When the weather turns cold, our skin starts to feel dry, itchy and aggravated. In turn this leaves it looking dull and lifeless. We can’t do much about the seasons, but we can manage the problem and certain things can help to keep your skin looking and feeling the best it can during winter. Here, Parvinder Sagoo, lead medical advisor at Simply Meds Online, reveals 10 things you can do to prevent dry skin this winter.
Take cooler showers
You may fancy a hot shower to warm up, but taking a hot shower when the air is so cold could leave your skin dry, rough and uncomfortable. This, paired with harsh fragranced soap, will do no good for your skin and could strip your natural skin oils. I know its tempting to turn the temperature up during the winter months, but try your best to resist temptation and stick to a warm shower. Also, using a body wash with a low soap content and minimal fragrance is advised to keep skin hydrated and the skin barrier healthy.
Moisturise after showering
This is a given, but many people forget or tend to leave out moisturising as part of their morning or evening routine. Moisturising your body is super important to ensure skin remains hydrated, soft and supple and it will also make you feel much more comfortable. This is also important when you are living in a house with the heating turned up as your skin will become more dry from the heat.
Change up your skincare
Winter skincare is a thing, unlike summer your skin is exposed to the elements and can be affected by the cold air and wind. I would advise adding hyaluronic acid to your skincare routine, this is a hydrating product which will work into your skin’s barrier and keep skin dewy and fresh. You may also want to look into skin oils and thicker night creams.
Add essential oils to your bath
If a bath is your go to, then rather than adding products with a high soap content, or bath bombs which could leave your skin dry, add a few drops of some moisturising essential oils to the water. The best oils to help with dry skin are jojoba, almond oil and grapeseed oil. You may also want to add some lavender or tea tree. These will help to soothe dry skin and seal in moisture whilst also hydrating.
Go easy on exfoliants and scrubs
Exfoliating your skin is important to get rid of any dead skin cells, but over exfoliating can aggravate the skin and if the skin is already dry then it could cause skin cell breakage, flaking, dry skin and even eczema. Try to avoid too much body exfoliating if you can, if you feel you need to exfoliate try and use a less aggressive exfoliant with added oils to seal in moisture.
Invest in pharmaceutical skin creams
If your dry skin is leading you to develop skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis then you will want to look into purchasing slightly more intense treatments that will be able to target the problem quicker and more effectively. Creams and ointments are available in most online pharmacies.
Turn the heating down
When the weather turns cold the first thing we do is turn the heating right up in a bid to stay warm, but actually you are doing more harm to your body than good. Excessive heating throughout the day and night can leave our skin feeling dry and dehydrated, this is due to the hot air zapping any moisture from the skin barrier. If you can, turn the heating down and layer up as this will do wonders for your skin.
Use overnight treatments
Overnight skin treatments are also advisable if your skin is super dry, so moisturising face masks, overnight creams and thicker night creams are advised. You may also want to opt for more heavy duty body moisturisers and hand creams – apply liberally each evening before bed and let the product skin in, chances are you will wake up feeling more soft and supple than when you went to bed.
Apply sunscreen daily
Sunscreen is important any time of year, as the sun’s UV rays can penetrate through clouds. Sunscreen will protect your skin and also keep it feeling hydrated throughout the day. You may also want to look at a sunscreen with vitamin C as this will help to protect skin against daily aggressors such as pollution.
Take supplements to keep skin healthy and hydrated
Supplements that support skin health may also be something to think about. Most multi vitamin supplements offer support for skin hair and nails, and this will help to counteract any damage done by the cold air and help to support the skin barrier from inside.
You can find a range of skin treatments and wellness supplements available at Simply Meds Online.
