Publication date December 4, 2023
Winter Skincare: 5 Simple Steps to Keep Your Skin Radiant and Healthy
Who doesn’t love winter for the fluffy blankets and cozy clothes? But, the dry, dull skin, chapped lips, dry eyes, and cracked cuticles make many of us feel stressed. Low humidity, even lower temperatures, and indoor heating combined pull the moisture from our skin leaving our skin dull and dry.
But, with just a few adjustments to your winter skincare routine, you can guard against cold weather-related concerns like dryness and flaky skin.
Also, fighting against wintertime’s cold, dry air won’t require entirely new luxury products, all you need is to follow some experts' approved tips to keep you and your skin covered until spring.
Keep reading to discover these expert-approved winter skin care tips along with some additional essential information that can help you keep your skin radiant and healthy this winter.
Why is My skin so dry in the winter?
But why is my skin so dry in the winter? Our skin feels dry because the warm heating inside contrasts with the low temperatures & strong winds outside.
You may consider that there are many humidifier benefits for the skin, but in winter a humidifier can improve dryness. Also, the enjoyable extra hot showers and baths during the cold winter months strip moisture from the skin and leave our skin dry and tight.
Here are some common symptoms of the effects of cold weather on the skin:
- Dehydration
- Tightness
- Redness
- Flaking
- Continuous discomfort
But, by having a well-formulated winter skincare routine (opt for a thicker moisturizer creamier cleanser) and adding hydrating products to it, you can help your skin get rid of these issues.
How to prevent Dry skin
To prevent your skin from dryness, the best thing you can do is use a moisturizer regularly, in most cases of dehydrated skin, a good moisturizer is enough.
A moisturizer can keep your skin soothe and hydrating by significantly reducing dryness and itching. Apply a moisturizer that works for you directly to the skin and use it throughout the day to reduce water loss, especially if you’re experiencing dry hands.
Our face has thinner and more sensitive skin than the rest of our body, which is why it is important to pay attention to your skin especially when it’s winter.
Winter Skincare Routine
Aside from a moisturizer, there are some additional things that you can follow for smooth and healthy skin:
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Step 1: Cleanse
The first step in the winter skincare routine is cleansing your skin. During the winter season, it’s essential to ensure that none of your products are drying out your skin, including your cleanser. Use a cleanser that is sulfate and phthalate-free, as they often strip the skin of its natural, replenishing oils.
Try using a cleanser with a cream or milk formula if you have especially dry skin and ensure you’re using warm, not very hot water when you’re washing your face. Because as we’ve already discussed hot water will irritate and dry out your skin even more.
Step 2: Serum
After you’ve cleansed your face, use your lightest product like a serum first. This will allow your skin to absorb that product and make sure that there aren’t any other products blocking its penetration.
In the winter season, go for a hydrating serum to draw moisture into the deeper layers of your skin like a Hyaluronic Acid face serum. Serums are lightweight skincare products that include a higher concentration of active ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Glycolic Acid, and Vitamin C, compared to basic moisturizers.
Face serum can help to brighten, hydrate, and provide a variety of benefits, depending on the types of skin and serum you use.
Step 3: Moisturizer
As already mentioned, moisturizer plays the most important role in the winter skin care routine and that’s why you’ll probably find it in every winter skin care homemade tip.
Once you’re done with the serum, apply face cream or moisturizer. They have a thicker formula that locks in hydration and prevents skin from drying out. Additionally, they help the uppermost layer of the skin, helping it to retain moisture.
Step 4: Face Oil
And now for the magic, you can use a face oil, regardless of what type of skin you have. An effective face oil will help to soothe your skin, lock in hydration, and enhance the skin barrier to help prevent moisture loss.
You can either mix the oil with your moisturizer (morning and night) or use it as the final step for an indulgent winter skin ritual.
If you feel like you have some extra skincare time, your winter skincare routine for combination skin can also add Gua Sha. It will help decrease tension, reduce puffiness, and give skin a healthy glow.
Step 5: SPF
The final step in your winter skincare routine is applying your SPF to keep you safe from UVA and UVB rays. It is essential to follow this step even in winter because the sun can still be damaging to your skin even when it’s cold.
These are a few simple steps that will help you keep your skin confronted and smooth by nourishing your skin and keeping the cold environment from dimming your natural radiance.
Does drinking water help Dry Skin?
Although water doesn’t directly replenish moisture in your skin’s barrier, drinking enough water can help with overall hydration.
To fight against dry skin and external dehydration, the use of moisturizers and hydrating skincare products is crucial because it creates a barrier that locks in moisture.
The Bottom Line
Hopefully, these winter skin care tips will help you prevent dryness, discomfort, redness, and irritation and give you healthy skin. And if you still experience these issues, it’s best to talk with your doctor. In such situations, you may need a prescription-strength moisturizer to overcome winter’s drying effects on your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is dry skin good in winter?
It’s considered that dry skin is usually harmless but when it’s not cared for, dry skin may lead to many diseases such as excessive dryness can lead to activation of the disease, causing a rash and cracking skin.
Q. Is Coconut Oil good for dry skin?
Yes, coconut oil is good for dry skin. You can use it as a deep treatment to nourish dry and cracked skin, replenishing lost moisture and strengthening the skin barrier to retain it. Additionally, coconut oil has also been found to help treat eczema and reduce its symptoms of dry, and itchy skin.
Q. How can I soften my lips in winter?
To soften your lips in winter you can apply a light layer of lip balm just before you go to bed. As you sleep, your lips will absorb and use the balm's reparative actives so lips feel softer and more comfortable in the morning.
Q. Is coconut oil good for Dry lips?
Yes, coconut oil is good for dry lips. As a lip oil, if you’ve chapped or cracked lips, adding coconut oil to your lip care routine will help hydrate lips and maintain softness.
Q. How does the heater dry out the air in the winter?
When the furnaces of a heater begin, they heat the air by circulating it through a series of metal coils. This heating-up air process also removes moisture from it, resulting in dry air in the winter.
Q. Which Moisturizer is best for dry skin in winter?
Many people say that the best moisturizer for dry skin type is CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. This moisturizer is fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and could be a great all-around option for dry skin. CeraVe moisturizer has ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide that help replenish the skin's barrier and lock in moisture.