Conquer Winter Skin Dryness Before It Starts

 

As the cooler months settle in—even here in Texas, where winter can feel more like a brisk breeze than a blizzard—our skin faces challenges that demand a little extra TLC. Winter skin dryness affects most of us at some point during the season… unless we stay on top of it!

Cooler weather and indoor heating can wreak havoc on your skin’s health and hydration. Fortunately, knowing why it happens and how to keep it nourished will help you maintain a glowing complexion all season long.

 

What Causes Winter Skin Dryness?

Even in warmer climates, winter weather can mean drier air, lower humidity, and central heating—all of which rob the skin of its natural moisture. This can leave your skin feeling tight, flaky, and more sensitive. 

If you spend time outdoors, cooler winds can strip away protective oils, while indoor heaters can zap the moisture right out of the air (and your skin). Over time, this dryness leads to irritation, redness, and possibly even more visible fine lines and wrinkles.

 

 

Tips for Winter Skin Care

If you don’t have a dedicated skincare routine, winter is the perfect time to make one. It’s also a good idea to swap out some of your stronger, harsher products for more hydrating, gentle options. 

While these skin care tips are essential year-round, they can be a game changer for preventing and healing winter skin dryness.

Avoid Hot Showers and Baths

Yes, long, hot showers feel amazing during winter, but they’re terrible for your skin. Hot water disrupts your skin’s protective barrier and washes away moisture-saving natural oils. Opt for warm, not hot. (If you really need that hot shower to warm up, keep it under 15 minutes or less.) And follow every shower and cleanse with moisturizing serums and creams.

Use a Humidifier 

If your home or office feels particularly dry, a humidifier can make a world of difference in keeping your skin hydrated.

Stay Hydrated 

Drinking water is always crucial for your skin and overall health. In addition to drinking water and (in moderation) other fluids, fruits and vegetables also supply hydration.
Eat a Nutritious Diet

In addition to providing hydration, different foods provide skin-healthy nutrients that keep you glowing year-round. These include fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean proteins, dairy products, and whole grains.

 

 

Best Ingredients for Winter Skin Dryness

When your skin feels parched during the winter, choosing products with hydrating and nourishing ingredients that protect and repair your skin barrier is vital. 

Here’s what to look for when scanning those ingredient lists.

Cleansers

• Swap Out — Foaming formulas for gentle cream-based or oil-based cleansers that remove impurities without stripping your skin of natural oils.
  
• Best Ingredients to Look For — Glycerin, ceramides, or aloe vera to cleanse and moisturize simultaneously.

Moisturizers

• Swap Out — Harsh moisturizers with added fragrances, alcohols, and many essential oils, as these ingredients can lead to dryness.
  
• Best Ingredients to Look For — deeply moisturizing and skin barrier-protecting ingredients, such as:
  • Humectants, such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, draw moisture from the air into your skin, leaving it plump and hydrated.
  • Emollients, like shea butter and squalane, smooth and soften the skin by filling in gaps between skin cells.
  • Occlusives are best for very dry skin and include petrolatum, beeswax, or lanolin, which help lock in moisture by creating a protective barrier.
  • Ceramides, synthetic versions of the natural fatty lipids in our skin, protect the skin’s barrier and lock in moisture.

Exfoliators

• Swap Out — Harsh scrubs, abrasive tools, and chemical exfoliators, like the retinoids and salicylic acid mentioned above. Gentle exfoliation is helpful in cooler weather, but rougher ones disrupt the skin’s barrier, leading to dryness and peeling skin.
  
• Best Ingredients to Look For — Besides mild AHAs (such as lactic acid), enzyme-based exfoliants are great for sensitive skin, gently removing dead skin cells using natural enzymes from fruits like papaya or pineapple. Daily facial scrubs with softer microbeads and gentler cleansing tools are better during cold weather.

Face Oils

• Swap Out — Oils that contain added fragrances, alcohol, or water. The first two dry the skin, and water decreases the concentration of the moisturizing oil, potentially reducing its beneficial effects.
  
• Best Ingredients to Look For — Nourishing, non-comedogenic oils like jojoba, rosehip, argan, and marula oil provide extra hydration, skin-healthy vitamins, and protection without clogging pores.

Masks

• Swap Out — Sheet masks are popular and seem to deliver quick hydration. However, most of them (especially lower-priced ones) have highly diluted ingredients and don’t offer as many benefits as they advertise.
  
• Best Ingredients to Look For — Instead of sheet masks, look for ultra-hydrating rinse-off or overnight masks in gel or cream formulas with ingredients like aloe vera, honey, Vitamin E, squalane, urea, or any of the other best ingredients already listed. 

Lip and Body Care

Don’t forget to moisturize those lips, hands, feet, and other body parts that get dry during the winter! For lips, look for balms with lanolin, shea butter, and beeswax, and avoid those with drying ingredients like menthol and perfumes.

For your hands and other body parts, use lotions and creams with similar ingredients you need for your face, including glycerin, urea, jojoba oil, shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides.

 

 

MedSpa Treatments for Winter Skin Care

Sometimes, your skin needs professional care to combat winter skin dryness. Here are a few MedSpa treatments that work wonders for hydration and skin health.

• HydraFacial — This treatment cleanses, exfoliates, and infuses your skin with hydrating serums, leaving it plump and glowing. It’s gentle enough for all skin types and is a favorite during the colder months (and honestly, all year long).

• Chemical Peels — Generally speaking, you want to avoid regularly using chemical exfoliants that cause consistent peeling during dryer months. But winter is the ideal time for professional chemical peels, as there’s less sun exposure. Peels remove dull, dry skin, revealing smoother and healthier skin underneath.
  
• Dermaplaning — Using a safe but sharp surgical blade, an aesthetician can effectively “shave” away the topmost layer of dead, dying, and flaking skin and peach fuzz. This treatment leaves you with smoother, healthier skin and allows hydrating products to penetrate more effectively.

• LED Light Therapy — Red light therapy boosts circulation, reduces redness, and helps with skin hydration and healing.
  

 

 

Prevent Winter Skin Dryness Before It Starts

Keeping your skin healthy and hydrated during winter doesn’t have to be a chore. 

You can enjoy soft, radiant skin no matter the season with a regular routine, hydrating products, and occasional MedSpa treatments. Following a healthy skincare routine and employing the other tips mentioned here may even stop winter skin dryness before it starts.

Remember, consistency is key! The proper routine and care for your skin will show in a glowing, healthy complexion, no matter how chilly it is outside.

If you’re unsure what would be best for your skin type and condition, schedule an appointment for a free consultation. We want to help your skin look and feel its absolute best!