Winter Skincare Routine – Tips to Get Rid of Dry Skin
Fact Checked By Skin Formulations
| Dec 13, 2021
Winter certainly can have its beauty, with its magical snowflakes cascading down and its holiday cheer. However, this season can be disastrous for the skin as it tends to create dryness. Between the whistling winds, cold air, low humidity, and indoor heat, the complexion can lose a lot of moisture.
When winter comes, it means making some changes in your skincare routine to ensure that your skin stays hydrated and healthy. This is particularly true if you already suffer from dry skin. You may add some new products to your routine and perhaps remove some that could be irritating. Depending on your complexion, consider some of the following tips:
Tips For An Optimal Winter Skin Care Routine
1. Switch to gentle facial wash, not soap
Exposure to the elements in winter can irritate your skin and lead to redness and chafing. Especially if you are prone to this, you should put aside the soap and buy a facial cleanser for sensitive skin. This should be free of parabens, fragrance, or sulfates and gentle.
2. Use a hydrating toner
For extra hydration, pick a toner that not only unclogs your pores but also provides your skin with additional moisture to take away the winter dry. You can follow this up with a rich moisturizer for added hydration.
3. Replace exfoliating scrubs with a gentle fruit acid peel
In winter when your skin may be dry and irritated, it’s best to stay away from exfoliating scrubs. Although most of the time not harmful, they can be irritating to inflamed skin and make it worse. A fruit acid peel is a much better choice, as it’s very gentle on the skin as well as provides anti-aging and other benefits.
4. Don’t over-cleanse
Washing your face too much can strip it of some of the essential oils it needs to be healthy. In some cases, you can skip cleansing in the morning and instead splash water on your face and move straight to toning and the rest of your skincare routine.
5. Keep using sunscreen
Just because it’s winter and the sun is less active, doesn’t mean its rays will not affect you. The skin can still sustain UV damage in winter. Continue to include sunblock as the last step in your skincare routine in the morning, without fail.
6. Use a daily moisturizer with SPF
Winter is not the time to run out the door without using a rich hydrating moisturizer that includes SPF for extra protection from the sun’s damaging rays. Follow this up with the aforementioned sunblock.
7. Switch to a rich, conditioning night cream
When winter arrives, do go out of your way to find the best, most hydrating night cream available. It will enrich your skin and eliminate dryness while you sleep.
8. Add a hydrating serum to your routine
Add a hydrating serum to your skincare routine for an extra liquid to plump the skin and smooth wrinkles and lines. It also adds that extra layer of moisture you need to get you through those long, dry winter days. Many serums contain vitamin C, which helps even out your skin tone as well as repair the damage.
9. Use a deep-moisturizing face mask at least once a week
These masks will add a surge of added moisture to your skin, and many are also rich in antioxidants that repair your complexion and protect it from UV rays and other elements. You can use a day mask or look for one that you apply at night. It will supercharge the hydration in your skin when it’s at rest.
10. Use bath oils
There’s nothing quite like a soothing hot bath to lower stress and relax your muscles. Add a couple of drops of bath oil to the running water for supreme skin hydration and other benefits. These oils are known for soothing dry skin, and they often come in delicious scents that engage the senses.
11. Keep skin covered as much as possible in extremely cold weather
One of the reasons people develop dry, chapped skin in winter is direct exposure to the elements. For this reason, make sure you wear clothing over all areas of your body, including your hands and face. There are full face masks available or you can cover part of it with a scarf.
Extra Tips
- Avoid long, hot showers – A hot shower can dry out the skin, and this may lead to itchy, irritated skin. Although it’s tempting to take a hot shower, in the long run, the consequences may not be worth it. Shorten your shower time and use lukewarm instead of hot water.
- Increase water intake – Drink a lot of water during the day for better skin hydration and elimination of dryness. Dehydration can have a drying effect on the complexion. Ideally, aim for 7-8 full glasses per day.
- Eat foods with good fats – For rich skin hydration, eat foods with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. These may include avocado, salmon, walnuts, berries, cabbage, artichokes, beans, beets, spinach, and many others. They can help repair damage to the complexion and protect it from environmental stressors like UV rays and pollution.
- Use a humidifier – Using a humidifier while you sleep can do a lot to replenish and hydrate the top layer of skin. Setting it at about 60% is ideal for your purposes. It may also offer moisture to the hair and could decrease snoring.
Conclusion
The solution to combatting dry winter skin is to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Add products to your daily skincare routine, like a heavy night cream, hydrating serum, bath oils, gentle facial wash, and deep hydrating masks to raise moisture levels and combat dryness. An added benefit is that it plumps the skin and helps to smooth wrinkles and fine lines.
Change your lifestyle by adding more good fats, taking lukewarm showers, and drinking more water. Fortunately, there are a host of methods you can use to activate and hydrate your complexion in winter, leaving you with a healthy, rosy glow.
