15 Cold Weather Skin Care Tips

As much as I love the change of seasons it can really wreak havoc on your skin. Winter weather, indoor heating, and cold dry air all mess with our skin’s natural barrier and can cause a ton of problems. during the winter months. If you have sensitive skin, you can be especially effected by it. Dryness, flaking, eczema flare up, and chafing are just a few of the issues. Taking care of your skin isn’t just about the glowy beautiful skin, although who doesn’t love that? It is also important to take care of your skin so it functions properly. So in today’s post I am sharing 15 cold weather skin care tips.

15 Cold Weather Skin Care Tips

Switch to a Gentle Cleanser

Many cleansers can be too drying during the winter months. Consider switching up your cleanser with something with moisturizing ingredients and a gentle formula. A cream based or balmy cleanser will cleanse your face without stripping any of your natural oils or drying your skin out further. I love this balm cleanser. It feels spa like and easily gets all of your make up off while still being gentle. Don’t forget your body wash! It needs to be gentle and moisturizing too. Some moisturizing ingredients to look for are: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, salicylic acid and ceramides.

Many facial cleansers that fight acne are especially drying. If you need to keep using yours consider only using it in the evening and not twice a day. Cutting down even a little bit may help with dry, irritated winter skin.

Avoid Harsh Exfoliants

Exfoliating is very important for your skin, even during the harsh cold weather. But it is important not to overdo it. Getting rid of the dead top layer of skin will allow the moisturizing products and serums to be able to penetrate better. Stick to a light exfoliator, like these pads, for your face. To exfoliate your body, this scrubber does a great job and you can use any body wash that you like with it.

Add a Product with Hyaluronic Acid

You may heard of Hyaluronic acid because it’s become a very popular ingredient in skincare lately. Hyaluronic acid pulls moisture to the surface of your skin. So you can see how it would be a great ingredient for skincare. Focus on a serum with this ingredient to wear under a moisturizer. It provides another layer and way of getting moisture to your skin. I haven’t tried this serum but it has been highly recommended.

Take it Slow with Retinol

Retinol has many great benefits, including anti-aging. It has been part of my skincare routine for years (see my routine here). One of the cons of retinol is that it can really dry out your skin. It can even make it flake. During the harshest cold weather, step down on the amount and frequency of use. I apply every 2-3 days and cut down to 3-4 days.

Add in Oils

Face or body oils provide great hydration to the skin. Depending on the oil, they can also have other benefits as well. Oils provide a protective barrier on your skin. They soften dry, flaky skin and make your skin smoother. Many people are scared of oils, thinking they will break you out. But that is just not the case. Even if you have oily skin you can benefit from face oil. My absolute favorite one is Beauty Counter’s Vitamin C Oil. I have used it every night for over 4 years! (Full post here) Another less expensive oil that I like is this one.

Add in a Thick Moisturizer

Dry skin is craving moisture! One of the best ways to do it is apply a thick moisturizer as the last step in your skin care routine. Not only will it provide moisture, but it will seal in all the serums and products as well as the natural oils in your skin. You want something that can really sink into your skin. If you are currently using something light, I would suggest changing it for something heavier. This Nivea one is my favorite and I have a whole post dedicated to it here. This is another great option.

Schedule a HydraFacial

If you don’t regularly get facials, winter may be the time of year to splurge on one. Not only will it be relaxing but an esthetician can give you some personalized recommendations when they look at your skin. There are all kinds of facials that can soothe irritated skin and be moisturizing but my favorite is a hydrafacial. They simultaneously exfoliate and layer serum on to your face. You’ll look glowy and your skin will feel better immediately.

If you are local to OKC, I highly recommend @beautybysarahann.

Protect with Vaseline

Vaseline is an occlusive, which means it provides a physical barrier to lock in moisturize. For the areas that really need some help with dry skin or irritation, layer on some Vaseline. It seals everything else in and helps soothe. Because it doesn’t have any active ingredients, it is especially great for sensitive skin. Year round I put Vaseline on my under eye area and my lips. Extra bonus is how affordable Vaseline is!

Steam your Face

I’ve done an entire post on facial steaming (see here). The summary is that it has many great skin benefits and one of the biggest ones is adding moisture to you skin. Even just a few minutes can be hugely beneficial.

Keep Wearing Sunscreen

Sunscreen is many times overlooked in the winter months because it is more associated with warm weather and summer activities. Sunscreen is crucial year round! It protects your skin and so many problems with it. Plus if you ever out in the snow, you are more likely to get a sunburn because the suns rays are reflected by the snow. I use Glowscreen everyday under makeup or not. I have a list of other sunscreens I love here.

Use a Humidifier

Dry winter weather and indoor heating zap all the moisture from the air. In turn, the dry air pulls moisture from your skin. A humidifier adds moisture back into the air. So just being in the moist hair is beneficial. Humidifiers are also great whenever you are sick too.

Hydrate

We all have been told to drink plenty of water. It really does make a difference, especially in your skin. You are hydrating it within. No matter how great a serum or moisturizer is, it can’t work from within. When skin is properly hydrated it is also in better condition to fight the problems that come with cold weather.

Staying hydrated is a real challenge for me. I’ve learned that I just have to have water with me 24/7 so I am constantly working on it. This stanley tumbler has become my go to. I have it at my desk all the time and keep it with me on the weekends too.

Avoid Hot Showers or Baths

While nothing sounds better after being in the cold weather, a scalding hot shower or bath is not great for your skin. Hot water can aggravate your skin and dry it out and can even lead to itchy skin or a rash. Another issue is that it can damage your skin barrier too. Keep your shower temp at a mild warm shower to avoid doing any more harm to it and keep the shower shorter too!

Wear Winter Appropriate Clothes

Proper winter clothing can help prevent winter weather skin issues. Hands take a beating in the cold and aren’t as likely to be covered as other parts of your body. Insulated gloves can protect your skin from wind and cold air. If you have to be outside for awhile make sure you have extra layers on and clothing that stays dry. Any damp clothing, especially the layer closest to your body can really irritate your skin.

Listen to Your Skin

It may seem counter to all the tips on this list, but don’t make too many changes at once. A whole new routine can actually hurt more than help. Take it slow and implement a couple tips at a time depending on what your skin needs.

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