Ladies and gentlemen, it is officially that time of the year: the weather is now greeting us with its characteristic frigid attitude and a biting northern wind to boot. If you have lived anywhere in the world where bone-chilling cold weather reigns supreme for half the year, you have surely run into the persistent issue of dry skin, chapped lips, and painful cracks around this time of the year.
However, when cold weather strikes in full force, it’s easy to lose the uphill battle of skincare. Those gusting winter winds and turbulent outdoors weather raises hell on exposed skin, leaving your extremities raw, dry, and itchy while your indoor central heating system in the indoors seems to steal all the moisture right from the air. It can feel, at times, as though nowhere is safe during these winter months. However, we’re here to offer you some quick and time-tested tips for combating dry skin.
Read on to guide yourself through some of the effective skincare tips for the cold months–we hope these serve you well!
Firstly, maximize your moisture:
The surest road to healthy skin is consistent hydration; keeping your skin moistened as much as you can allows you to ward off the wintertime cracking and flaking that is so characteristic of the cold seasons. This should sound obvious enough, right? But even within the comfort and shelter of your home or office, heating systems can wreak havoc on the condition of your skin as a dry interior space can suck all the moisture from the air, causing skin dryness even when you least expect it.
We recommend you remain diligent in applying your moisturizer of choice; after showers, or before heading out into the cold–or even while you’re in your nice heated office space. If your face is a particular pain point for you, make sure to also wear an overnight sleeping mask designed for the application of moisturizer.
Always say yes to sunscreen:
In the winter months, our celestial home is closest to the sun! Along with the harsher atmospheric conditions of winter in general, UV rays are more intense during the wintertime even though it is cold out – so ditch the belief that it needs to be hot out to apply sunscreen! SPF helps to shield your skin from these harmful UV rays all year long, and winter is no exception. Additionally, strive to avoid applying sunscreen on its own to your skin–try to blend it with heavy-duty skincare creams or moisturizers. Certain types of sunscreen are even specifically engineered with these considerations in mind for the skin-savvy among us.
Drink up to fight dryness:
Whether you trend toward oily or dry skin, staying on top of your hydration puts you in a prime space to keep up the natural balance of moisture in your skin. Hydration is a peak and pinnacle requirement when it comes to skin health, especially in these cold months. Your diet additionally plays a key role in building up and maintaining a strong barrier for your skin. Make a point to consume whole foods that meet your nutritional requirements, such as salmon, walnuts, flaxseed–foods rich in essential fatty acids. Even olive oil helps your skin stay hydrated!
Limit hot showers and baths:
Hot water has a penchant for dehumidifying very quickly, and if you don’t moisturize your skin as soon as you come out of the shower, you might find that your skin will develop unsightly dry spots, patches, and cracks. If you are planning to take a hot bath after a long day at work, ensure that you keep your bathroom door closed so that freezing air can’t rush in to replace the stable environment created by the hot air and shower steam. And once you’ve finished showering or bathing, moisturize your skin thoroughly with a rich hydrating lotion. Keeping your water temperature balanced helps as well!
Don’t over-exfoliate:
Exfoliation is an incredibly satisfying and therapeutic part of everyone’s skincare routines. When it comes to exfoliating, it’s important to remember that it works differently on different types of skin. If you have or are prone to very dry skin, then be sure to not go overboard or excessively exfoliate; you will end up damaging the natural protection your skin develops to protect you from external contaminants. Stripping away those natural protections can and will exacerbate skin problems. Moreover, if you choose to exfoliate your skin, don’t do so in excess of once a week!
Strap in and get ready to revive your supple skin with these easy-breezy skincare tips!