Stop Winter From Negatively Affecting Your Skin [7 Tips]

Cold weather can be a nightmare for your skin, making it dry, flaky and itchy.

Act fast and take a look at the tips we’ve compiled to help you fight back!

Winters are like roses, beautiful but prickly. Most of the time, it’s our skin that takes the full brunt of the cold, dry air.

Once winter sets in, there’s usually no escaping its unpleasant side. It’s a brutal season.

The combination of cold weather and low humidity is a recipe for dry, flaky, itchy skin.

While all these things are natural, they do take a toll on the skin and can make winter feel like a nightmare.

But it doesn’t have to be.

The right preparation will get you through the cold season with your gorgeous skin intact.

Check out our top 7 tips to prevent winter from weathering your skin.

1. Avoid Winter Dehydration

Water intake declines as cold weather sets in. Most people don’t drink as much water as they do in the summer.

Still, the body needs water regardless of the season. It relies on water and that doesn’t change because it’s cold and your thirst response has gone down.

Your body will still lose water in winter just like it would at any other time of the year.

It’s harder to notice because you won’t be sweating as much.

The problem with winter dehydration is that your skin will suffer the consequences. Once parched, it dries and chaps.

It’s vital to keep your skin cells hydrated when it’s cold out by drinking the recommended amount of water.

You can achieve this by drinking a few mouthfuls a lot throughout the day.

Plus, you don’t always have to drink plain water. Alternatives like fresh juice and soup are also hydrating fluids.

2. Strike a Balance When Exfoliating

Exfoliating is both good and bad for your skin in winter.

How?

It all comes down to how much you do it.

The dry, cold air accelerates the formation of dead skin cells. Exfoliating keeps your skin rejuvenated and healthy.

But intense exfoliation tends to backfire, stripping the skin’s natural essential oils.

This leaves your skin vulnerable to the harsh cold weather.

The ideal exfoliation routine is once a week. Opt for a gentle scrub to keep your skin’s protection intact all winter long.

3. Avoid Long Hot Showers

It feels great to lie in a tub full of hot water with your favorite book and forget the frozen world outside.

Still, as amazing as hot water feels in the winter, it causes your skin to dry out.

It enlarges your blood vessels and strips away essential oils. Then you start losing all that moisture.

Dermatologists recommend shorter showers in cold seasons to protect against dry skin.

4. Cleanse and Moisturize With Olive Oil

It’s vital to keep your skin moisturized at all times in winter.

Why not give home-based beauty oils like olive a try?

Olive oil is a good cleanser and moisturizer. It’s pure and goes easy on your skin.

We can’t say the same about over-the-counter skincare products.

If you have sensitive skin, certain ingredients can cause allergic responses and irritation.

For example, alcohol and fragrances are often found in manufactured products.

These two ingredients aren’t kind to sensitive skin.

Now, olive oil lets you hit two birds with one stone since it’s both a cleanser and moisturizer.

It’s also gentle on the skin and cleans without stripping natural defenses.

However, if your skin is not sensitive, it’s advisable to use a strong moisturizer to counter dry skin.

5. Don’t Stop Applying Sunscreen

A lot of times when winter begins to settle in, we tone down on applying sunscreen or we put it away altogether.

But the reality is that harmful UV rays still penetrate, regardless of whether you can see the sun or not.

So long as it’s daylight, the chances of skin damage from UVA radiation is just as high in winter as any other season.

UVB rays drop in intensity but they aren’t out of the picture.

Protecting against these harmful rays should be an ongoing commitment.

You’re not fully protected indoors either.

Recent data suggests that man-made lights can also stimulate pigment cells.

That means your computer screen and your overhead lights aren’t any better.

To avoid accidental skin damage in winter, keep using your favorite broad-spectrum sunscreen.

6. Humidify Your Home

There’s no escaping dry air in winter. Cold air isn’t able to hold moisture the same way hot air does.

It doesn’t get any better indoors with heaters sucking moisture from the air.

Unless you invest in a humidifier, you’re almost certainly ending up with dry skin.

A humidifier helps to maintain moisture levels in the air, which keeps your skin hydrated.

Install humidifiers in the rooms you spend most of your time in to prevent the cold from drying you out.

7. Eat Foods That Promote Healthy Skin in Winter

Remember the old saying that “you are what you eat?”

It turns out there’s some truth to it. What you eat affects your skin, literally! If your diet is good it reflects on your skin, but the opposite is also true.

Foods that are rich in carotenoids help you fight winter by increasing natural defenses.

Think squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and carrots.

You also want to eat fruits that contain plenty of antioxidants.

They are essential to preventing damage from free radicals and harsh weather conditions.

Fruits that are stuffed with antioxidants include:

• Berries like strawberries, cranberries, and raspberries
• Apricots
• Peaches
• Red grapes
• Watermelons

To top it off, don’t forget foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. They help fight inflammation and maintain healthy skin.

Conclusion

Chillier weather has started to settle in for the long haul. If you haven’t updated your skincare routine to stay protected this season, now is the time.

If you have sensitive or persistent dry skin and irritation, it’s best to see a dermatologist about it.

Especially in the winter.

Otherwise, with these tips, you are all set to enjoy the bright side of winter without worrying too much about the season’s unpleasantries.

[Client bio]

Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice.

He currently works with Varsity House Fayetteville to help them with their online marketing.