You may relish those rosy cheeks but the dry air of winter can also take its toll in the form of tight, dry, irritated, and inflamed skin. Untreated skin can be flaky and even crack. But protecting your skin against the harsh winter to come is easier than you think. Here's how to avoid winter dry skin on the face.
1. Choose a thicker moisturizer. While your current moisturizer may be effective in the spring and summer, when winter hits you may need something a little more potent. Choose a thicker moisturizer that’s more of an oil-based ointment in the winter time. This creates a protective layer so your skin can more easily retain moisture. Choose moisturizers with non-clogging oils like avocado oil, almond oil, or primrose oil.
2. Consider a facial redness cream. In the wintertime, windburn, rosacea, and dry skin can cause facial redness. Choose a natural topical cream made with green tea and pine bark extract to reduce inflammation on the skin and soften redness.
3. Avoid harsh skin treatments. Avoid skin treatments like harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners and astringents that strip away the protective lipid layer of the skin and make your skin even drier in the wintertime. Save these luxury treatments for the spring/summer when the humidity level is higher. Want to give your skin some extra care, try this festive peppermint clay mask.
4. Avoid super hot baths. Avoid super hot baths in the wintertime because like harsh skin treatments, they breakdown your skin’s protective barrier and dry it out. Opt for lukewarm water and try adding some jojoba or coconut oil to your bath.
5. Hook up a humidifier. Central heating and space heaters can make the air in your home hot and dry. Humidifiers put moisture back into the air to prevent your skin from drying out. You can even find small personal humidifiers for your nightstand or desk.
Avoiding dry and irritated can help you look and feel your best all year through.
Written by Alyssa Rolnick, Co-Founder of Zax’s Original Products, Registered Dietitian and Mother of 3 active kids.