While some parts of the world are looking forward to the winter ❄️ season, it’s almost harmattan here in some parts of Africa . Harmattan comes with cold dry conditions in the mornings and evenings and the afternoons are really hot and sunny most times.

The conditions of this season brings about difficulties especially with health,skincare and clothing. If you go for heavy clothing due to the cold weather in the morning, you might find yourself in a bit of a fix if temperatures rise in the afternoon. There are some tips that are very helpful for this season which I’d like to share in this post . I hope they make this season less of a pain . 👍.

1. Skin

Harmattan brings about a drop in humidity. Humidity is very low during this period whic causes moisture loss to the skin leaving it dry , sometimes flaky and itchy too. It is very important to take care of your skin . Here are some skincare tips for harmattan

• Hydration 💦 – Drink a lot of water to replace the moisture you keep loosing. Drinking water will flush out toxins and keep your skin hydrated and moist . If you’re not really a “water person” you can include these healthy water substitutes to your hydration – Juicy fruits ( watermelons, oranges ) , coconut water, fruit juice, fruit infused water, hydrous veggies(cucumber, tomatoes, carrots),slushies and smoothies .
• Moisturizing – Use oil concentrated lotions or creams. You can also decide to use whatever lotion or cream you already use and add some essential oils like coconut oil , or even baby oil🤭. It helps keep the skin supple .
• Moisturize right after bathing 🚿- The skin absorbs moisture very well if it’s damp. Don’t wait until your skin is completely dry before moisturizing.
• Try to keep hand cream at all times to moisturize your hands and arms when you’re on the go.
• Use creams and moisturizers which contain natural ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter , olive oil, coconut oil and aloe vera gel. Avoid alcohol based ones.
• Put on sunscreen. Some creams already have UV protection/sunblock properties, so those ones work fine.

2. Lips

The lips are prone to get chapped and cracked up. This is when the lip balms come in handy. It’s best to use lip balms which contain natural ingredients like Shea butter, coconut oil and olive oil .

3. Clothing guide

Unless you want to keep applying cream every few hours, these are some clothes and accessories you’d want to avoid this harmattan ☀️.

• Sandals and slippers- The feet dry up quickly so to avoid moisturizing every few minutes avoid sandals especially if you find your self in a dusty environment
  • Anything above the knee. Skip those shorts and go for long/maxi dresses and skirts and trousers .

It’s cold in the mornings and evenings and warm in the afternoons. As much as you’d like to be warm in the mornings it’s important that you consider that it gets really hot in the afternoon so you’ve got to chose clothes that are suitable for both conditions.

You can wear a sweater/ coat/jacket over your blouse or shirt so that you can take them of during the afternoons . It’s also important that you wear protective clothing/accessories especially if you’re asthmatic, rheumatic, having SCD , pneumonic or having/prone to respiratory diseases. Some of these protective clothing/accessories are: turtlenecks , heavy sweaters🧥, socks, nose masks😷, hoodies and tights. Protect your eyes from the sun and dust by wearing some cool shades( they come in different shapes, sizes and colours, I’m sure you’ll find one just right for you 😉)

#HarmattanHack- Honey+Warm water works for coughs, irritations and sore throats.

Take care and stay healthy this season. I know this post is going to make this harmattan less dreadful for you. Tell me your harmattan hacks and tips in the comments section or via Pinterest, Email or Twitter. Don’t forget to like, share and reach out to me if you’ve got any questions, concerns , requests and suggestions.

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Stay safe and cozy 💕. 👋Bye for now.🤗