Winter might seem like it would be easier on your skin than warmer seasons; you’re not getting dehydrated from sweating so much, you aren’t slapping on sunscreen like there’s no tomorrow, and you’re not getting pounded by long hours of harsh UV light. Then again, the cold, dry air of winter is probably giving you dry, uncomfortable skin that’s more inclined to crack and peel. Fortunately, you can achieve glowing winter skin with these tips:
1. Humidify your home
Depending on where you live, you might check the humidity level outside just as much as you check the temperature, especially in the summer. However, you should also consider keeping track of the humidity inside your home. You likely spend more time indoors during the winter when it’s cold, and dry air inside your home can leech moisture out of you that your skin needs. As such, if you find that the air in your home is too dry for your skin, you might consider using a humidifier to increase moisture levels in your home atmosphere.
2. Drink water
For all the things you can do to moisturize your skin from outside of your body in the winter, it is also important to stay hydrated on the inside. Drinking more water will replenish the moisture and hydration your skin is losing to dry air, keeping it healthy and glowing.
3. Avoid super hot or long showers
A nice steamy shower probably sounds really nice when it’s chilly outside. It’s certainly nice to inhale some steam when your lungs and nostrils are dry. Unfortunately, and ironically, that water is also leaving your skin vulnerable to later dryness. The hot water washes off oils and protective layers that could otherwise keep moisture from evaporating off of your skin.
4. Apply thicker moisturizer in the winter
Whatever moisturizer you use during mild or humid weather might not have the potency you need in the dryness of winter. Try something thicker to see if it helps your skin retain more moisture, preventing dryness and cracking.
5. Moisturize multiple times a day
Moisturizing on a daily basis gives your skin a steady supply of moisture it can rely on for better health. However, as the air around you changes each season, your skincare routine should follow suit. If you feel like your moisturizer isn’t having the same impact in the late fall and winter as it does in spring and summer, it may be time to start applying moisturizer several times a day.
6. Skip the toner
Whether or not a toner should be a part of your daily skincare routine is becoming a point of debate in many health and beauty circles. Even if it helps you clean your skin, however, it has been shown that toner can lead to too much dryness in your skin. That’s exactly what you don’t want in the winter. Consider skipping toner, or just not using it as much, during this dry season.
7. Exfoliate in moderation
Exfoliation can do wonders for keeping skin looking great, since it removes older, dying, or dead cells on the surface and prompts regeneration. However, your skin might need that extra layer of surface protection in the winter in order to retain more of its moisture. As such, it may be best to cut down on exfoliating treatments in the winter.
