Did you know you have approximately 22 square feet of skin on your body, making your skin your largest organ?
That’s a lot of skin to protect from the dry winter air as the temperatures drop and the wind chill picks up.
Let’s take a look at 10 essential tips for dry skin this winter.
1. Hydrate From the Inside Out
Our skin is truly fascinating. Lighter-skinned people actually evolved to have lighter skin because they came from the northern latitudes where solar rays are weaker. Their lighter skin allows more nourishing Vitamin D to penetrate their bodies to keep them healthy.
While this is how nature decided to protect your skin, another way is to drink plenty of water throughout the winter. It’s a good idea to drink a lot of water year-round. But it’s even more important to crank up the hydration to protect your skin from the dry air during the winter.
2. Oil Yourself Up
To lock in moisture, you’ll want to invest in oil-based applications for your skin and oily supplements for your diet. Or you can do both. A few of the oils ideal for dry skin during the winter include:
- Primrose oil
- Flaxseed oil
- Almond oil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Fish oil orally
You can also apply petroleum jelly or glycerin to dry skin on the feet. Just be sure to exfoliate before application to support their ability to penetrate deeper into the skin.
3. Remember the Sunscreen Even When it’s Overcast
It can be easy to forget about the sun during the winter. Especially when it’s an overcast or even slightly cloudy day.
Snow Glare and Snow Burn
But remember that the ultraviolet rays still make their way through the clouds to your exposed skin. There’s also something known as “snow glare” and “snow burn.”
This happens when the UV rays reflect off the snow and burn your skin. If you’re skiing, snowshoeing or are just going to be out in the snow for a prolonged period of time, use sunscreen.
Snow Reflection
Don’t neglect the underside of your chin and ears. This is the most vulnerable part of your body when it comes to the sun’s reflection on the snow.
4. Use a Hands-On Approach
Your hands have thinner layers of skin and fewer oil glands. This leaves them highly susceptible to the dry air and cold temperatures of winter.
Be sure to wear sturdy gloves. Wool if possible. You can place thin cotton gloves underneath then wool to prevent itching.
Also, be sure to dry them thoroughly after washing your hands. If your hands are the least bit damp, even a few seconds of cold exposure can do them in.
5. Shelve the Hand Sanitizer and Alcohol-Based Products
Another one of the tips for dry skin is to avoid alcohol-based astringents and toners for the face. Opt for using non-alcohol-based cleansing creams instead to retain facial moisture.
Hand sanitizers work because the alcohol kills bacteria on the hands. Unfortunately, this same alcohol quickly evaporates the hydration of your hands. Elect for the old-fashioned soap and water technique.
6. Dry It Out as Soon as Possible
As far as tips for dry skin go, this one is a must. If you slosh into a pile of melting snow or get rained on, be sure to get out of your wet clothes as soon as possible.
Lingering in wet gloves, hats, scarves or socks will cause irritation and chafing of your already sensitive skin. Better yet, find a warm, inviting fire to dry yourself off.
7. Humidify Your Home and Office
Although an initial expense, investing in humidifiers for your house and workspace goes a long way.
Ideally, you’ll want to place several small humidifiers evenly distributed throughout your home or office. Many smaller ones are better than one big humidifier because they help balance out the moisture evenly throughout the space.
8. Talk to a Skin Care Specialist
If your skin gives you a whole lot of trouble during the winter, you can always seek out a specialist such as a dermatologist or an esthetician. These professionals can examine your skin, diagnose your skin type and give solid recommendations on your daily skincare regimen.
Be sure to share everything you can think of about your daily skincare routine. This will best help your skin specialist notice patterns that could be contributing to your problem. And they’ll be able to give you quality tips for dry skin.
9. Commit to Daily Moisturizing
You’ll want to commit to a daily moisturizing routine. But remember, always exfoliate first to help the moisture reach the deeper layers of your skin.
Toning with a mild product can tighten your skin to lock in the much-needed moisture. You can use:
- Serums
- Moisturizers
- Creamy cleansers
Oil-based moisturizers are best for the winter months. Try supplementing your daily moisturizing with the application of aloe vera. You can use fresh aloe and rub the inner liquid onto your skin or purchase aloe from the store.
If your dry skin is quite advanced, you can try taking an oatmeal and baking soda bath to soothe your skin. This bath soak should be used in conjunction with, not in place of, your daily moisturizing regimen.
10. Use in Moderation or Avoid Altogether
Tips for dry skin also include preventative skincare. A few things to use only in moderation or avoid altogether during the winter months include:
- Hot showers and baths
- Showers longer than ten minutes or so
- Artificially fragranced products
- Age-defying products with retinol
Hot or long showers or baths will begin to break down the lipid layers in your skin, leading to moisture loss. Artificial fragrance products should really be avoided completely due to their tendency to irritate skin.
Tips for Dry Skin This Winter and Much More
Your skin gets hit hard during the dry, cold dead of winter. But if you follow these tips for dry skin, you’ll make it through in one piece.
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