Winter skincare tips for dry skin

The extreme conditions in winter can take a toll on your skin making it difficult to keep it looking and feeling healthy throughout the colder months. Cold temperatures, rain, snow, freezing winds… Not to mention the change in temperature when your skin is exposed to heat from fireplaces, heaters and heat pumps. These environmental conditions can cause skin to get dry, flaky, or even crack (which can lead to psoriasis or eczema).

Here are some of our best winter skincare tips and some of our fave moisturising products to help you banish tight, dry skin this winter:

Avoid super hot showers and baths

It may feel amazing to douse yourself in hot water after a day out in the cold, but doing so can actually break down important protective barriers in the skin and can lead to moisture loss. Stick with regular warm water and use a moisturising body wash to help prevent your skin from drying out too much.

Change any water-soaked clothing

If you get wet from the rain, pick up wet objects with your gloves or step in any puddles that cause wet socks, change out your clothes as soon as you can. Having cold, damp clothing on your skin – especially your hands or feet – can cause the skin to crack.

Keep the inside air humid

It may be tempting to blast the dehumidifier or office central heating to get rid of dampness and the cold, but running them excessively can dry out your skin too much. Humidifiers help to not only increase moisture levels in the home, but disperse moisture more evenly, so it may be something to look into.

Hydrate from the inside out

This is unlikely to have much effect on flaky skin that has resulted from weather conditions, but it’s something you should be doing for your health! Make sure you drink plenty of water to help your body feel hydrated and healthy on the inside as well as out.

Exfoliate to get rid of dry skin

This is supposed to be part of your normal skincare routine anyway, but we know it doesn’t always get done! Use quality exfoliating products to help your skin’s rejuvination process.

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

Dry air steals away moisture, and a moisturiser that works well for you in the summertime may not be adequate for using in winter as well. This is why it’s important to revise your skincare regime in the colder months. Here are some of our favourite moisturising products for very dry skin:

ECOYA Hand Cream (RRP $29.95)
This gorgeous lotus flower hand cream with nourishing macadamia oil is delicate, nourishing, and moisturises without leaving a greasy feeling.
Lucas’ Papaw Ointment
Used as a remedy for a stackload of skin issues including insect bites, sunburn and minor burns, it also makes a fab lip treatment for super dry lips. Keep a handy-sized tube in your handbag and you’ll have luscious lips all day long. The website also says the ointment also been reported to provide temporary relief for symptoms of dermatitis and eczema.
Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Body Cream (RRP $29.90, 150ml)
An intense body moisturiser suitable for everyday use, your skin will feel hydrated, nourished and silky smooth thanks to the blend of evening primrose, jojoba and certified organic rosehip oils.
NIVEA In-Shower Body Lotion (RRP $9.49)
This product won’t be hitting the shelves until September 2013, but we thought it was worth a mention as it’s a new concept, we’ve been giving it a go and we absolutely love it! If you find yourself constantly too busy to moisturise, this is the product for you; a moisturiser that you can tack on to the end of your shower regime (note: this is not a moisturising body wash). Just wash as usual, then step back from the shower stream and apply the In-Shower Body Lotion; it will quickly absorb, and then you can rinse and dry off. Your skin will likely still feel like it needs some recovery care after winter is over, so keep an eye out for this on the shelves. Available for very dry skin and normal to dry skin.