Snow, holiday festivities, time spent indoors by a cozy fireplace – there’s a lot to love about winter. However, dry skin isn’t one of those things. Every winter, dry, cold air that’s devoid its usual moisture rushes in and saps the life out of skin, leaving it dry, cracked, chapped and generally both looking and feeling less than its best. Fortunately, though, there’s plenty of ways to combat the dry skin epidemic this winter. Follow these tips to keep your face and body smooth, soft and winter-proof in the chill of the coming months:
- Be Selective About Your Moisturizer
Winter time is the perfect time to change things up a little with your daily moisturizer. Use a thicker product during these months in order to add both extra moisture and an additional layer of protection to your skin. For example, making a temporary switch from your usual oil-based product to a thicker, richer lotion or cream can make a huge difference during these months. Regardless of the type you choose, ensure you’re using an organic face moisturizer. Products with alcohol and other artificial ingredients only increase dryness, and that’s the last thing you want when you’re already contending with harsh winter weather.
- Moisturize More Often
On top of using a thicker product, you’ll also want to apply moisturizer more often throughout the day. Even the best dry skin products wear away throughout the day, potentially leaving you unprotected if you don’t replace what’s been lost to wind, rain or even sweat. Instead of just applying when you wake up or when you go to bed, moisturize at both times to keep your skin hydrated around the clock.
- Don’t Wash Your Face Too Often
While it might seem like a strange concept, washing your skin can cause serious dryness. This is especially true if you’re using foaming cleansers or other powerful face washes. While they do, in fact, eliminate oil and debris, they also pull much of the moisture from your skin, leaving it parched in the aftermath. Consider switching to a gentler mineral water or oil based cleanser during the winter and wash only once at night, right before you go to bed.
- Exfoliate Less
Exfoliating is great for your skin in general, but during the winter months it may cause more harm than good. Generally, you’ll want to avoid traditional abrasive exfoliators which can increase irritation, including:
- Loofahs and rough sponges
- Glycolic acids
- Sugar scrubs
- Salt scrubs
Instead, consider using an all natural face peel formula with gentler fruit acids to remove dead skin cells during the winter.
- Fight Acne Responsibly
Unfortunately, the dryness in the air during winter doesn’t seem to halt acne in most people. If you’re dealing with acne during the winter, take a step back from alcohol-based products and choose a more natural, gentler, oil-based treatment instead. Take a look at Meltdown blemish oil reviews and other natural products to discover how they treat acne without drying out skin like other products do.
Don’t let your skin suffer this winter. Fight chapped, sensitive, dry skin by stocking up on all the right products and information and keep your skin smooth, soft and absolutely glowing throughout the entire season.
