Winter Skin Care: The Gift of Healthy Skin for the Holidays

It happens every year. As temperatures drop and wind speeds pick up, keeping healthy skin becomes a major concern. Maintaining your skin’s moisture level during the winter requires care and vigilance. Use these winter skin care tips to keep your skin looking and feeling its best throughout the season.

Avoid Overheating Your Home

Turning up the thermostat is inevitable as temperatures dip outside, but if you want healthy skin, then it makes sense to avoid cranking up the heat too much. All of that hot, dry air sucks the moisture out of your skin, leaving it dry and cracked. Try placing humidifiers in a few rooms to keep extra moisture in the air. Making this a part of your winter skin care routine will keep you much more comfortable.

Exfoliate with Care

Exfoliation is a wonderful method for revealing fresher, younger looking skin. Getting rid of dead skin cells is certainly desirable, but proceed with caution during the colder months. If you exfoliate too often or with a formula that is too harsh, you risk making your skin even more irritated and sensitive. Opt for exfoliators with ingredients like lactic acid that are gentle enough for winter skin care. Use only once a week or once every two weeks to keep your skin looking great. One other key factor that suggests that you shouldn’t give up on exfoliation during the winter: It helps moisturizer absorb into your skin where it can do the most good.

Keep Showers Short and Lukewarm

Hot water feels great when it’s cold outside, but it can wreak havoc on your skin. Just like hot air, hot water has a knack for stripping all of the moisture out of your skin. A quick, lukewarm shower or bath is the way to go for better winter skin care. Hot water destroys your skin’s lipid barrier, creating even more dry skin than you had before. Limit your exposure to hot water, and you’re likely to see healthy skin as a result.

If you’re having stubborn issues with dry skin and irritation, try a soothing, lukewarm bath containing baking soda, milk or oatmeal. All of these ingredients are natural and very calming to irritated skin. Soak for a few minutes, then pat yourself dry before moisturizing.

Moisturize Right After Bathing and at Every Opportunity

There is a brief window of about three minutes when you finish showering or bathing during which it is good to apply moisturizer. Wait any longer than three minutes to apply moisturizer and you run the risk of defeating the purpose. Setting your moisturizer out on the bathroom counter or on the edge of the tub makes for a great reminder that you’ll need to use it right after you wash. Keep some moisturizer with you and don’t hesitate to reapply wherever necessary throughout the day. Moisturizing once or twice a day may have sufficed in the summer, but it’s usually not enough when winter arrives.

You May Have to Change Your Moisturizer

Lighter lotions are great for summer. In winter, they simply may not pack enough punch. Consider moving to an oil-based moisturizer, which may be referred to as an ointment. These oil-based products essentially create a protective barrier on your skin, keeping moisture locked in where it belongs. Finding an oil-based moisturizer isn’t too hard. Look for ones that are labeled “night cream” or for products containing mineral oil, avocado oil or almond oil. Moisturizers containing humectants like alpha-hydroxy acids or glycerine may also be excellent choices.

A Different Cleanser Might Be Necessary

Just as your summer moisturizer might not be cutting it in the winter, your cleanser may be doing your skin a disservice. Any cleanser that foams or suds typically has harsh chemical ingredients that strip moisture from your skin. Opt for something gentler that is likely to lubricate your skin as it cleans. A cleanser that contains tea tree oil may be the ideal solution.

Don’t Forget the Sunscreen

Just because you feel like the sun is hiding doesn’t mean that ultraviolet radiation can’t damage your skin. This may be one of the most important skin care tips you’ll ever receive. The sun is dangerous even on the shortest day of the year. This means that you cannot give up on your sunscreen routine in any season. Be certain to apply it to all parts of your skin that may be exposed to the elements during the day. This includes your face, neck, decolletage and hands. If you’re wearing short sleeves or are exposing the tops of your feet, don’t forget to protect those areas. eep sunglasses, goggles and extra sunscreen at hand, and consider purchasing a balm with a serious SPF to protect your lips.

See Your Dermatologist

See your dermatologist for even more winter skin care techniques. If you have particularly dry or irritated skin and nothing you try seems to help, it’s best if you schedule an appointment. Your dermatologist can determine if you’re just suffering from really dry skin or if an underlying condition may require treatment. With these skin care tips and the help of your dermatologist dry, irritated winter skin may be a thing of the past. Make an appointment today to learn more and to have your skin assessed by a professional. Your dermatologist can even recommend certain cleansers and moisturizers that will nourish your skin.