Winter days are filled with alternating between cold air, chilly wind, and hot dry “heater” air. These extreme climates can wreak havoc on our complexions. Cold weather can cause dry, itchy, red and inflamed skin almost instantly. While switching to a good moisturizer during these colder months can be very helpful, the drier climate and indoor heat may require a bit more, especially if you suffer from dermatitis, eczema, or rosacea. Winter weather can be a huge trigger for painful flare ups.
But, it is possible to keep your complexion plump, healthy and glowing throughout the winter months. Gorgeous winter skin can be yours with Sonya’s top 5 winter skincare tips for preventing, soothing, and treating dry, itchy, skin.
Dry Skin Symptoms
Dry skin can affect everyone differently, but chances are if you are experiencing dry skin it is accompanied by any (or many) of the following:
- Cracked skin
- Itching
- Peeling, flaking, or scaling
- Redness
- Skin that feels rough or is gray and ashy
- Skin that feels tight, especially after you’ve washed your face or bathed
Sonya’s 5 Winter Skin Tips
1. Prep Your Home: Humidity usually drops in the winter along with the temperature. Heating your environment with central heat, space heaters, or fireplaces can lower the humidity in a room and make your skin dry. Place a humidifier in your bedroom or anywhere else you spend a lot of time.
2. Keep it Gentle: Harsh soaps, face cleansers and shampoos are created to strip oil from our skin or scalp. Opt for versions sans detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate, or look for products that claim to be sulfate free.
Sonya’s Pick: Sensi Face Wash - it's creamy, hydrating and soothes dry, itchy skin.
3. Skip the Long Hot Showers: Hot showers or baths may feel like a nice way to warm up. But hot water depletes our skin’s moisture, causing dryness and irritation. Opt for shorter showers using warm water and moisturize your face and body while your skin is still damp for optimum absorption.
Sonya’s Pick: Hoya Body Oil, Organic Omega Oil
4. Skincare Update: This is the perfect time to add a richer cream at night, such as a barrier repair balm, or to sleep with an overnight mask which helps keep skin moisturized while you sleep. You don’t need to swap out your entire regimen; just add a few key items during winter to help your skin adjust so it stays healthy all winter long.
Sonya’s Pick: Omega Sculpting Cream, Blue Butterfly Balm, Omega Overnight Sculpting Mask
5. Protect Your Skin From The Inside: Adding something as easy as an Omega-3 supplement to your daily routine can really make a huge difference in your skin. Omega-3s not only help bring moisture to your skin but are also known to help reduce red, dry, itchy skin, and especially help with dermatitis and psoriasis. If that’s not enough, Omega-3s can also help improve skin barrier function, sealing in moisture and keeping out irritants.
Now your skin does not have to suffer one more winter with dry, itchy, irritated skin. Giving your skin this extra TLC during these harsh winter months will make all the difference.
