The temperature decrease and the weather pattern change usually lead to adverse changes on the skin especially during winter. In the winter season, the indoor heating coupled with the decreased relative humidity can suck water from the body’s organic layer leading to redness, and itchiness among other signs of dryness. The skin is the body’s greatest organ, ever changing spheres of climate make it easy to lose moisture. This division of skin itself is responsible for the maintenance of the moisture content and when injured and when there is dryness, the affected skin loses water.
Understanding Dry Skin in Winter
Although one wants to start with the tips and products, it is advisable first to know why winter can be quite brutal to the skin. Because of the dry cold air outside and the dry warm air inside, it’s pretty obvious that healthy skin will be hard to maintain within that sort of setup. The dermal structure may be damaged underneath thus loss of moisture through the skin occurs through evaporation and this is known as TEWL (Trans epidermal water loss). This mostly occurs if skin becomes and remains quite dry, rough & inflamed.
Winter Skin Care Tips
- Manage Your Water Intake
Winter skincare begins from within the body through proper hydration. In the same way, moisture is vital in keeping skin hydrated.
Drink Plenty of Water: This can be done by trying to at least drink eight glasses of water in a day to compensate both skin and body for loss of fluids throughout the day.
Incorporate Hydrating Foods: Healthy fats (in avocados and nuts) and fruits and vegetables can also be helpful in moisture delivery to the skin.
- Go for a Mild Cleanser There is nothing as important as having the correct cleaner in your winter skincare routine.
Avoid Harsh Ingredients: If one chooses to wash the skin, it should be done with hot skin-nourishing cleansers as opposed to harsh alcohol-based wipes. Circular creamy non-foaming cleansers work best instead of foaming gel-based cleaners.
Cleanse Less Frequently: It is reasonable to say that cleansing the face at most twice daily is normal.
- Incorporate Exfoliation
Even when the year-round skin care leaves out exfoliation, it is still a must for the winter. This is meant to help out in the removal of any dry and dead skin that may facilitate the winter roughness of the skin.
Use Chemical Exfoliants: Some chemical Exfoliants like AHAs or BHAs would help in removing dead skin but unlike physical scrubs, these methods are not as harsh.
Exfoliate 1-2 Times a Week: Staying gentle and not overdoing the activity is essential as skin irritation is bound to happen with excessive scrubbing.
- Layer on Moisturizers
In winter months, moisture retention is extremely important in keeping one’s skin from becoming dry cracked, and flaky due to the cold weather conditions.
Use a Thick Cream: In addition to the usual moisturizing creams and lotions, look for thicker and creamier ones particularly designated for the winter season. These contain creams containing occlusive agents such as shea butter or petroleum jelly to help in moisture retention.
Consider a Humectant: Use a Humectant containing hyaluronic acid or glycerin which would help in putting more moisture in the skin.
Add essential oils to your everyday routine for an extra moisturizing effect.
- Add a Hydrating Serum
And finally, if someone wants to replenish moisture, serums are a great way to do that.
Opt for a Hydrating Serum: Seek out serums that are formulated with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, or niacinamide which can help increase the moisture content under your moisturizer cream.
- Don’t Forget Your Sunscreen
Hand and skin battered by sun rays are of extreme importance even during winter.
Use a Broad Spectrum SPF: While the rays of the sun may be masked up in winter, the UV rays are still capable of causing harm to the skin, especially to those who engage outdoors or who are around triggering surfaces such as snow.
Reapply Regularly: Remember to reapply your sunscreen cream every two hours whenever you are in the hot sun regardless of whether it is sunny or cloudy.
- Protect Your Lips and Hands
Use a Lip Balm: In addition, the best lip balms contain natural substances including beeswax and shea butter oils in order to protect and nourish the lips.
Wear Gloves: Regarding preventing burns in negative temperatures and weather conditions, one’s hands should be ‘clothed’ in warm gloves, especially when outdoors. A rich hand cream should be used after hands are washed to relieve the skin from excessive dryness.
Winter Skin Care Regimen.
Here’s a simple winter skin treatment regimen to incorporate the above recommendations:
Cleanser: Gentle, moisturizing cleansers to be used on the face.
Exfoliation: Weekly for one to two times in a week.
Hydrating Serum: This is done on damp skin after cleansing, where the serum is still soaked up as opposed to waiting until the skin is dry.
Moisturizer: After hydrating sweat, cream, or lotions, a heavy cream should be applied over the top to trap and lock the moisture in.
Sunscreen: Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, irrespective of the season.
Lip Balm and Hand Cream: Have these at hand whenever necessary, at various times of the day.
Conclusion
During this season, one’s skin is most likely to become dry and therefore, it is a period where one should manage to keep his or her skin healthy. As you can see, it is possible to fight skin dryness in winter by following these winter skincare tips and opting for the right moisturizing products. However, it is vital to acknowledge that skincare is not seasonal and that one can prevent dry skin, and at all times have healthy skin, regardless of the weather condition. Drink enough fluids that will keep your body well hydrated, treat your skin nicely, and love the winter!
