Skin Care Tips For Winter

There are many reasons to love winter. Thick scarves, pumpkin-spice lattes, spending a Sunday curled up with a good book, snow walks, Christmas! However, having dry skin that hurts isn’t one of them. As the humidity level outside drops, the water in your skin evaporates more quickly, leaving it looking all flaky and tight. For those who have oily or normal skin, this might not seem to be so big of a problem, but if you are someone who tends to struggle with dry skin all year round, it can get really painful—and even bleed.
Fortunately, we’ve got some great skin care tips, so you can enjoy your pumpkin-spice latte to the fullest!

Tip #1: Compensate

Cold weather and low humidity means your skin is losing the moisture it needs to remain smooth. The most basic thing you can do is compensate for the loss. Moisturize your skin regularly, especially right after you wash. The slight dampness after a shower helps the skin absorb the moisturizer better.

Tip #2: Compromise

If you are one of those people who enjoy long, hot showers, we’ve got bad news for you. The hotter your skin gets, the more moisture it loses. You’ll have to postpone relaxing baths ’til spring and get used to a more lukewarm option. Keep your showers brief and be gentle when drying yourself. This way, you’ll minimize the loss of natural oils that are so necessary to keep your skin healthy.

Tip # 3: Cover

Before you step out in what’s most likely to be miserable weather brought by another rough winter, make sure your coat is all buttoned up, favourite scarf is tightly secured against your neck, your gloves are on and no skin is showing. Seriously. Get used to walking around like a human cabbage. Your skin will thank you. And if at some point the weather decides to be a bit more generous, remember that winter sun can be just as damaging as summer sun.

Tip #4: Cream

We are going to let you on a secret: not all moisturizers moisturize! Some of the moisturizing creams out there are petroleum-based and can actually further dry your skin in the winter months. Choose a solution that’s oil-based rather than water-based to minimize moisture loss in the winter months. (If you prefer a cleanser with glycolic or salicylic acid, opt for one with moisturizing ingredients.) Natural oils work the best. In addition to offering a protection against rough weather conditions, natural ingredients like chamomile or lavender soothe dry, itchy skin.

Tip #5: Cleanse

Applying a moisturizer does no good if it doesn’t go where it’s supposed to go. The surface layer of the skin fully renews itself every two to four weeks. This means that at any given time, there is a number of dead cells blocking the path to the skin that actually needs to be hydrated. Exfoliating—especially in areas like your face and hands, where skin tends to be even drier than on average—and applying moisturizer right afterward, will make a visible difference.

Tip #6: Clear

The weather conditions in winter are far from ideal, and we don’t only mean outside. People spend a lot more time indoors in winter months than in summer. Most heating systems dry out the air and your skin with it. If you are serious about skin care, you might want to get a humidifier. It will put much needed moisture back in the air.

Tip #7: Consume

You are what you eat, and you are definitely not eating enough watery foods if your skin’s cracking to the point of bleeding. What you need is to keep up with the evaporation process by hydrating your body from the inside. Watermelon, cantaloupe, apples, oranges, and kiwi, as well as veggies like celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and carrots are high in water.
And if you really want to enjoy smooth skin for years to come, make sure you’re getting enough vitamin C and zinc to support the healthy production of collagen and elastin.