Has the winter weather left your skin feeling dry and raw? Does your skin look dull? The cold winter winds can sap moisture from your skin. Skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis can be triggered by cold, dry air as well. At the same time, most of us are cranking up the thermostats in our homes, drying out our skin further with heat. As a result, your skin looks dull. Because of its lack of moisture, it can be much more sensitive than it is at other times of the year. The following are some simple steps you can take to baby your skin during the harsh winter months.

1. Use a Humidifier

Skin lacking moisture is dry and itchy! To counteract the effects of cold weather and heaters, utilize a warm- or cool-mist humidifier. Your irritated skin will be calmed by introducing moisture back into the air. It’s very important to change the water daily and to clean your humidifier regularly with bleach or white vinegar to keep bacteria from growing.

2. Avoid Hot Showers and Baths

When coming in from the cold, you may be aching for a hot shower or bath to get warm again. However, these will dry out your poor skin even more. The combination of cold weather and hot water temperatures damages your skin’s moisture barrier. This will reduce your skin’s ability to lock in the moisture it needs to remain soft and supple. By keeping the water temperature warm rather than hot, you will help your skin be less itchy and flaky.

3. Use Creams Rather Than Lotions

A heavier moisturizer or cream is a better choice than a lotion during the winter. Creams that contain ingredients like olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, or shea butter help your skin retain moisture. Lotions typically contain some alcohol content and as a result, are less moisturizing. Apply your cream immediately after a shower or bath while the skin is still slightly damp to help lock in moisture.

4. Take Care of Your Hair

The dry winter weather can be detrimental to your hair as well as your skin! Using blow dryers, straighteners, and other hair appliances may dry it out further. Use a deep conditioning treatment periodically and take breaks from using hot appliances on your hair whenever possible.

5. Eat Well

Foods that are rich in healthy fats replenish your skin’s lipid barrier. To help protect your skin from moisture loss, incorporate lots of Omega 3 fatty acids into your diet. Foods such as fish like salmon, flax seeds, avocado, safflower oil, and nuts will help nourish your skin from the inside.

7. Pamper Your Skin

While North Texas winters tend to be milder than other parts of the country, our winter weather still has the potential to wreak havoc on your skin. If your skin is already suffering from the effects of the colder temperatures, we can help. Make an appointment with Stonebriar Spa for one of our specialized facials to restore your skin’s health and radiance. Not sure which facial to choose? Ask us! Stonebriar Spa is a relationship-based spa. We want to help you find a customized solution for all of your skincare challenges.

6. Adopt a Good Winter Skincare Routine

Eminence Organics recommends a winter skincare routine that can help to soothe your suffering skin. This program will hydrate your skin and help restore its health and luster.

Cleanse

An oil-based cleanser such as the Stone Crop Cleansing Oil is beneficial for all skin types, moisturizing the skin with ingredients like sunflower oil and jojoba oil. It’s effective in drawing out oil-based impurities while preserving the lipid barrier of the skin.

Tone

Toner is to cleanser what conditioner is to shampoo. The Stone Crop Hydrating Mist provides a base layer of hydration to keep your skin replenished and soft.

Exfoliate

While exfoliation is the most effective method to reveal softer, smoother skin, care must be taken when exfoliating during the winter months. Because frigid temps can make your skin more sensitive, using a gentle product is key. Calm Skin Chamomile Exfoliating Peel can gently renew your skin without irritation, revealing soft, dewy skin once again.

Apply Essence

What is an essence? A facial essence is a lightweight fluid that shares properties of a toner and a serum. An essence such as the Birch Water Purifying Essence can deeply hydrate the skin, enabling it to better absorb the beneficial properties of other skincare products.

Moisturize

Protect your skin’s moisture barrier with a moisturizer or facial oil. The Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer contains coconut oil, shea butter, and grape seed oil for deep moisturization. The moisturizer also offers Green Apple Stem Cells, a natural Retinol alternative complex, to effectively reduce signs of aging. Another terrific option would be the award-winning Facial Recovery Oil. Infused with clary sage oil, olive oil, sage leaf extract and ylang-ylang, the product helps to hydrate and heal damaged winter skin. If your skin is so dry that it is cracking, using the Rosehip & Lemongrass Repair Balm can be used as a spot treatment for problem areas like your knees and elbows. It can even be used as a face cream to heal and protect damaged skin.

For a moisturizer that can be used on both your face and your body, Eminence’s Rosehip & Lemongrass Soothing Hydrator can be applied before the Rosehip & Lemongrass Repair Balm in order to lock in moisture. The product’s ingredients of Camphor and menthol provide a cooling effect that soothes irritated skin and helps protect it from the elements.

If you’ve lost your dewy glow, you can get it back! The frigid temperatures and blustery winds of winter don’t have to leave you with dry, raw skin. By taking these steps, you can keep your skin from suffering from the winter weather blues.

How to Beat the Winter Skin Blues