The elements can be tough on your skin – especially in winter. The cold, dry air can cause your skin to get itchy, dry, cracked, and irritated pretty easily. Unfortunately, things don’t get much better when you’re inside the house. The warm air from your central heating can be dry and will suck the moisture from your skin.
Luckily, a winter skincare routine can help you minimize the damage the cold weather can cause and keep your skin looking healthy, hydrated, and glowing. Read on to find out a few of our best winter skincare tips for dry skin for the colder months of the year.
Get a Humidifier
If you live someplace really cold and need to run your heater a lot, investing in a humidifier can be beneficial for adding moisture back into the air and getting the most out of your winter skincare routine. Run one in whichever rooms you spend the most time in (even your office) and make sure to have one in your bedroom too.
Lower the Thermostat
If getting humidifiers to combat winter dryness seems like a lot, lowering your thermostat is a winter skincare tip that can help. Keeping your house at between 68 and 72 degrees F can improve the climate in your home and reduce some of the dryness in the air.
Be Mindful of Hot Showers
Winter may feel like the perfect time for a hot, steamy shower – and it is. But, when it comes to your winter skincare routine, you may want to rethink it. A 5- to 10-minute shower with lukewarm water is much better on your skin than longer, hotter ones. This goes for baths, as well.
That being said, you don’t need to avoid the comfort of a warm shower or a hot, relaxing bath all season long. Just try and limit your skin’s exposure to hot water. This goes for your hands, too!
Use a Gentle Cleanser
Adding gentle cleansers to your winter routine will help you dislodge dirt and grime without disrupting the oil balance and moisture in your skin. These contain ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and aloe vera that help protect the barrier and restore moisture.
Don’t use hot water to cleanse, and don’t let your face air dry, as it can further dehydrate the skin. Instead, use lukewarm water and gently pat yourself dry with a soft towel. Follow up with a moisturizer immediately after to avoid loss of hydration.
Moisturize Frequently
Winter dryness means you need to make moisturization a priority in your winter skincare routine. One of our winter skincare tips is to use a cream-based moisturizer like the Say Aloe! All-Day aloe vera face cream and top it off with a light-weight botanical face oil to lock it in. These are better in winter as opposed to lotions, which are better for summer.
Winter skincare for dry skin means not forgetting to moisturize your hands more too because your face isn’t the only part of your body that gets frequently exposed to winter’s icy chill. Keep a tube of lotion in your bag or purse and feel free to use it liberally to keep your hands moist throughout the day.
Keep Exfoliation to a Minimum
While exfoliation is a necessary step in your winter skincare routine for getting rid of dead skin cells and boosting cell turnover, overdoing it does more harm than good, especially in winter. Avoid strong activities and physical exfoliants that can irritate your skin or strip its natural oils.
If you have to, then use something milder like alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or beta hydroxy acid (BHA) which are gentler on the skin. Your usual retinol night serum should also be enough, but make sure to limit its usage and always follow up with intensive moisturization.
Don’t Neglect Your Lips
Dry, flaky, and irritated lips are common in winter and are exacerbated further due to the dryness. A moisturizer would offer some much-needed hydration but adding a lip mask to your winter skincare routine would be better for nourishing your lips and keeping them supple.
Opt for a collagen-infused lip mask with ingredients such as kokum butter, coconut oil, and peppermint to soothe chapped lips and keep them hydrated. We recommend using the Lip Lock collagen lip mask at least two times a day, once in the morning and once before bedtime, to keep cracked and painful lips at bay.
Use Sunscreen
Yes, use sunscreen even in your winter skincare routine. The sun’s UV rays are powerful, and they can damage your skin even during cold, cloudy days. If the ground is snowy, it can be even worse. The snow can reflect up to 80% of the sun’s rays directly on your skin.
Before heading out, apply sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or higher. That should keep you well-protected.
Use Quality Skincare Products
Using quality products in your winter skincare routine is key to keeping your skin healthy and radiant. At LOUMI Skincare, we’ve formulated a range of botanical skincare products with your skin’s best interests in mind. We use only vegan, all-natural ingredients to provide you with safe, effective winter skincare for dry skin solutions that will give you the results you want.
Nurture your skin with our winter skincare tips and plant-based skincare, and be ready to face the cold weather with your illuminated skin!