A lot of good things happen during the winter months, but having amazing skin usually isn’t one of them. Because of the extremely cold temperatures and the low levels of humidity, it is very hard to keep your skin from drying out. However, there are some tips that can help you avoid getting dry and flaky skin this winter.
Use moisturizer as much as possible.
If you are prone to dry skin, moisturizing is always important, but it is especially important when the weather is dry and freezing. Talk with your dermatologist about which type of moisturizer will work the best with your skin and apply it several times throughout the day. Oil-based moisturizing ointments tend to be better than water-based moisturizers during the winter months because the oil will help create a protective layer on your skin that will help retain moisture better than creams or lotions. It can also be helpful to apply moisturizer directly after getting out of the shower, as this will help trap moisture in your skin while it is saturated.
Get a humidifier.
Humidifiers can be good for circulating moisture through your house in the winter, when both the cold weather and the artificial heat can contribute to your dry skin. There are portable humidifiers or humidifiers that can attach to your furnace or heater that will help to add much-needed humidity to your whole house. It can also be helpful to plug up more than one humidifier throughout your house to add moisture to the blasting heat.
Use Vaseline.
Vaseline is good for treating the areas of your skin that are especially susceptible to dryness, such as your feet, elbows, and knees. Since it can be kind of messy, sometimes it is best to apply Vaseline to your dry skin areas before you go to bed.
Don’t take extremely hot showers.
Even though long, hot showers can be tempting during the cold winter months, this can actually dry your skin out even more. Hot water removes the natural oils that your skin needs to stay moisturized, so when possible, try to use warm water and limit your showers to five or ten minutes. You may also want to add oatmeal or baking soda to a warm bath to help relieve your skin if it has become so dry that it is itchy.
Use cold cream cleanser instead of makeup remover wipes.
Skin care products that contain added alcohols and sulfates will both dry out and irritate your skin. So even though makeup remover towelettes may be more convenient, cold cream cleansers remove your makeup while also moisturizing your skin.
Don’t shave your legs as often.
Shaving every day will further dry out your skin as well. If you can help it, try to avoid shaving as much as you can. This is also true for men shaving their faces.
Carry lip balm with you.
Your lips can become just as chapped as the rest of your skin, so take care of them during the winter time by applying lip balm whenever you get the chance.
