Apart from the snowflakes, Winter also brings about skin flaking in people with extremely dry skin. It gets itchy, dry, and tight, and brings about an overall feeling of discomfort that may hinder our daily life. To get rid of dry, flakey, and irritated skin, it is important to incorporate products like a Lotion For Dry Skin and have a dedicated skincare routine with skin care products that further manage and prevent the damaged skin barrier via simple yet effective products like natural face wash, a bath emollient, and moisturizing creams for further soothing and repairing skin and skin barrier.
Why Does My Skin Get Excessively Dry During Winter?
Dry skin tends to get excessively dry during winter due to the sudden dip in humidity. Humidity loosens up the “glue” that holds up our skin cells that make up the outermost layer of the skin which is called the epidermal layer. Our skin is broadly made up of 3 major layers.
- The lowermost layer that provides insulation.
- The middle layer that has the blood vessels and nerves.
- The outermost layer that provides protection.
Drying of skin happens in the outermost layer.
The indoor heaters, cold harsh winds, and the low humidity levels all add upto snatching the natural moisture of your skin. While dry skin isn’t really a serious problem, it may lead to further complications if unattended to. Prolonged, unattended dry skin condition may lead to Xerosis (Eczema), and to secondary bacterial infections that might need medical attention.
The good news is dry skin conditions can be managed and prevented with simple yet effective products like a lotion for dry skin, readily available all around the world.
Tips to Manage Dry Skin in Winter :
Choose a syndet bar for bathing. Harsh soaps strip away your skin’s natural oil, making it irritated and drier, giving an overall dry, irritated feeling of discomfort.
Introduce bath emollients in the bath water to prevent transepidermal water loss which is a common occurrence while bathing. Emollients make up for the water loss and make a thin protective film on your skin thus preventing any further water loss.
Double it up with a lotion for dry skin to ensure ample hydration and moisturization. Choosing your lotion for dry skin diligently could solve a major fraction of your dry skin issues. Pick a lotion for dry skin that is developed in accordance with the skin’s natural lipid composition to help prevent any further allergic reactions while it helps soothe and moisturize the skin. Look for components like Ceramides, GHA, and Cholesterol that help provide hydration and moisturization to the skin and thus prevent any dry skin complications.
Choose a Natural Face Wash for the gentle cleansing that does not strip off your skin’s natural oil. Our facial skin is relatively thinner and more sensitive, so being extra diligent with the facial skincare products is paramount to use gentle products.
Choose a gentle shampoo too, you may observe scalp flaking that might appear like dandruff but they are only the dried-up skin flakes on your scalp as a result of harsh, drying shampoo. Choosing a conditioning shampoo that is pH-balancing and SLS-free might help you dodge the situation.
Curating a skincare routine, especially for dry skin type may help manage and prevent dry skin further, as lack of hydration leads to accelerated skin aging, it’s important for you to have a preventative skincare routine that replenishes your skin’s moisture level and keeps it hydrated.
- Gentle Cleanser
- Hydrating Toner with Humectants
- Hydrating Serums (like Hyaluronic Acid Serum)
- Moisturizer formulated with Humectants, Occlusives, and Emollients
- Humectants: Capture water from its surroundings and accumulate it on the skin’s surface. E.g.: Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, Glycerin, and Lecithin.
- Occlusives: Form a thin greasy layer on the skin thus sealing the water molecules brought by humectants on the layer of the skin. E.g.: Petrolatum, Silicone, Lanolin.
- Emollients: Smoothens the skin by filling in the space between skin cells. E.g.: Linoleic acids, Linolenic Acids, and Lauric Acids.
Choose a moisturizer that is made up of all the above-mentioned key ingredients to ensure proper and restoring hydration.
5. Protect with a hydrating sunscreen to prevent further photodamage that eventually results in skin damage and dryness. Sunscreen has to be the most non-negotiable part of your skincare routine irrespective of your skin type.
Quick Tips To Prevent Dry Skin In Winter:
- Use lukewarm water for bathing, avoid too hot or too cold water as it strips off oil further.
- While layering your clothes, ensure the first and foremost layer is of cotton or any other soft non-irritable fabric to avoid friction and further skin damage.
- Minimize your bathing time up to 5-7 minutes to prevent excessive washing off of the skin’s natural oil.
- Avoid bath sponges/loofahs, or body scrubs as it might further irritate your already compromised skin barrier.
- Installing a humidifier helps prevent excessive skin drying.
- Avoid heavily scented laundry detergents as they might irritate the skin when they come in direct contact.
- While shaving your skin, make sure to use gentle shaving foam or cream and leave it on for at least 60 seconds for a hassle-free, non-irritable shaving experience.
Hopefully, these small tips and tricks will help you have a nourished, replenished, and hassle-free winter. Make sure to enjoy it all of the Holiday season while also maintaining healthy and happy skin.
