Throughout the summer, your skin got a beautiful tan and a shimmery glow. It looked gorgeous. But now the winter is rolling in fast. You know what that means: bad skin.
Well, if you went off previous years it would mean bad skin. During the winter, your skin usually gets paler, becomes chapped, and is irritated by the harsh elements in the weather. Your skin doesn’t have to get like this though! With some skin care tips, you can get a beautiful look throughout the year.
We’ve got a list of dos and don’ts for winter skin. These 10 tips in total will help you get a beautiful look and feel throughout the year.
Do Opt for More Moisturiser
You really can’t have too much moisturizer. Okay, so technically you can because it looks slimy, but in the winter your skin needs it. You may also find that you need to change your spring/summer moisturizing cream.
During the winter, the cold weather affects your skin’s ability to retain moisture. You also spend more time indoors with the heat turned up, which leaves your whole body lacking in hydration. When your body needs more water, it will take it from the skin first.
So you want to change up your skin care routine to make sure you get plenty of moisture directly on your skin. Look out for oil-based creams for the winter months, even if you have naturally oily skin. This will likely mean a change in product from the summer ones because you’ll use water-based options in the summer.
Oil creams offer your skin an extra protective layer. You’ll lock in the moisture, which means your skin doesn’t dry out from the cold air touching it. You could use a night cream throughout the day.
Do watch out for the types of oils you get. Avocado oil, almond oil, and some shea oil are better than the synthetic options created. They won’t clog the pores, meaning the bacteria can still get out and you don’t end up with an acne problem. Cystic acne tends to get worse in the winter months due to the products we put on our skin!
Don’t use shea butter or oil on your face. It can clog the pores on the face but is good for the rest of the body. Never use a vegetable shortening if you’re looking for a home remedy. It will just sit on the skin instead of absorbing into the layers. You get no moisture benefit, and it remains shiny and greasy looking.
It’s also worth looking out for alpha hydroxy acids within skin care products. These help to attract moisture into the skin, helping you to stay hydrated and soft for longer! Ceramides are also worthwhile looking out for. They help to restore the natural barrier on the skin, preventing damage from winter weather. You’ll lock in the moisture better to avoid the chapped skin.
You want to moisturize even if you drink your eight glasses of water a day. Getting plenty of fluid is good, but it doesn’t always help the upper layers of the skin. The layers that are on the top are most affected by the winds and other extreme conditions. They become drier than the lower levels rather quickly.
Do Invest in Sunscreen
While sunscreen is popular in the summer, you also need it for the winter months. Yes, you can still get the sun in winter, and you can get a tan. Likewise, you can end up with sunburn and damage to your skin. So, you want to protect it.
The big issue is the winter sun with snow glare. Like when you’re around water, the snow glare makes the sun more intense. It bounces off the ground and onto you. While the initial UV rays are weak, they intensify from the bounce and affect your skin just as much as they would in the summer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re not going to ski in the snow! Just playing in it or walking around it can put your face and hands at risk.
If you’re not going to cover up your body from the icy weather, you’ll want to lather sunscreen on it. Use it on your face even if you do wear a scarf, hat, and sunglasses. There are times that you will remove them all.
Some sunscreen can be quite drying to the skin. Look out for those that are oil-based, like with moisturizing creams. You can also get moisturizing creams with some sunscreen in them to help get the moisture and the protection at the same time.
Do Turn on the Humidifiers
I know you want to save money on electricity during the winter months, but you’ll want to invest in some humidifiers. Even if you only turn them on at night, it’s better than nothing at all.
You should have already guessed that winter weather dries out the skin. During the night is the worst. You’ll keep the windows shut, and there will be no free flowing air throughout the house. Your heating is on, and your bedroom ends up stuffy, especially when you’re under the covers. The humidifiers help to keep the moisture in the room.
By keeping the humidity, your skin remains moist. You’ll also likely feel much more refreshed in your body won’t overheat throughout the night as much.
If you spend a lot of time in the house, you’ll want to consider getting humidifiers for other rooms. I recommend one for the office if you work from home and in the children’s bedrooms to look after their skin overnight.
Do Skip the Acne Popping
Popping your acne is bad for you any time of the year. During the winter months, it tends to be even worse. If you’re not going to stop in the summer, make it a habit to stop it the winter.
You may find that your acne gets worse naturally in the winter. This is linked to a variety of reasons, but mostly due to the way your skin dries out. When the skin is dehydrated, the brain gets the message that you need more natural oils. This can lead to overproduction, which means your pores are blocked and acne forms.
During the winter months, cystic acne can be more problematic. The issues are the layers of the skin, rather right at the top.
Popping acne will spread the bacteria around your face. It gets into the pores, and you end up with a bigger issue than before. You also tear the skin while popping it. If it’s already chapped, the bacteria gets in there,and you end up with more cystic acne. It’s a running cycle, as you’ll end up popping the new pimples.
So really, you just want to stop!
If you do have a problem with acne, look out for acne products that contain ceramides. They will help to fight acne and moisturize the skin at the same time. You can also use alpha hydroxy acids, which will help to get into the pores and fight the specific acne-causing bacteria. Want something natural? Lemon juice cleansers are your best option.
Do Stop Licking Your Lips
Your lips get chapped during the winter. Like the skin, the lips dry out, and you want to add moisture back to them. That means licking them, right?
Well, licking your lips is causing the chapped problem. The more you lick, the worse the chapped lips will become. You can also end up with more cold sores because you’re spreading the virus around your lips more.
Saliva is created to help remove food and bacteria from the mouth. It’s naturally acidic. While it doesn’t burn your mouth, it will break down the layers on the lips.
So, you want to find something else that will add moisture back to your lips. Lip balms are good but look for plain, fragrance-free options. Vaseline is one of the most respected and popular products for dry and chapped lips. There are a few others out there, though, and you can create your natural ones if you want to avoid all chemical issues.
Don’t Have the Heat Too High
You’ll be tempted to turn up the heat as much as possible during the winter. Why wouldn’t you? This is a time that the house gets cold and you want to feel as warm as you do in the summer. Your heating system is up high, your bath or shower is as hot as you can stand it, and a trip to the sauna happens on a daily basis.
Well, it’s time to think again about that heat. It’s not necessarily going to be good for your skin.
Heat is drying. Deep down you know that.
It seems like you can’t get away from drying conditions: both the heat and the cold cause it. The heat in your home is worse than the heat in the summer months, though. There’s no moisture to it, making your room a drying atmosphere.
But what about the hot baths? That’s water, right? Well, yes, but the heat from the water will break down the lipid barriers (fat barriers) within your skin. Your body loses moisture at a faster rate while being in the intensely heated water.
It’s better to turn the heat down a little and opt for a long soak in a warm bath instead of a hot one. You’ll find it more comfortable since your body won’t start to sweat and you won’t need the glasses of water ever give minutes!
If you want to try something natural that will help the state of your skin, put some baking soda or oatmeal in your bath. This will help to relieve itchiness caused by dryness during the winter. Don’t forget about the moisturizing cream after your bath!
Don’t Wear Wet Gloves!
If your gloves get wet while you’re wearing them, there’s little that you can do. But you will want to make sure they are dried out before you put them on the next time. The same goes for socks that get wet.
You know that they’re uncomfortable. They can lead to irritation and blisters, ruining your skin completely. But they also lead to cracked and weak skin on your feet and hands. Your hands start to crack and peel, and the moisture completely dries out from them. If you suffer from eczema or psoriasis, you’ll find that wet gloves and socks cause more flare-ups throughout the winter.
One trick that I learned when young was to use hand cream throughout the winter. Apply it just before doing the washing up and then wear rubber gloves. The heat from the water doesn’t get directly on your skin but opens the pores, so the moisturizing cream soaks right in. You’ll have a softer, lighter feel on your hands. You can do something similar on a night with your feet by using a foot cream.
Don’t Rely on the Water You Drink
So you’re drinking your eight glasses of water a day, and your skin is still dry. This doesn’t mean you need to drink more. The water you drink isn’t going to change anything about your outer layers of skin throughout the winter. It’s not the lack of hydration inside that is causing the problem.
We’ve already looked at how the winter elements will cause problems for your skin’s ability to remain hydrated. You have heat throughout the house without humidity. You’re not using the right moisturizers, and there are high chances that you’re not protecting your skin against the sun. All this soon adds up.
This doesn’t mean you should stop drinking water. Get your 8-10 glasses a day, but do it for your overall health. Don’t rely on it for your skin!
Don’t Forget About Your Feet
We mentioned about not wearing wet socks, but your feet need more care than that. Putting some foot cream on overnight isn’t going to do enough. You’ll also need to make sure you get rid of all the dried skin.
The dead cells and dead skin will accumulate more on your feet than anywhere else on your body. This dead skin will stop any creams or lotions getting through. Your lower layers of skin don’t quite get the hydration they need.
Invest in an exfoliating scrubber or soaker for your feet. Get rid of all the dead skin that accumulates throughout the winter and make it easier for your skin to gain more moisture from your creams.
Look for the right creams for your feet too. Find something with petroleum in it, since this will offer a deeper benefit.
Don’t Use Peels All the Time
You may be tempted to get a deep facial peel during the winter. They are commonly used weekly in the summer to help exfoliate and open up the pores. Your skin won’t be as irritated and dry during the summer.
When it comes to the winter, you want to think twice. Look out for peels that will help to add some oil to your skin. Avoid alcohol-based options that strip the body of the oils that will help to add moisture back in. Look out for the oil-based options that help to improve the oil production when you need it.
Stick to a facial peel once a month. And only use it when you need to!
You’ll also want to think about the chemicals in any cleansers or toners you use. Avoid the alcohol and look for the nourishing oils.
Don’t let the winter months dry out your skin. With a good skin care routine, you can have soft, moisturized skin. You’ll be able to avoid all the irritants and support your overall health.
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