As the weather cools and the heat turns on inside, you might notice your skin becoming dry, even itching. All skin types suffer greatly during these months of frigid temperatures and low humidity, whether they are indoors in the intense heat or outdoors in the open air. Until we take action and use hydrating and barrier-reinforcing solutions, the dry air absorbs all of the moisture from our skin.
You can avoid that unpleasant, unsightly outcome and maintain healthy, happy skin throughout the winter with these helpful tips.
Moisturize right after shower
One of the best ways to keep skin moisturized after a shower or bath is to moisturize your body while your skin is still damp. This is because moisturizer retains existing moisture in the skin. Ointments and creams that are squeezed from a tube or scooped from a tub, rather than those that are pumped from a bottle, since thicker formulas often carry more moisture.
Limit Hot Showers
In colder months, long, steamy showers can seem like a fantastic idea, but hot water dries out your skin even more. To prevent skin irritation, keep showers to 15 minutes and use lukewarm water. It's advisable to refrain from using very hot water for hand cleaning. This is particularly valid if you frequently have red, scaly, and itching hands. Dry skin caused by hot bath or cold winter air might exacerbate eczema flare-ups.
Sunscreen
Wintertime exposure to the sun can still age you since UVA rays are still there even though UVB rays are not as powerful. It's also possible to acquire a nasty sunburn from the sun's reflection off the snow and through clouds when shoveling or skiing, even in cloudy conditions. Every morning, wear SPF 30 or higher, and reapply if you plan to engage in any outside winter activities. Every morning, use a daily moisturizer that contains sunscreen.
Get a humidifier
The outside air is usually drier, colder, and retains less water during the colder winter months. Restoring moisture to the air in your house or place of work using a humidifier will help you maintain moisturized skin. Keep the humidity levels in your house between 30 and 50 percent by running a humidifier in every room or in the ones you spend the most time in. Leaving it on while you sleep is one way to use it. You can buy a humidity meter to find out the humidity levels in your house.
Cleanse but not too much
Without a doubt, you should wash your face once a day, but not too often. If the skin feels taut or dry after washing it in the winter, you don't need to wash it any further. Rather, wash your face thoroughly in the evening and lightly with water in the morning. Another option is to switch from foamy face washes to more hydrating cleansers, such as cream cleansers. Lotion cleansers usually remove less of the skin's natural oil layer.
Exfoliate the right way
The temptation to use a scrub to remove dead skin cells could be strong if you have dry, flaky skin in the winter. Regrettably, using strong, abrasive washes can harm your skin, leading to a decline in hydration and, oddly, increased dryness. Using an AHA or BHA leave-on exfoliant is the most effective way to eliminate dead skin cells instead. Try using a lotion instead of your typical gel or liquid exfoliator in the winter.
Moisturize your lips
Because the skin on your lips is thinner and more exposed to the environment throughout the winter, they can get quite dry. Lips lack oil glands to keep them hydrated, unlike the rest of our skin, which has roughly sixteen cellular layers. Instead, the skin on our lips has three to five layers. So, it is critical that they be cared for.
Avoid harsh and heavily fragranced body washes
While scented body cleansers may smell nice, they really do more damage than good by robbing your skin of natural lipids and eroding the skin barrier. Avoid them and pick body washes that are oil-based, sulfate-free, and free of additional aroma. These types of body washes will help to maintain the natural moisture and protect the delicate skin on your lips.
Keep your gut healthy
Because stomach and skin health are closely related, it's critical to eat a diet that promotes healthy skin. Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, vitamin E, and high-quality protein found in fatty fish like salmon help to keep your skin hydrated and prevent inflammation. Additionally, they contain chemicals that guard against sun damage. Sweet potatoes are rich in naturally occurring sunblock beta carotene. Collagen is the structural protein that gives your skin strength, and vitamin C aids in its creation.
Moisturize regularly
Winter skin tends to dry out more rapidly, so using moisturizers frequently is crucial. Winter is the ideal time to include moisturizing into your skincare routine if it hasn't been done before. Your skin may require a stronger moisturizer in the winter if you typically use lighter ones throughout the warmer months of the year. Use oil-based creams without hesitation, especially for your body. However, you might be able to get away with applying a mild oil-free solution on your face if you have naturally oily skin.
Wear Appropriate Clothing
If you plan to be outside, protect your skin from the elements by dressing in jackets, gloves, scarves, earmuffs, and other things. You can cover as much as you can, even if it might not be feasible to cover every square inch. Additionally, go for clothing made of materials that won't irritate or scrape your skin.