Winter Skin Care Guide: How to Get Your Winter Glow This Year

The chill is in the air and the winter months are setting in! Are you ready? More specifically, is your skin ready? The air changes in every season and this (along with other factors) affects your skin. Here’s how to spend this winter with healthier, glowing skin.

Hydrate Like You Mean It

The most noticeable and distinctive way that the winter season affects your skin is dryness. Fall and winter air is less humid than air in the warmer months. When the air is dry, it pulls moisture out of everything it can – including your skin. As a result, your skin might feel dry and tight, and it might get flaky and itchy.

To counteract this as much as possible, make moisturizing a priority this winter. Use a moisturizer in the morning and at night, right after you shower and/or wash your face, so it locks in that hydration. You might also want to switch to a rich moisturizer if you were using a lightweight moisturizer in the summer.

Keep Your Sun Protection Going

Everyone knows that you need to wear sunscreen in the summer, but one of the most common skin care mistakes is skipping the sunscreen when it gets cold outside. While you might not feel the sun on your skin as much, it’s still causing damage that can age you faster and contribute to skin cancer, so keep that sunscreen in your morning routine.

Invest in Sun Damage Repair

Speaking of sun damage, winter is also a great time to repair some of the damage your skin might have picked up over the summer since you probably won’t be spending as much time outside. Incorporate a reparative skin care product into your routine so you can use the chilly indoor days to your skin’s advantage.

Work Hydration into Multiple Products in Your Skin Care Routine

We’ve already talked about why your skin gets dry in the summer and how you can combat it with a great moisturizer. But speaking as someone with perpetually dry skin, sometimes even the best moisturizer just won’t cut it and you need to take some extra steps. If you’re still having dry skin this winter even when using moisturizer twice a day, you can make your other skin care products more hydrating too. For example, swap out your cleanser for a gentler, more hydrating cleanser. Incorporate a hydrating serum or face mask. And don’t forget the lip balm too.

Keep the Heat Down

While it’s mostly the dry air that makes your skin dry in the winter, there are some other factors that can make it worse too – mostly heat. I know you want to crank up that space heater and get cozy on a cold night, but artificial heat dries out your skin further. Hot water does this too, so don’t make your showers too hot and limit your time in the shower.

Consider Professional Skin Treatments

If you’ve been thinking about some professional skin treatments, especially ones that require some healing time, winter is the perfect opportunity. A lot of these treatments require you to minimize your sun exposure for a few weeks after the treatment so that your skin can heal better. Some treatments, like laser therapy, even require you to avoid sun exposure for a few weeks before the procedure too. It’s a lot easier to do that in the winter when you’re spending more time cozying up with a cheesy movie at home than sunbathing. Just make sure you time them appropriately with the holidays so you aren’t feeling self-conscious at holiday parties with skin that’s still healing or peeling.

Aim for Gentler Skin Care Products

Did you know that dry skin is sensitive skin? Moisture is a key part of your skin’s natural protective barrier, and when your skin is dry, that barrier is weaker. This makes you more affected by irritants like fragrances and other potentially inflammatory skin care ingredients. So naturally, your skin will be more sensitive in the winter when it tends to be drier. If you notice that you start breaking out or getting irritation from products that worked fine for you a few months ago, that’s probably why. Consider switching to products that are designed for sensitive skin during this season.

Getting Your Winter Glow

This winter you don’t have to have the frustration of dull or dry skin. You can get your glow on just as much as the twinkle lights and candles with a few simple changes to your skin care routine. Put these winter skin care tips into action and enjoy the winter wonderland with healthier skin this year.