Winter is a wonderful time of year full of winter sports, holiday cheer, and snow! However, it’s also a rough time of year for your skin as it can become dry and irritated. For example, have you ever noticed how your skin is drier when the temperature drops, even when it’s sleeting and snowing outside? Some of my patients have noticed their skin is itchier when it’s cold.
Seasonal changes can impact how your skin feels. However, it is also important to make sure it isn’t a different root cause, such as a hormonal imbalance. The first step to solving skin problems is always to address the root cause by working with your doctor. And the next step is to practice self-care with five winter skin care tips that will keep your skin healthy not only in the winter but all year long.
Hydrate from the Inside Out
You should always drink a lot of water for your body and skin. You can also drink herbal teas or hot water with lemon. You can also stay hydrated by incorporating the right fats and oils into your diet. Eat healthy oils like avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil and avoid processed/packaged ones. Make sure your digestion is working well so you absorb the good fats you are eating.
Protect Your Skin
A lot of people believe you don’t need to use sunscreen in the winter. That is a myth. You can get skin damage at any time of the year. Keep using sunscreen even if it feels cold outside. I recommend using a mineral sunblock with zinc oxide like the ones found over in The SpaDr shop. Make sure to also apply to the tops of your hands as they can be exposed too.
Protect Your Skin’s Barrier Function
Use products with the perfect pH (with mild acidity). This helps ensure a healthy foundation for your skin and supports the skin microbiome. Just because you are using certain ingredients that are considered natural doesn’t mean they are safe for the skin. Your skin has a specific pH that is naturally slightly acidic. Using some natural ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda, or even water can disrupt your skin’s natural pH and protective barrier functions. The Spa Dr. Daily Essentials 4-Step Skin Care System is perfectly pH balanced to support your skin.
Do Regular Gentle Exfoliation
Another important winter skin care tip is to exfoliate – but do it gently. If you are already on a good skin care regiment, such as The Spa Dr. Daily Essentials, exfoliation should be done once per week. Try a product like our Pearl & Rose Petal Exfoliant, which has finely ground pearls so it’s not abrasive on the skin. You want to make sure you are not damaging the skin but exfoliating it in a gentle way. Your skin is even more sensitive in the winter so go easy on it. When your skin’s protective barrier is damaged, it is at risk for infections and experiencing skin issues. This should be avoided.
Moisturize Your Skin
Using the right oils on your skin can help you get the exact amount of moisture you need. You can combine the products in the Daily Essentials. For example, you can combine STEP 3 RENEW: Enriched Moisturizer and use a little bit of that mixed with STEP 4 ENHANCE: Glow Boost to make it even more hydrating and nourishing. The right oils will make your skin feel luxurious and soft even in the winter months when your skin tends to feel drier. Don’t be afraid to use oils even if you have oily, acne-prone skin, the right oils will leave behind a natural glow and not make you break out.
When you follow these five winter skin care tips they will also help you avoid dry chapped lips and dry, brittle hair. However, if you need a little extra moisture, you can also use oils like The Spa Dr. Glow Boost here too. You can put it on the tips of your hair and even on your lips. You can also make a homemade lip balm made with shea butter, cocoa butter and essential oils instead of petroleum products and synthetic fragrance. Remember, what you put on your lips, you end up eating.
If you get caught out in cold, windy weather, you can use healing salves with antioxidant-rich, soothing ingredients on your face. They have natural ingredients and are very nourishing when you have dry chapped areas from being out in the cold weather. All-Purpose Salve and Jane’s Golden Salve from Barlow Herbals are two that I recommend.
I hope that gives you some ideas for tips for healthy skin this winter season and the rest of the year!
The Spa Dr.® Approach
At The Spa Dr.®, our approach is to help shine the light on skin care information and offer our guidance to nurture your skin care journey. We believe we provide information that will help support your self-care and healing, and we want you to feel safe and cared for within our community.
The Spa Dr.® offers natural skin care products that are safe and free from chemicals and toxins that can harm your skin and health. Our products are formulated to contain key nutrients in their pure and active form in order to provide optimal results. In addition, our products are pH balanced towards mild acidity to promote and protect a healthy skin microbiome.
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Reader Interactions
I really love the winter as it is synonymous for the Holidays (For me at least) but it really is a bummer to have a winter dry skin, I usually use Solvaderm to moisturize but after getting out of the bathing, my skin would just dry out. Your tips are a great read! I never thought it was this simple