The cold weather outside combined with harsh heat from indoors can take away the moisture from your skin, making your skin feel tight, dry, and lose its’ glow. In extreme cases, your skin may become so dry, areas like your hands or feet may start to flake or crack. Here are our solutions to combating the dry wintry air and to keep your skin looking and feeling soft, supple, and radiant.
Adjust Your Skincare Routine
When the seasons change, it is a good time to adjust your skincare routine and products to help manage your skin’s needs during the new season. During the winter, choose moisturizers, cleansers, soaps, and body washes that add moisture back into your skin to keep it hydrated and supple.
Be mindful of products containing alcohol, salicylic acid, and retinol as they can be too drying if overused during the winter months. For dry skin on your face, layer your moisturizer with a hydrating serum that contains glycerin or hyaluronic acid.
Continue to wear sunscreen during the winter to protect against harmful UV rays. Even on cloudy days or in snowy conditions your skin can be damaged by the sun’s rays.
If you are trying to stay warm at night with your heater, make sure you remember to add moisture back into the air with a humidifier to prevent your skin from drying.
Ask us about what products and treatments we offer that can help prevent moisture loss, soothe irritation from the dry air, and restore hydration to your skin.
Moisturize
Lighter lotions and facial moisturizers may not be enough to keep your skin hydrated during the winter depending on where you live.
The best way to prevent dry skin is to moisturize daily, at least twice a day, in the morning and night before you go to bed. However, a good rule of thumb to follow is if you feel your hands or other areas of skin becoming dry, reapply.
Buy products that are non-clogging oil-based as opposed to water-based so the product can add a protective layer on your skin to help retain moisture more than a lotion or cream.
No one wants cracked or chapped lips! Use a lip balm to replenish lost moisture and protect them from the dryness of cold outdoor air and indoor heat.
Hydration facials and dermal infusions are excellent treatments to help restore hydration to your skin to get back your glowing appearance.
Skip The Hot Water
Though a hot water bath or shower may be tempting to warm you up from the cold outdoors, the intense temperature can strip your skin of natural oils which can lead to dryness. Instead, choose a lukewarm temperature and try to spend less than 15 minutes in the shower. Afterward, pat your skin dry with a soft towel and moisturize immediately. Use Epsom salts, oatmeal, bath oils, and essential oils to add extra hydrating properties to your bathwater.
If you are worried about dry winter skin, consider scheduling an appointment with your aesthetician. We will discuss your skin concerns and goals, offer advice on which products are right for your skin’s needs this season, and recommend treatments that will leave you glowing this holiday season. For more information on caring for your skin this winter or to schedule an appointment, contact Dr. K’s Med Spa today.