Winter is great for drinking hot chocolate, taking cute pictures in the snow and snuggling up by the fire, but unfortunately, it is no good for your skin. Xerosis is the official term for dry, itchy skin that pops up during winter and causes you a lot of issues. Although it is uncomfortable and unsightly, it is unavoidable, so don’t put up with it a moment longer! Here are some of the best tips on how to maintain your skin during those cold winter months.
Moisturise
This is pretty obvious – if your skin is dry, it needs to be moisturized. However, what isn’t obvious is the magic ingredient that you need to check for on your moisturizer. Lactic acid is great for binding moisture and smoothing your skin, keeping that all important moisture locked in. Look for thicker formulas, rather than thinner lotions as these will keep your skin more hydrated.
Keep it warm, not hot
When you hop in the shower, as tempting as it might be, don’t make the water too hot. This will make the water evaporate quickly as soon as you step foot out of the water, taking with it some of the moisture that is on your skin. Keep your showers relatively short, and avoid making them too hot in order to protect your surface moisture. Make sure you put on some thick moisturizer straight after showering too as this is when your skin will be able to absorb it best.
Avoid alcohol
We know, we know, it keeps you warm during those cold winter evenings, and that’s fine, but don’t go rubbing it into your skin. Moisturisers or lotions that have alcohol in them can be very drying unless you opt for a fatty alcohol such as cetyl alcohol. Keep your eyes peeled when looking at the ingredients of your lotions.
Problem Spots
Some of us really suffer from dry skin in specific places, such as our elbows, lips, and feet. If this is the case look towards petroleum jelly or Vaseline to provide some moisture. Your palms and the bottom of your feet can get dry really easily as they don’t have the same sebaceous glands as the rest of our skin which means that we do not secrete sebum from these places. Make sure you pay these areas extra attention.
Try a humidifier
If you wake up with really dry skin, this could be a sign that you need to invest in a humidifier. This will replace some of the moisture that is sucked out of the atmosphere by heating systems, and your skin will thank you for it!
Keeping your skin in tip-top condition during the winter shouldn’t be too much of a chore. Choose a good moisturizer and make sure you check the ingredients. Apply it after a warm, but not hot, shower and use a humidifier. Et voila – beautiful, soft skin all year around!
