The cold weather months have snuck up as they tend to do and with those months, and that dry cold air is dry cold skin.
The radiance and Vitamin D that your skin usually gets from the warm weather months has come and gone and now you have to figure out how to keep that flawless complexion winter safe and beautiful.
These winter skin care tips will help you get through the winter months without worry!
1. Moisturize
Winter weather skin care isn’t easy but it’s worth it and it all starts with extra moisture. The dry, cold air will get to your skin if you don’t up your moisturizing routine.
A good moisturizer is one that’s classified as an ointment, or rather, oil-based as this will provide optimum moisture. It creates a protective layer on the skin, thus keeping that radiant complexion just as beautiful throughout the cold weather months.
Specifically, look for lotions containing humectants, which are a class of substances that actually pull moisture into your skin like a magnet.
Be sure to overemphasize moisturizer all over your body, and not just the face and hands because although you’ll be layered from head to toe, your skin still needs its moisture.
2. Don’t skip the SPF
Just because the sun isn’t shining like it does in the summer doesn’t mean it’s not there at all. The sun’s rays are just as damaging in the winter as they are in the summer because of the obvious UV’s and also snow glare. That is often forgotten about because of how cold out it is.
If you skip the SPF, your skin will become dry and damaged. Stock up on sunscreen with a broad-spectrum or even a BB cream with a high SPF and your skin will thank you well through the winter.
It isn’t just for use on your face either. Apply to any skin that will be exposed, especially the hands, about 30 minutes before going outside and if you’re planning a day out in winter wonderland, be sure to pack some with you so you can reapply every half hour.
3. Don’t forget the hands
It’s easy to skip the hands when moisturizing because of how it may make them feel greasy or ‘wet’ but this winter skin care tip is most crucial. The skin on your hands is thinner than the rest of your body so it really does need that extra care and attention.
Since there are fewer oil glands, keeping moisture in your hands is really difficult, especially when the cold weather is here to stay. Hands may become dry and it could even lead to cracking if you neglect your hands in your moisturizing routine.
Always moisturize after washing your hands, with a good oil-based hand moisturizer, and before you put on gloves. Keep your gloves on at all times when out in the cold and if you need to wear wool on those really cold days, double up with a thin cotton glove. This will keep the wool from irritating those dry hands further.
4. If your socks and gloves are wet, dry them ASAP
It’s almost unavoidable for your socks and gloves to get a little wet when you’re out enjoying the snow. But this winter skin care tip is impertinent. If you leave your hands to soak in the wetness, it will dry them out more.
It may seem counterintuitive, water causing dryness, but this will rapidly dry your hands faster than just having them out in the cold.
5. Drink as much water as possible
You can beat the dry cracked skin from the inside out by not skipping the H20 for those hot drinks. Sure, it’s nice to curl up with a hot cocoa but for your winter skin care, you’ll want to keep drinking as much water as possible.
It’s been said that it’s a myth that water will help with your skin, but it can’t hurt right?
6. Get a humidifier
You may want to hook up all the space heaters you can find to curl up in a warm and toasty oasis but this is not a good idea when it comes to your skin. Heaters will blow dry, hot air, which will not help when it comes to moisturizing your skin.
A humidifier will help with your winter skin care regime by putting more moisture back into the air and prevent your skin from drying out any further than it already has. If you can set up a few throughout your home, you won’t have to worry about the air in your house being dry from all that heat being pumped into it.
The moisture will, too, be dispersed evenly throughout your house which is a win-win for your skin.
7. Skip the harsh facials
Facials are all good and well for your skin but if your dealing with the dreaded dry that winter months bring to your facial skin than skipping them would do more good than harm. This includes any harsh facials with alcohol-based toners or astringents and any invasive chemical peels.
Instead of having your usual facial, find a cleansing milk that will sooth your dry skin or even a foaming cleaner with no alcohol.
Clay-based facial products will only draw the moisture out of your face so for you to have an optimum winter skin care routine, you’ll want to use them less often or skip them altogether.
8. Avoid super hot showers and baths
There’s nothing better than a hot bath on a cold day but this could really mess with your winter skin care. The heat will actually break down the lipid barriers in the skin which will cause you to lose even more moisture.
A lukewarm bath with oatmeal or baking soda is the way to go when it comes to a soak on a cold day. Instead of drying out your skin further, the lukewarm water will actually relieve dry itchy skin, and help your moisturizer break into your skin when you reapply after you’ve toweled off.
9. Know your skin
Last but not least, know the skin you’re in. This will help you pick a moisturizer that will truly help what you’re dealing with. If you tend to flare up in the winter because of the cold weather, choose a lotion with salicylic acid that will help exfoliate and reduce dry, bumpy skin that often gets worse when the cold weather hits.
If you tend to run dry even in the warm months, you’ll want to moisturize a lot more often than someone who has naturally oily skin. When deciding on your winter skin care routine, the best way to start is by knowing how to take care of the skin you were given.
10. Stock up on honey
For an extra addition to your already amazing routine, honey will help soften dry patches in a spot-treatment kind of way.
Mixing honey and sugar and using it on those tough areas will help by reducing inflammation and increase circulation in the skin.
These are just a few of the winter skin care tips that will help keep you soft and silky while cuddled up in front of the fire. What is your go-to moisturizer when the weather gets cold?
