A grizzly winter is on its way and those brisk temperatures will affect our skin. Many of us experience dryness on our face, hands, feet, and anywhere else the cold may come in contact with.
With age, we tend to develop drier skin and that’s something we, unfortunately, can’t avoid. More than 50% of adults in their 40s and over suffer from dry skin. Let’s not fret about that, and instead focus on the positives on how we can keep our skin hydrated.
Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with 5 ways to keep your skin hydrated during the frigid winter. First, let’s take a look at the symptoms and causes of dry skin and dive into how to maintain proper skin hydration, even in the cold weather.
Symptoms of Dry Skin
- Itchiness
- Cracks and fine lines
- Ashy, gray skin
- Redness
- Bleeding
- Rough texture
- Skin tightness after swimming or bathing
Causes of Dry Skin
Skin Conditions
Your medical history determines how your skin reacts. These conditions range from manageable to severe. Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) or psoriasis are types of skin conditions where your skin develops dry, itchy, rough patches.
Weather conditions
Once the humidity drops, cold weather can easily dry out your skin causing it to become itchy and irritated.
Bathing Habits
The more time your body spends in hot showers or swimming pools, the drier your skin will become. Taking shorter baths or reducing the water temperature can lessen the chances of dry skin.
Age
As we age, our skin tends to lose its moisture and produce less natural oils so it’s important to take extra care.
How to Keep Your Skin Hydrated
Listen up, ladies! There are some ways to fight the cold and keep your skin fresh, glowing, and hydrated without making a trip to your dermatologist. Let’s take a look.
Make Lifestyle Changes
Sometimes, making small changes in our daily habits can make a big difference for our skin.
We know you love singing in the shower, but you won’t be betraying Beyonce by taking shorter showers and lowering the water temperature. Instead, limit your shower times to roughly 12 minutes with lukewarm water instead of blazing hot.
Quick Tip: Use essential oils like chamomile, lemon, peppermint, or jasmine to keep your skin hydrated while you bathe. Lubricate and lock moisture into your skin with moisturizers and lotions after your bath, preferably with cocoa butter (this works best and smells delicious).
Moisturize
We know many of you love your hydrating masks and moisturizers (as do we!). There are many amazing products on the market designed to combat skin dryness and support collagen synthesis.
If you’re the type that loves to try new things, the Image SkinCare Vital C Hydrating Anti Aging Serum from Skincare by Alana will protect against the effects of environmental damage with its key ingredients including Hyaluronic acid, Green Tea, Algae Extract, and Vitamin E.
After cleansing your skin, gently apply the serum twice daily to keep your skin feeling healthy and hydrated.
Also, don’t forget those luscious lips. Keep them hydrated by applying a lip balm with moisturizing capability and protection.
Cover Exposed Skin
Pull out those cozy sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, earmuffs, and everything else to keep yourself bundled up this winter.
There’s no need to show off your manicure in the snow so ensure you’re covering up those lovely hands of yours as they can get extremely dry and eventually crack and bleed (Yukky) no one likes that.
The same goes for your face. Coverup your nose and ears to avoid dryness.
Feed Your Skin
The food and drink you consume can have a positive impact on your skin (If it’s the right stuff).
Hydrate your skin by drinking eight glasses of water daily. I get it, we love our caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and pop but that won’t do our skin any good. Drinking plenty of water will ensure your skin gets the hydration it needs.
Soups and watery foods are typically a good choice as they aren’t high in salt or dry.
Use a Humidifier
Low humidity can cause flaking and cracks on the skin and increases irritation.
Humidifiers are a great solution. They help increase the moisture in the air that reduces skin dryness.
You can also try using a warm-mist humidifier with boiling water to release hot steam, especially during the night time.
Don’t forget to moisturize after reading this article and let us know how you like to keep your skin hydrated in the comments below!
