Many things change as the seasons change, such as swapping cooler summer outfits for a warmer winter wardrobe or lighter evening dishes for heartier soups and stews. Unfortunately, winter can also cause changes in your skin. When the temperature turns colder, dry skin becomes particularly common. So do you need an altogether different winter skin care routine
Why does my skin get so dry in the winter?
Have you ever noticed how your skin changes with the seasons? If so, you’ve probably observed that your skin becomes drier and flakier throughout the colder winter months.
Cold air, dry indoor heat, low humidity levels, and severe winter winds can all dehydrate your skin. This can cause your skin to appear duller than usual – not only on your face, but also on your hands, feet, and other exposed areas. The reason for this is as straightforward as it sounds. Cold air has a lower moisture content. When the air around you becomes drier, so does your skin. Outdoor elements aren’t the only ones to consider; the heaters we use as the weather drops can also dry out the indoor air.
Top 5 Tips for Healthy Winter Skin
How should dry skin be treated in the winter? RomAsj has some advice. There are things you can take to keep your skin looking healthy even when the temperatures drop and there’s no way out of the dry, bitter air of winter.
- Apply Moisturizer Immediately after Washing
When the weather changes, you may need to have a completely different skin care regimen, when you wash your face, hands, or body, you remove the natural oils from your skin. It is vital to maintain these oils since they help to seal in moisture. That is why, especially in the winter, it is so essential to use a moisturizer after washing your skin. Please follow my first post for regular skin care routine here
Body oil sprays are an excellent addition to your winter skincare routine. As soon as you get out of the shower, pat yourself dry — don’t entirely dry yourself off, leave some moisture — and then spritz yourself with the oil and massage it into your skin.
Instead of lotions, use hyaluronic acid and ceramides. These products aid in the prevention of skin barrier destruction during the winter. Avoid face washes that contain components that are drying, such as additives and scents. Instead, try face cleansers that contain oatmeal or chamomile extract. Choose moderate cleansers that will not deplete your skin’s natural oils.
After that put on a moisturizing lotion or cream. Unless your skin has become extremely dry, you don’t need anything fancy or expensive. Do this for your face as well as your body.
As a reminder, have a bottle of moisturizer at your sink. And a travel-size moisturizer with you when you’re on the go.
- Use Overnight Treatments
Overnight treatments are an ideal way to rejuvenate or prevent dry skin. Emollients are excellent moisturizers. However, because they are a heavier cream, they may take longer to penetrate your skin.
Applying an emollient to your skin overnight allows your skin to absorb the treatment and the emollient to refill your skin with the moisture and oils it needs.
If you’re applying ointment to your hands or feet, wrap them in a plastic bag or wear gloves to prevent the emollient from getting on your sheets or bed covers.
You know what? Petroleum Jelly is the best cost-effective emollient for winter dry skin and an overnight treatment for scaly dry skin. Yes, you read that correctly.
An emollient is something like Vaseline or petroleum jelly. It is a semi-solid combination of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons that acts as a strong occlusive agent. An occlusive material creates a protective barrier on the skin’s surface, reducing water loss and aiding in moisture retention. Vaseline is a popular emollient for moisturizing dry or chapped skin because of its ability to soften and smooth the skin. It is frequently used to relieve dryness, particularly in places prone to rough patches such as the elbows, knees, and heels. Furthermore, Petroleum jelly is a multipurpose product that may be used for a variety of skincare purposes, including protecting the skin from wind and cold weather.
What you Need to Do
- Start by cleansing your face to remove any makeup, dirt, or impurities.
- Take a small amount of petroleum jelly and apply a thin, even layer to the areas of your skin that are prone to dryness. Common areas include the face, lips, hands, elbows, knees, and feet.
- Pay extra attention to particularly dry or rough patches. Gently massage the petroleum jelly into these areas to ensure absorption.
- Leave the petroleum jelly on your skin overnight. This allows it to work as an intensive moisturizing treatment while you sleep.
- In the morning, you can wash off any residue with a gentle cleanser. Your skin should feel softer and more hydrated.
Using petroleum jelly as a nighttime treatment might be especially effective during the colder months or in arid locations where skin tends to lose moisture. However, keep in mind that everyone’s skin is different, and it’s essential to patch-test new products to ensure they don’t cause any unpleasant reactions.
- Limit the Length and Frequency of your Showers
A lengthy, hot shower feels nice when it’s cold outside, but it’s not so great if you have dry skin. Because It’s cold outside, so everyone thinks a hot shower is a good idea. However, overwashing will dry up your skin. The heat from the water removes the oils from your skin. The warmer the water, the dryer your skin will be.
Showers should be limited to 5 to 10 minutes and taken every other day if you’re not sweating in exercises. You don’t need to shower every day if you work out three times a week.
It feels great to stand in that steamy, hot shower, However, if you have dry skin, it will just make matters worse because it draws more oils and moisture out of your skin, increasing the likelihood of it drying out.
It may be difficult to adjust at first, so try turning down the heat or taking shorter showers.
- Opt for Serums
Serums provide a variety of benefits that are based on the substances they contain, and each one tackles a distinct problem, such as anti-ageing, pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, acne and blemishes, or brightening.
Hydrating serums with hyaluronic acid and glycerin are the most popular in the winter. Hyaluronic acid, which can hold 1000 times its weight in water, aids in the addition and retention of moisture in the skin. Hyaluronic acid is an excellent skincare ingredient to use all year since it keeps the skin hydrated and boosts collagen production levels, slowing the symptoms of ageing.
It is especially effective during the winter months because the cold temperature dries up the skin, removing both moisture and oil. The good news is that hyaluronic acid serum can help you obtain the flawless skin you’ve always desired by replenishing your skin’s moisture levels.
Applying Hyaluronic Acid serum after cleansing your face and before applying any other products is the ideal way to utilize it. Apply four drops of serum to your entire face and neck area in a gentle circular motion for best absorption. Allow two minutes for the product to absorb before continuing with the remainder of your winter skin care routine.
- Exfoliate Frequently
Why is exfoliating important in the Winter?
Did you know that dry skin ages more quickly? That is correct! The drier your skin is, the more prone to wrinkles you are. We can’t stress enough how crucial it is to keep your skin moisturized and hydrated all year, but it’s also important to exfoliate! Especially during the winter.
Between the cold air outdoors and the dry air inside our homes, your skin cells dehydrate faster. Exfoliating your face removes dead skin cells and rejuvenates your skin, which is why it is necessary. If you have extremely sensitive skin, use exfoliators just once or twice a week in the winter.
There are numerous techniques to exfoliate. There are physical exfoliants and non-physical exfoliants (for example, topical treatments containing retinol or specific acids). The simple line is that we occasionally require something abrasive to help stir things up a little. Exfoliating removes the layers of dead skin cells that might prevent your skin from looking excellent. You are also repairing and releasing new skin cells. Have you ever wondered why your skincare products don’t appear to perform as effectively for you as they do for others? This could be due to a lack of physical exfoliation.
Exfoliating beads, salt or sugar scrubs, dry brushing, or even sponges like the ones in our cleansing bars are all examples of physical exfoliants that will be extremely beneficial. Sugar scrubs and salt scrubs are the two most popular at-home scrubs. Sugar scrub is gentler, less abrasive, and dissolves faster in warm water. Because the particles in the salt scrub are larger, it is more aggressive. You should exfoliate less with a salt scrub than you would with a sugar scrub or even exfoliating beads. week, but exfoliating is quite effective. Exfoliation removes moisture and oils from your skin, so limit it to once or twice a week.
Taking these actions every day, not just when your skin feels particularly dry, is a crucial aspect of preventing dry skin throughout the colder, drier months. Keep these additions to your typical routine on your counter so you can notice them and remember to use them regularly. Consistency goes a long way and can make a difference.