As the days get shorter and the temperatures continue to drop, you might feel like maintaining healthy and glowing skin during the winter might be a lost cause. 

Luckily, there are certain practices and steps you can take to prevent skin dryness from affecting your skin health during the winter season.

Follow these 7 dermatologist-approved tips for healthier skin in the winter.

Match Your Skin-Care Regimen to the Season

Some products lose their effectiveness during certain seasons. The right skincare product for your skin type during the summer may not be the best product to use during the winter months.

A good rule of thumb is to always adjust your skin-care regimen to the current season. 

For winter, choose cream-based cleansers to wash clogged pores instead of water-based products. Additionally, try to apply toners and astringent sparingly during this season. 

Plenty of astringents include alcohol in their ingredients. Alcohol can further dry your skin, causing git to feel itchy and irritated. 

Lower the Thermostat at Home

With the temperatures dropping lower outside, it’s no surprise that you’d want to crank up the heat to keep the inside of your home feeling nice and toasty. 

On a surface level, this might not seem like such a harmful thing to do; but for your skin, it can actually be detrimental. 

The truth of the matter is that central heat can cause indoor air to become drier. Dry air can draw moisture away from your skin, leading to cracked and even bleeding skin. 

Keep your thermostat in a comfortable setting — not so warm and not so cool. 

Don’t Forget to Moisturize

Moisturizing is not an activity reserved only for warmer weather. It’s good practice to moisturize your skin regularly during the winter months, too. 

Moderately cold temperatures are considered good for the skin — it constrains blood vessels, and as a result, the skin is less likely to experience swelling and redness. 

This is why it’s often used to treat and prevent hormonal acne when they start to flare up. 

However, the brisk coolness of winter is an entirely different story. 

Winter temperatures can cause moisture to evacuate the skin, causing it to dry, crack, and appear/feel irritated. 

Using a light cream or ointment to moisturize your skin (especially your hands) is a great way to restore natural and healthy glowing skin.

Invest in a Good Humidifier

If lowering the thermostat isn’t helping, another great way to increase moisture in your home is to run a humidifier in the rooms you visit most frequently. This includes your bedroom, living room, and even your dining room if you spend a lot of time in there during winter days. 

The extra moisture in the air will help keep your skin hydrated. 

Don’t Disregard Sun-Protection

Studies from the Skin Cancer Foundation have found that up to 80% of sun rays are reflected on snow, especially on bright winter days. This increases your risk of UV-ray exposure and skin cancer. 

It doesn’t matter if it looks particularly cloudy or gray outside — always wear sunscreen if you’re going out for errands or simply stroll in the snow. 

Dress Warmly and Comfortably

Plenty of cold-weather clothing ends up irritating and aggravating dry skin. 

A common example is wool and rough fabrics that have a tendency of scratching dry skin, causing it to become irritated.

To avoid this from happening, layering your clothes is highly recommended. 

Start with a soft, breathable base that’s comfortable against your skin. Cover this layer with a heavier and warmer layer, like a sweater. If you’re going out, don’t forget to wear a jacket. 

Remember to protect your hands with gloves or mittens that are thick enough to keep your palms and fingers warm. Also, make sure the materials that make up your gloves or mittens also won’t irritate your skin. 

Eat Right and Stay Hydrated

Supplementing your diet with foods that contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can help the skin stay healthy and hydrated during the winter months. It also helps to drink plenty of liquids, so make sure you always have a bottle of water or a warm drink with you at all times. 

The Bottom Line

Skincare is something that should be regularly practiced, not just during the warmer seasons, but during colder seasons like autumn and winter, too. 

As mentioned earlier, the dry air produced by colder weather can cause moisture to exit from the skin, leaving it feeling dry, cracked, and itchy. The best way to prevent those things from happening is by creating a skincare practice that is perfect for the time of the year. 

Don’t stick with just a single regimen — what worked for you in the summer might not for you during winter. 

Stick to the tips we’ve provided for you above and you should be good until the winter has passed. 

Happy Holidays!