8 Winter Skin Care Tips

During winter everything swaps! It’s cold and dry outside and warm inside. Just like with our hair sometimes we need to look at our skincare products each season. You might need to make some adjustments to what you are using. Winter can be drying to our skin so you might need to add some added hydration & moisture to your routine.

If you have any questions about what you should be using, you can always contact me here. Or if you want help with a new skincare routine you can start by filling out a consultation form by clicking here.

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time now you know I am a proponent of wearing daily sunscreen. Yes, even in the winter! The sun’s rays may not feel as strong as in the summer months, but the UV rays continue to break down your skin cells and cause damage.

A suntan is just skin damage and will lead to premature aging and possible skin cancer. Did you know that over 50% of skin cancer is found on the left side of the body? Why? Because that is the side that is exposed to the sun’s rays while driving. Please wear daily sunscreen. My favorite daily is Sun Veil with an SPF of 30.

Yep, it’s a running theme! Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you can stop drinking your water daily! Water is so important to the health of your body. It helps to regulate our body temperature and it also helps to contribute to keeping our hair and skin looking good! Drinking water in the winter will help prevent your skin from getting dry and flaky. Which in turn will help to prevent premature aging and wrinkles!

Another important thing to remember is to drink water throughout the day. Drinking your daily “requirement” all at once will not help you at all! Your body cannot process it and will just excrete it. So, try carrying a refillable water bottle around with you and spread it out. Yes, even in the winter!

It is important to exfoliate your skin all year but even more so in the winter months. I did a blog post back in October, Why Do I Need to Exfoliate? You can read that here. The skin is the body’s largest organ. So, we really should take care of it the best we can. Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells from the outer layer of your skin. During the winter we tend to have more due to the drying effects of winter.

Some of the benefits of exfoliating:

• Unclogs pores
• Helps skincare products to penetrate better
• Helps even out skin texture and minimize the appearance of discoloration
• Stimulates skin cell renewal

I can still see my dry, chapped, and cracked hands when I lived in Cincinnati. Every winter it seemed like it was the same thing. My hands would get so painful. It seems even worse these days because people seem to be much better at washing their hands. That can be a harsh combination during the winter months.

Try treating your winter hands to a hand mask during the winter months. Also, don’t forget about exfoliating them. They are often areas that are missed. (Along with our lips!) Using hand cream throughout the day after washing your hands along with at night before you go to bed is important. I love to use Silky & Soothing Hand Cream. It’s great because it absorbs fast and locks in moisture and helps to improve the texture of my hands!

If you are going to be indoors most of the winter because it is cold and snowy, chances are the air is going to be dry. Most homes heating systems have humidifiers built into them. So, I would check to see what yours is set at. If your skin and scalp are feeling dry and itchy you might need a little more moisture in the air. The ideal setting for winter is supposed to be between 30 – 50% humidity.

If you need a boost in humidity during the winter, there are small personal humidifiers out there. A lot of people use them while they are sleeping. Too much & too little humidity in your home air is not good so try to find where your perfect spot.

I do this year-round, but I know a lot of people don’t like to take the time out to do it. After getting out of the shower and drying off try applying body moisturizer immediately. It will help to lock in the hydration and moisture in your skin. If you struggle with dry & itchy skin in the winter, you will notice almost an immediate improvement by adding this to your routine.

I use two different lotions after getting out of the shower. For my upper chest and arms, I use Hydrate & Repair Body Serum. I love it because it has hyaluronic acid, vitamin B3, and Kakadu plum which helps to smooth, plump, and firm the skin in that area. Along with hydrating the skin for up to 24 hours! For the rest of my body, I use Smooth & Renew Body Lotion.