Winter has its pros—we love snow days, warm beverages, and the general coziness that comes along with the colder months. Unfortunately, winter does however do a number on our skin, particularly when it comes to dryness. While dry winter skin is common and perfectly normal, that doesn't make it any more fun to deal with. But never fear! We've identified some of the main culprits of dry winter skin, and easy ways to keep your skin happy and hydrated all winter long (hint: yes, we are going to remind you to drink water).
Top 5 Dry Skin Culprits:
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Diet. Excess drinking or salt + sugar. In these colder, shorter days of self-isolation, it's understandable if you might imbibe more often, or require more of a caffeine pick me up in the mornings. Alcohol and caffeine are serious fun, but also serious dehydrators. Similar to drinking increased salt, and sugar intake can cause dehydration. Winter treats tend to be rich in salt and sugar, which can lead to bloating and increased fluid retention. Dehydration=drier skin. The remedy? Drink more water, of course! The best way to keep skin hydrated is to keep your body hydrated, so swap out that second cup of coffee for decaf herbal tea, and check out this post on how to hydrate from the inside out.
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Excess heat. It's cold outside, so naturally, we kick up the heat indoors. But dry heat from radiators or heating systems pull out moisture in the air and thus, your skin. This means we've got to up our hydration game and moisturize more frequently. For this we love using our Hydrating Body Oil, Hydrating Facial Toner, and Regenerative Facial Serum and making sure to applying them day and night. Also, we'd recommend putting on a cozy sweater and wool socks and turning the heat down a notch or two, and you guessed it, drinking more water. Are we sensing a theme here?
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Hot Showers. This one may come as a surprise. Water is supposed to be hydrating, right? However, retaining skin's moisture relies partly on its natural oils, which hot water strips away. When it's cold nothing warms quite like a nice hot shower so it seems so cruel that it would actually dry out your skin. For an easy fix, try applying our Hydrating Body Oil as soon as you get out of the shower while skin is still dewy. The beads of water on your skin will reabsorb as you massage it in and the natural oils will nourish and create a protective barrier to help your skin retain its moisture.
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More hand washing. Every winter is considered "cold season", and we're always encouraged to wash our hands more when temperatures and immune systems take a dip. Conventional soap can strip hands of moisture since it's full of drying detergents, so opt to choose a gentle, natural alternative. Our Hand + Body Wash is moisturizing and will cleanse away germs and bacteria but won't strip away your skin's natural oil. Learn more about what makes our soaps so special here. Pro tip: Our Detox and Coffee Body Scrubs are deeply moisturizing, and can do wonders for dry, chapped hands making them a great winter time treatment!
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Cold, dry winter air. Let's not forget the basics: winter air is just dry. Cold winter air carries less humidity than warm air, so it quite literally pulls moisture from the skin. What to do? Create a barrier between your skin and the frigid air. Our Regenerative Facial Serum is our best-seller and fan favorite for dozens of reasons but in this case, its nourishing ingredients actually help your skin retain moisture and it provides a thin but crucial layer of protection against environmental stressors.
We hope these tips are helpful! Wishing you wellness, coziness, and ample hydration as we get through the long winter together! And, as always, keep drinking water.
