Come November and it seems like everyone is talking about the approaching cold season. Malls and shops are putting up long sleeved clothes for sale, “Autumn-winter” reads every banner. On the TV, ads are talking about how the skin needs more intense moisturizing and how the cold weather makes skin dry & scaly. Ugh, you almost shudder when the model runs a finger across her dry skin and a line of cracked skin appears.
I personally start feeling that my skin is taut & itchy especially after a bath. It is then that I realise that it is time to switch bath and body products and add some heavily moisturizing body washes and body creams to my collection as well as look at skinpro skin care products that my friend recommends. But this year I stopped to think about my #babyT. Does his skin need any special winter skin care now that he is a toddler and running all over the place? Why, when we start changing our own products with the season, don’t we pay enough attention to the products we use for our kids?
Ok, I admit Bombay doesn’t really have a winter with single digit temperatures. But that doesn’t stop the mercury from dropping even if slightly. The air does get dry and usually, evenings and early morning are chilly enough to warrant a fully covered baby. And babies, especially my babyT has super dry and sensitive skin as it is. The cold, dry months ahead are not the kindest on his skin. It is just the beginning of November and I am already seeing the need to moisturise him more often.
But apart from that here are some of the winter skin care ideas I am planning on using in order to make sure he sails through the cold season without much trouble:
- Bathe less
Contrary to what it seems like, water can have a drying effect on the skin. This is because water washes off the natural oils of the skin. And this is more the case when you use warm or hot water for bathing. Lukewarm water is best. For babies and young children who don’t really get messy and muddy, you can actually bathe them on alternate days.
They will anyway not get very sweaty and sticky due to winter. So bathing frequency can be reduced. When you do bathe them, choose water which is less hot and avoid bathing them at times when it is chilly (early morning or night) so that you can avoid the need for hot water.Do remember to keep baby’s diaper area clean even if you are not bathing them every day. Using wet wipes or a cotton ball and fresh water is best. I recently consulted with a firm on their bathing solutions. After spending some time investigating the bathing solutions by AHM installations on installing a baby-specific bath in our bathroom for this reason alone, since our “adult bath” is just too big and poses a danger risk.
MommyT’s tip: Add a few drops of baby oil to the bathing water so that the skin gets moisturized as you wash. - Moisturise immediately after bath
I’ve learned from experience that rather than letting the skin dry completely, it is best to use a moisturizer on slightly moist skin. This helps lock the moisture in, leaving skin supple and soft. This is probably the reason why washrooms in hotels and restaurants usually have a bottle of moisturizer right next to the bottle of hand wash near the basin. It’s a really handy idea and most moisturizer bottles come with a dispenser now, making it quick and easy to use. For babies, your wash and clean routine should mandatorily include an all body moisturizing step. One of my readers recently told me that Dexeryl Cream is perfect for sensitive skin, if you’re looking for an emollient cream that is baby friendly.
MommyT’s tip: If your baby is wriggly and oil massages have become a fight rather than fun, use the moisturizing time to give them a gentle massage all over. Babies are growing and a firm but gentle massage over knees, legs and the back can ease growing pains too. - Choose the right products
Winters are the right time to ditch your light and summery body washes & moisturisers because honestly they are just not meant to hold up to the harsh, cold climates. But having said that it is also important to choose the right products to ensure winter skin care is done right. Choose a body wash which hydrates as it cleanses and a moisturiser which is emollient, i.e. one which is capable of softening and soothing skin. A non-greasy formula is best because despite it being winters, oily, greasy creams like petroleum jelly or even oils can clog pores and lead to irritation and itching, especially in places where the skin folds.
We have truly found love in Aveeno moisturizing bath and lotions. After having tried possibly every baby cream and lotion in the market, we have found that nothing works so great on babyT’s dry, dermatitis prone skin like Aveeno does. What I love about the Aveeno moisturizing lotion is that it contains natural colloidal oatmeal which is a well-known solution for eczema-prone dry skin. Aveeno moisturizes for a full 24 hours and has no alcohols which can dry skin. It is also hypoallergenic and fragrance-free which is good news for babies with sensitive skin. And Aveeno and Johnson’s are after all #BestforBaby
MommyT’s tip: Don’t forget to moisturise the face. Baby cheeks are one of the first places on their body to go dry. - Take cover
You can’t go wrong with this age-old tradition of bundling little babies up. While it is important to cover them up with long-sleeved T-shirts and full-length pants, don’t overdo the sweater, caps and mittens unless you are actually stepping out into the biting cold. Babies also tend to heat up pretty fast and their tiny bodies lose a lot of energy in preserving and protecting body temperature.Don’t forget to snuggle up though.MommyT’s tip: It is also a good idea to let babies and children wear socks around the house, especially if you don’t have carpets. And you can easily get baby socks with slip-proof padding under the soles to make sure they don’t fall with their socks on. - Hydrate the air
Yes, there’s nothing wrong with the statement, you can actually do that. You can actually use a humidifier to put the moisture back in the air. This is much needed especially in places where one uses a heater to heat up the room. Heat can dry up the air and make it extremely dry which is a bane in the cold weather. Consider installing a humidifier if you know you’re going to have the heater on.MommyT’s tip: Don’t want to invest in a humidifier for the matter of a month or two? Fret not! Use the steamer (used for facial or nasal steam) to add some quick moisture to the room. - Hydrate from the inside
It’s not just summers that warrant having an extra glass of water. Winters too can be a pleasant affair if you up baby’s water intake. Hydration can also come from coconut water, juices, warm soups and winter fruit like oranges and lemons. BabyT loves joining his mummy and daddy for tea time and we indulge him by giving him a green tea made with tulsi and ajwain leaves. Grandma’s home remedies never hurt. - Don’t forget the chapped lips
Runny noses, dry cool air all can make babies lips dry and chapped. And severe chapping can lead to cracks and bleeding lips in extreme cases. Keep lips soft and moisturised with a swipe of coconut oil.
Just listing these here makes me feel good. I feel ready for the winter months and this time I will not let babyT fall victim to his dry skin issues. Do you have any other winter skin care routine that you follow?
I loved your tip on hydrating the air. Have never thought of it. Aah, saving all the tips for future ?. This is a great blog post by the way.
Very useful tips for mommies! It is extremely important to choose good quality products which suit your baby’s skin. An oil massage before bath also works wonders to keep skin soft and supple.
These are some really great tips for moms. I keep on telling my girls to mosturise but have to remind them to do it immediately after bath. Winters lead to dry skin.
Some great tips for the coming winter ! So true during winters we need to choose the right amount of product so that children don’t get dry skin issues.
oh what a smart idea about using the steamer to humidify the room. It’s very dry in Ahmedabad and this tip is a life saver!
Great tips. Really liked the idea about putting baby oil in the bath water because I have so much baby oil left over that I no longer use.
I didn’t know that oatmeal is good for eczema-prone dry skin. So happy that you have finally found a product that works for Baby T!
These are great tips especially since we are in Delhi. hydrating the air sounds wonderful!
some really great tips and bathing less actually helps the skin…we usually take a oil massage before bath and put few drops in water as well as you suggested ….
Loved your tip for humidifying the air using a steamer. Am definitely going to try this one. Also yes we too have found love in Aveeno baby products. Love their lotion the most.
Great tips! I always used Aveeno products on my daughter in the winter months because of her eczema.
Being winters tere for 6 months and copper weather fir another 2 months these tips are very handy . Using a humidifier and moisturizer twicecs day especially so after a bath is my trick to keep the dryness away .
Wonderful tips! We follow almost all these during winters. Will also try to add tulsi leaves and ajwain in the kid’s routine.
I love Aveeno as an all purpose moisturizer but I think the best thing really is to not bathe too often. Moisture in the air is also a great idea.
seriously so important, with the winter months, the cold air, the dryness it is so important to properly hydrate your skin and so many people overlook this.
Both of my kids had such sensitive skin in the winter between the cold air, wind and wooly fabrics. Aveeno is one of my favorite skin care brands.
So important! The skin could dry and crack and cause so much pain. I have dry skin, so I know!
Love these tips for protecting a baby’s skin during the winter. It’s extremely important to keep them protected.
These tips look so good! I bet babies skin get so dry in the winter. Mine gets so bad, I can’t imagine what it does for little ones. It was a really good read!
Our pediatrician always told us to bathe our kids only a couple times a week to keep their skin from getting too dry. Unless they are sticky or stinky there is no real reason to bathe more often.
These are such great tips. We remember to take care of our skin in the winter because our skin lets us know to do so. But our little ones can’t really tell us that their skin feels uncomfortable or dry. Adding some extra moisture and hydration in the winter is essential for us all.
Great tips! Winter is dry and cold where I lived. I use only Aveeno moisturizer cream products for my kid and myself in winter. They’re the best drugstore brand that works.
These are all great tips! I actually use some of them for my own skin in the winter too, like moisturizing as soon as I get out of the tub!!
As much as I love winter, I hate the dry skin that comes with it. We use a lot of the products you mentioned for my two little ones, and a whole lot of coconut oil lol
I agree with bathing less. Freaks some people out, but little kids aren’t sweaty like bigger kids. They often get less dirty in the winter bc we dress them in more layers.
That is absolutely true too.
Baby oil in bath water! That’s a good tip Tara. I loved this post. Pinning it
Thanks Disha. But it makes the bathroom super slippery so do be careful ?
Ugh, THANK YOU for sharing this!!! Our girls’ skin got really dry last winter and I couldn’t quite figure out how to keep it hydrated. Will be using these tips this year, for sure!!
You’re most welcome. I hope some of these tips help
Winter can be a skin tormentor. These are some great tips to keeping your skin moisturized during the harsh months. We love Aveeno!
Thanks for dropping by Brittany
LOL When I was his age, we moved from New York to Copenhagen for a while! I’ve heard my mother on the subject of what that did to my sensitive skin! (I dry out badly even back in New York.)
I have worked in childcare – and seen that people can forget how drying winter weather can be. At the same time kids do need the right products for delicate skin. Good set of suggestions!
Thank you, Anne. With changing weather globally we are seeing unexpected winter here in Bombay and it’s drying all our skin out badly. Some of these tips are coming in handy for me too. Lol
This is such an important topic. We really don’t ever think about changing skincare products for baby with seasons. We’re in Arizona where winter is not cold but I definitely can see how this matters in other parts of the country.
My baby cousins have this problem, really dry skin in the winters. Definitely using these tips!!
Thanks. Hope they find it helpful
These are really good and accurate points! I totally agree with bathing less and using a humidifier. Both make such a difference!
Hannah Rooks
http://www.therookiewife.com
Thank you for reading Hannah
My kids both have really dry skin and trouble with chapped lips in the winter. We definitely use heavier moisturizers when the temperatures drop.
It’s so tough on the young ones. Heavy moisturizers do help though