Keeping Your Skin Healthy This Winter

Have you ever noticed your skin get drier when the weather gets colder? Maybe your skin flakes more or your knuckles crack. Just as our skin can change as our hormones go up and down, the changing seasons also have an effect on our skin.

Depending on where you live, when summer fades into fall and winter, that’s accompanied by lower humidity, stronger and harsher winds, and an increase in indoor heat, which all contribute to pulling moisture out of the skin and leading to more dead skin build-up. 

Use richer moisturizers

In the summer months, our goal is to keep things light when it comes to moisturizers. But in the winter as our skin is drier, the light and airy moisturizers may not cut it. According to Dr. Rachel Nazarian, MD, “Dry skin requires both humectants and emollients that draw in moisture and lock in moisture, respectively.” So, you need to use a richer moisturizer and cut back on how often you’re exfoliating.

Control temperature and moisture in the air

We can’t control the weather, but we can control some things at home - such as how much moisture is in the air, heat, and the temperature of your water. 

You can put moisture back into the air at home with a humidifier. It's ideal to keep rooms between 30-50% humidity to help your skin retain moisture.

It’s also important to keep the temperature at home comfortable, between 68-75 degrees. Running high heat indoors only dries out your skin more, causing more dryness and irritation.

And, while cold winter days sometimes make us want to stand under a hot shower forever, that extremely hot water also dries out your skin more. When hand washing or showering, keep the water warm, but not hot to prevent drawing out any more moisture!

Scale back on product intensity

If your skin is getting dry and irritated in the winter, it might be tempting to exfoliate more or use some stronger products. But using some treatments on already dry skin will only enrage your skin more. Swapping harsh cleansers with gentle, calming cleansers can give tired skin a break. And while exfoliation is still important to get rid of dead skin cells, you might want to stay away from acid or retinol-based exfoliants for a few months. 

Sunscreen is still needed

Sunscreen should be a part of your skincare routine through all seasons! Winter is no exception. If you live in a place that can get snow, sunlight can reflect off snowy surfaces, doubling your UV exposure. Sunscreen might be the most important thing in the winter!