Have you ever noticed how the seasons affect your skin? If so, you have probably noticed that your skin gets dry and flaky as the weather gets colder.
The skin can lose water from cold air, dry indoor heat, low humidity, and strong winter winds. This could make your skin look much less bright than usual, especially on your face, hands, feet, and other places that are exposed.
Even though you can’t get away from the dry, cold air of winter, there are things you can do to keep your skin looking healthy.
1. Don’t shower in a hot water
In the winter, it’s especially tempting to turn up the heat. But hot water can strip your skin of its natural oils, making it more likely to dry out, crack, and peel.” Try to cool it down to the temperature of the water so that as much moisture as possible stays in it.
2. Using a lotion to keep your skin moist
The best way to prevent dry skin in the winter is to use a good moisturizer that keeps the skin hydrated. Before the winter frost comes, making sure you moisturize every day will help you start the season with a strong, healthy moisture barrier. When you’re shopping for a moisturizer, look for things like ceramides and glycerin. These help the lotion repair the barrier of the skin and keep it hydrated and healthy.
Is it always preferable to have something thicker? Thick lotions are often heavy and greasy, and they may not always moisturize better. Instead, focus on finding the best moisturizer for your skincare routine.
3. Stay away from dirty air
Winter’s cold, dry air is not good for your skin. It makes the water evaporate faster, which means that your skin can lose up to 25% of its ability to hold moisture throughout the winter. To protect your dry, sensitive skin from harsh winter temperatures, you should spend less time outside and wear soft, warm clothes. Protecting your skin from the weather can make a big difference in how well it stays healthy. Don’t forget about hats, scarves, and gloves. Avoid wool to keep your rough, itchy skin from getting worse.
4. Make it more humid
Like a hot shower, a warm, cozy home is a welcome break from the cold of winter. But being inside so much with the heat turned up could hurt your skin. Rough, dry skin is caused by dry, hot air.
Instead, set your thermostat to the lowest level you can stand and use a humidifier to add moisture back into the air that your furnace takes out. The more moisture there is around you, the less water your skin will lose to the environment, which will hydrate it.
5. Avoid Skimping on Hand Hygiene
We should all keep washing our hands often, so putting on hand cream in the morning and calling it a day is not enough. Keep one at your desk, in your car, and in your purse as a reminder to reapply sunscreen. Every day, use cuticle oil to keep your nails healthy and moist.
