The Winter Dry Skin Survival Guide
In the brutal cold and snow of winter comes yet another adverse weather condition: Dry skin. And the bad thing about dry winter skin: You can’t escape it just by retreating indoors
Winter Dry Skin:
Dry Skin – For all of the reasons to love the chilly weather (comfy sweaters, outdoor fun, frizz-free hair), there is one major downside: Dry skin.
First of all, dry skin isn’t just your body’s way of boycotting the weather. “Forced indoor heat combined with the low humidity outside really dries out the skin in the winter,” says Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist
The Winter Dry Skin Survival Guide
In the brutal cold and snow of winter comes yet another adverse weather condition: Dry and irritated skin. And the bad thing about dry winter skin: You can’t escape it just by retreating indoors.
For many of us, winter time means dealing with dry and cracked skin. Winter’s harsh environments put a heavy burden on skin, leading to dehydration. The reduced moisture in the air is the primary cause of dry, itchy and irritated skin. And extremely dry skin can quickly morph into dermatitis if left untreated.
But smart skin care practices and knowing winter’s rough impact on our skin and how we can neutralize it can keep our skin smooth, comfortable and safe from the ravages of the coldest and cruellest months of the year.
The Importance of Skin Hydration
Ironically, one of the first and best defences in good skin care starts on the inside of the body with high quality H20. Lori Buss, a clinical aesthetician at Prevea Rejuvenate in Green Bay, recommends drinking lots of water, which rejuvenates the skin.
“Hydration is very important,” Buss told the Green Bay Press Gazette. “Not only is drinking water good for your skin, but it’s good for your health in general. If you are dehydrated, the dryer your skin is going to be.”
Beware the Agents of Dryness
But one of our best instruments of protecting our skin from the dry wrath of winter is to be aware of exactly what we’re putting on it. Abrasive skin cleansing exfoliates – designed to rid the skin’s surface of dead cells – can further damage dry skin to. This is why you need to pay attention to what your skin needs and learn about your own skin. Our chocolate mask, not only exfoliates it also nourishes your skin and feeds it with antioxidants as well. Our Squeaky Clean cleanser has salysilic acid in to remove excess dead skin but you can just dilute it with a little water
Winter skin care dry skin sufferers should avoid:
- Antibacterial and deodorant soaps. These soaps contain alcohol, which is a drying agent. The best soaps, lotions and moisturisers for skin care are fragrance free. Try our Plump up moisturiser over the soft as silk serum for extra hydration and apply the whipped cream over the plump up
- Rich moisturisers. Some moisturisers, for example, do not hydrate the skin and furthermore leave skin lacking in nourishment too, and be wary of products with a long ingredient list too. We keep our moisturisers with just what is needed in them, resulting in hydration and nourishment for your skin. Our soft as silk serum is full of essential oils to penetrate into your skin and help nourish, thus creating hydration.
“It’s not the viscosity of the products that makes the difference; and it’s the level of active ingredients,” Dr. Nicholas Perricone told TheCut.com. The most important thing, Perricone says, is to find moisturisers that really penetrate and hydrate the skin. Our plump up moisturiser really penetrates into the skin resulting in hydration
- For folks with naturally dry and flaky skin and over-exfoliation can be detrimental. Peeling agents and harsh exfoliators can further weaken and strip skin of barriers and when skin needs the additional environmental protection the most.
- Extreme Temperatures. Although a hot shower is an extremely tempting idea during winter polar plunges, exposing the skin to hot water after being out in the cold can damage it. The ideal water temperature for winter-time showers and baths is lukewarm.
- Thin Layers of Clothing. For people with sensitive skin, dressing in layers and warm enough for the conditions is a major key to keeping skin moisturised. Skin care experts recommend people with sensitive skin wear clothes made from 100 percent cotton and also, clean and treat your clothes with products you know your skin can tolerate rather than causing irritation.