I dread the winter time for many reasons: the days are shorter, the weather is miserable, and the snow only looks pretty when it first falls. The main reason I groan about winter is because of my skin. I have very dry skin in the first place so you can only imagine what happens to me during the winter. Here are some of the products and things I do to combat my dry skin during this time of year.
For all over the body:
Everyone is different, so find a moisturizer that you like. I’ve tried to go with some lighter ones so my clothes don’t stick to me. However, my skin is so bad that I need an extremely thick moisturizer. My favorite is Aquaphor Healing Ointment- Advanced Therapy which I typically buy at Target. I love it because it not only moisturizes my skin, but it also coats it, trapping moisture in.
For the face:
It’s important to know what you can and cannot use on your face. I used to use a face moisturizer by Eucerin (Eucerin Daily Protection Moisturizing Face Lotion), but the same Aquaphor lotion that I use on my body works just fine. If you are like me and have extremely dry skin, it might be better to only wash your face once a day. In warmer weather, I wash my face twice a day. I usually wash it at night to clear all of my makeup off and put moisturizer on afterward. Another thing to avoid is face washes with salicylic acid. It might be one of the biggest causes of your dry skin.
If your acne is getting worse, it could actually be due to your dry skin. Chances are your skin is producing more oil to try and make up for extreme dryness. This is one of the reasons why I only wash my face once a day during the winter. Do not avoid moisturizing the areas with acne, but do not smear the lotion on either. Lightly go over those areas with lotion. It is okay to treat it with makeup products that have salicylic acid, but do it in moderation. I use the Neutrogena Skin Cleanring blemish concealer pen.
For the hands:
My hands are the worst in the winter and are the hardest to keep moisturized, which is true for most people. My hands get to the point where they will bleed if I don’t take extreme measures to preserve their moisture. At night I either put on Aveeno Anti Itch or the Aquaphor lotion I was talking about earlier. It depends on whether or not my hands itch. Then, (this sounds crazy, I know) I have a pair of soft gloves that I wear to bed. This keeps the moisture in all night, which is good because my hands are uncovered all day. During the day, I moisturize with light lotions like Aveeno because anything thick will get in the way and smear everywhere. I also carry a coconut oil spray with me that works as a short term remedy when my hands hurt so bad that I can’t even grip a pen.
For the Lips:
My favorite thing to use is Blistex Lip Medex. I put some on every night before I go to bed and my lips stay soft and moisturized!
Showering:
It is important to avoid taking long, hot showers if your skin is dry. After a cold day, all we want is to take a hot shower while we ponder life, but trust me, avoiding these will help you in the long run. Make your showers quick and only warm instead of hot. There’s a new product out by Eucerin. It’s an in-shower lotion. After washing your body, you put this lotion on and then rinse it off. So far it’s been helping me by giving my body a little bit of moisture so my skin is not parched by the time my shower is over. After your shower, dry off and moisturize.
The great thing about all of these products is that they can be bought at most drugstores and Ulta is making them easily accessible and affordable! I hope this helps. I know what it's like to not be able to enjoy a simple shower because the water hurts or to feel your skin crack when you move. All of these products are great when used alone, so when used together they really work wonders.
