How To Deal With Dry Skin In The Winter
Dry skin isn’t fun. Having flaky, rough, dry skin can ruin a perfectly good day. The upcoming months are definitely not a friend to skin. Some people who don’t even have that dry of skin find themselves reaching for more and more lotion during the winter. Which means people who naturally have dry skin suffer even more during the cold months. It can be not only annoying but it can be embarrassing to the point of interfering with day to day life. Having dry skin can instantly ruin a good hair day, make makeup sit wrong, and of course just make you overall uncomfortable. If you’re looking for some kind of relief from the hell that is dry skin in the winter this list is for you. Although it is always important to speak to a doctor or dermatologist before going too crazy with skincare, some dry skin could be something more that could require actual medicine.
1. Thicker Lotion
The light lotion used during the summer just doesn’t cut it when it comes to dry skin in the winter. You’re going to want to invest in a thicker lotion for your body to ensure your knees, elbows, hands, and everywhere else is smooth. Cosmopolitan suggests seeking out lotion that comes in jars compared to ones that come in pumps because the thicker, heavy duty ones come in jars because they can’t come out of a pump. If you’re worried about contaminating your lotion if it’s in a jar there are scoops out there so you don’t have to keep sticking your hand in it. There are definitely plenty of DIY lotions out there as well, as long as it’s thick and works well on your skin is what’s important.
2. Heavy Face Cream
Thicker body lotion also means a thicker moisturizer for your face. In an interview with Vogue Shari Marchbein, M.D. said it’s important to look for creams that include ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Combined these two ingredients are designed to not only get rid of dry skin but also to prevent it from happening again. Put on this moisturizer both morning and night, especially during the night. Slather it on. If your skin can handle it also consider adding oil to your skincare routine as well. Like exfoliators, they’ve come a long way and won’t all destroy your skin the way you think they would.
3. Light Exfoliation
Exfoliating might sound counterintuitive but it is actually a key player in getting smooth skin. No matter how much lotion or serums you apply to your skin if you’re just putting it on layers of dead skin it won’t do any good. This doesn’t mean to go crazy though, put down the almond scrubs. Modern exfoliators are significantly softer and easier on the skin, some even come in a serum form so that way it isn’t even that physical. Do a spot test before going to crazy of course. This will also work on your body as well, be sure to exfoliate arms and legs as well.
4. Light Cleansers
If you’re using a prescribed cleanser for severe acne don’t stop using it, but if you’re not consider investing in a light cleanser. Rougher ones that might work well in the summer to get all the sweat and grime off might be doing more harm during the winter. There are plenty of cleansers that can keep acne and blemishes at bay without stripping your face of moisture. Good Housekeeping recommends washing your face only once a day at night so that way it doesn’t dry out your skin. If that just isn’t possible for you it’s important to switch to a lighter cleanser then.
5. Ditch Powder Makeup
Winter is not the time to wear powder makeup. Wearing a foundation or really any kind of makeup that is powder will cling to your dry spots and make them visibly worse. Switch to makeup formulas that are kinder to your skin. There are liquid and cream foundations that aren’t just better overall for dry skin but some have actual benefits, some can be moisturizing. Or possibly look for less coverage foundation like a CC cream, a BB cream, or a tinted moisturizer.
6. No Crazy Hot Showers
This one is definitely a tough one. After being out and about all day in the cold nothing sounds better than getting in a nice, hot shower. While it might feel fantastic it is doing no favors to your skin. Instead try to take colder showers, to a degree that you can handle of course. Also make sure you spend less time in the shower as well. Make sure once you get out that you immediately apply lotion.
7. Get A Humidifier
The air is naturally dry during the winter but it can be even worse indoors. Heated air inside isn’t great for skin. This air is just hot air, meaning it will dry your skin out. Ideally it would be perfect to set up humidifiers throughout your house to ensure moisture is back in the air everywhere. Although this can’t always be possible. At the very least get one to put by you while you sleep. Plus it will help clear your sinuses so that way you aren’t rubbing your nose raw either.
8. Drink Plenty Of Water
This might sound like an obvious answer but water is important. It’s easy to get dehydrated during the winter because our bodies aren’t telling us how thirsty we are like it does during the summer. That can lead to headaches, fogginess, and an overall sluggish feelings. Good health starts from the inside out. There is no definitive answer on whether or not plenty of water helps with the overall health of skin but many beauty influencers sweat by drinking more than the recommended dosage of water. In a Marie Claire article contributors drank a gallon of water over a day to see if it helped improve their skin. It didn’t show visible effects but many of them said they felt overall healthy.
If you have motivation and feel stronger throughout the day odds are you’ll be more likely to stick to a slightly more rigid skincare routine. The biggest part in dealing with dry skin during the winter is consistency. Make sure you do these steps religiously to see actual results.
