If you live with dry, scaly and itchy skin during the winter months, you’re not alone. Indoor heat, high and dry winds and extreme temperatures can all take a toll on your complexion. The good news is, the damage is irreversible and even preventable with a few, easy-to-follow skincare tips.
1. Reduce Shower Time and Temperature
There is little that is more invigorating than a long, hot shower on a cold winter morning. While you may be tempted to use up your precious pre-work minutes reveling in a hot stream of water, resist temptation, as excessively hot water can dry out your skin. Instead, reduce your shower time to just five or so minutes, and keep temperatures lukewarm, at best. Your complexion will thank you.
2. Use Gentle Cleansers
Products with exfoliating properties are great, but if used excessively during the winter months, they can strip your face of any natural oils it produces. Choose a cleanser that is gentle and fragrance free. Limit exfoliation to one to two times a week, tops.
3. Upgrade Your Moisturizer
During the summer, your skin produces plenty of oil and moisture. During the winter, however all the natural oils are sucked right out of your skin by the dry climate. To accommodate for the change, swap your water based, light moisturizer with a thicker, creamier one. Apply it as soon as you get out of the bath or shower to really lock in the moisture.
4. Never Go Out With Wet Skin
Like dry lips you keep licking, wet skin, when exposed to the air, chaps much more easily. Though you may be tempted to take out the trash after washing the dishes, cleaning your face or getting out of the shower, wait until your skin has completely dried. Doing so will help prevent irritation and redness.
5. Apply Sunscreen
Just because it’s cold and overcast outside doesn’t mean the sun’s powerful UV rays can’t reach your skin. In fact, if you live in climate where it snows, your complexion may be even more susceptible to sun damage during the winter, as sun reflects up to 80% of the sun’s rays. Before you head out for the day, apply a layer of sunscreen. If you work near a window, do the same, as windows do not block the sun’s rays.
6. Wear Appropriate Clothing
Many of the more common cold-weather fabrics actually serve to irritate the skin. Wool, alpaca, hemp and cotton can all aggravate already dry-winter skin. Keep all four away from your face, but especially avoid polyester, as science says it is the worst fabric for your skin, by far.
7. Eat Right and Stay Hydrated
Finally, maintain a healthy diet, and try to limit diuretics. Though we’re not saying to give up your morning cup of coffee, try to limit your caffeine intake to just one or two cups a day. If you like to enjoy an evening glass of wine, limit to just that — a glass. Try to maintain a winter diet high in omega-3s and omega-6 fatty acids as well, and incorporate other hydrating foods, such as avocado, bell peppers, nuts, sweet potatoes and leafy greens into your meals. And for dessert? Eat a healthy dose of dark chocolate.
Make winter skincare easier on yourself. Invest in the best products for dry skin from Hale Cosmeceuticals.
