiers and snowboarders - people who spend winter time at high altitudes. To protect yourself from returning from winter holidays with a red nose and peeling epidermis, it is worth choosing creams with a high filter - minimum SPF 30, and preferably SPF 50. The winter rule of skin care on the slope says that first we apply a cream with sunscreen, and only later the oiling one.

Read also: Top 9 winter workouts that do not require special skills

Slope skin care: lips

Lips are another must-see when it comes to caring for your skin on the slopes. Unfortunately, spreading them with a moisturizing face cream is not enough. It's best to buy a product designed for winter lip care - a protective lipstick that also contains sunscreen. The composition of the cosmetic should include vitamin A, which regenerates the epidermis, and vitamin B5, which soothes inflammation and accelerates the healing of minor wounds.

During sports madness, the exhaled vapor often condenses on the lips, which leads to cracking and frostbite, so when protecting the lips on the slope, remember not to cover them with a scarf, because it will cause the exhaled steam to freeze and, consequently, frostbite . Better to use masks made of breathable fabrics especially for skiers and snowboarders.

Slope skin care: eyes

Winter sports are also quite a challenge for our eyes. Not only is the skin around them ten times thinner than on the rest of the face, it also lacks sebaceous glands, making it more prone to dryness.

Moreover, probably everyone knows from their unpleasant experience how irritating it is to the eyessun. Excessive exposure of the eyes to the sun's rays can lead to the so-called snow blindness.

Wind, snow, UV radiation can lead to red eyes, keratitis or a very unpleasant burn of the conjunctiva. Therefore, it will be necessary to obtain goggles or ski glasses with the function of protection against UV radiation and wind. The color of the lenses is also very important: yellow and orange lenses will provide better visibility on cloudy days and after dark, and gray, blue and brown lenses will prove themselves when the sun shines brightly in the sky.

It's also a good idea to smear the skin around the eyes with a greasy and thick cream, certainly not in the form of a water-based gel.

Read also: Diet of a skier and snowboarder, or what to eat on the slope in winter

Slope skin care: hands

The next challenge in skin care on the slope, but also in winter in general, are hands that often become chapped in the cold and it is not easy to restore them to a he althy condition later. In order not to be afraid of the worst frost, two pairs of different types of gloves will be useful. First, we put on heat-insulating gloves that transport moisture away from the skin, and then we put on ski gloves, e.g. made of goretex - a waterproof and windproof and breathable fabric. The hands, like the face, should be covered with a greasy cream.

Remember!When we want to warm our hands quickly, we often make a mistake by placing them on a radiator after returning from frost or by placing them under a stream of warm water. In this way, we disturb the microcirculation, which results in chapped and red hands. Better, after returning from winter activities and taking off the gloves, smear your hands with greasy cream and warm the whole body by drinking hot tea.

Caring for the slope skin: ears

Cold ears is also a problem with inflammation of the sinuses and upper respiratory tract. Ears, like all exposed parts of the body, should be lubricated with a greasy filter cream before going to the slope - the same one that we used for the face. A ski hat under the helmet will also help, and you need to pull it tight over the ears that like heat. A good solution is also to choose a ski balaclava, which protects not only the ears, but also the neck from contact with cold air.

Worth knowing

How to take care of your skin in winter?

  • After returning from the slopes, avoid overheating the skin. Setting the radiator to the highest power, turning on the farelka, taking hot baths leads to the loss of moisture and the skin to dryness. Better to keep warm with a hot meal orlying under a blanket.
  • Winter makeup has its advantages - colored cosmetics, especially if they contain sunscreen, provide an additional layer that protects the skin from the cold.
  • If you have skin with a tendency to "spider veins", before going to the slope, first apply a cream that contracts the capillaries, and then lubricates the skin.
  • Both the greasy cream and the UV filter should be applied 20 minutes before going on the slopes; if possible, take them with you and apply another layer every 2-4 hours.
  • As applying a protective lipstick is much less of a problem than applying a cream, apply it up to 6 times a day when you are on the slopes.
  • If your skin has recently undergone microdermabrasion or laser treatment, your exfoliated skin will need extra protection from the cold.
  • If your face turns red after returning from the slopes, apply a soothing cream with ingredients such as shea butter, canola oil, vitamin E, vitamin A, allantoin, avocado oil.

Category:

Winter sports