For many, the frosty weather is soon arriving. Winters are all about peaceful nights, hot chocolate, puffy jackets, and cozy fires - but unfortunately, this comes at a price. The cold weather that makes us want to bundle up and keep warm can also cause discouraging skin issues throughout the season.

From dry skin and chapped lips to a duller skin tone, there are a plethora of skin problems that come as part and parcel of the winter season. The cold winds and dryness in the air strip our skin of its moisture which can cause visible issues.

Although there are amazing skin products and treatments available to tackle these problems, prepping the skin before the chilly weather begins is the best way to help it stay soft, supple, and glowing through the season. Your skin will thank you for being proactive and taking care of it!

Transitioning into Fall and Winter 2020, we are just in time to bring you some tried and true tips to care for your skin. If you add them to your skincare regimen now, your skin will be ready to brace winters and stay hydrated as well as radiant even in the cold temperatures.

1. Stay Hydrated

Skincare is not only about product application. What you eat and how much water you drink plays a very important role in what your skin looks like.

For healthy, glowing skin, drink 10-12 glasses of water every day. An adequate water intake will supply your skin with the nourishing hydration it needs. Along with hydration, drinking enough water improves blood circulation and flushes out harmful toxins from the body which can help improve several health conditions.

2. Exfoliate Regularly

All the dead skin accumulated over the surface of our skin contributes towards a dull, uneven complexion. It also develops flakes which can be tough to get rid of. By exfoliating regularly, you can make sure that your skin won't build up dead skin, dirt or other impurities that can cause further blemishes.

Exfoliation is a deep-cleaning method for which you can use both a scrub and a tool such as a dry brush, loofah, or a gentle scrub pad for facial use. 

Several beauty brands have amazing scrubs in their collections with natural ingredients to help gently exfoliate the skin and infuse nutrients. Similarly, you can also make a DIY scrub using coffee grounds, brown sugar, and coconut oil to achieve good exfoliation results.

Exfoliate at least once a week if possible, and do it while you are in the shower for optimum results. Pay special attention towards exfoliating the heels of your feet as well, as dead skin can turn into unsightly calluses if you don’t treat them early on. 

3. Take Faster Baths (or Showers)

We all love to submerge in a tub filled with warm water, and look forward to a long, relaxing soak after a tough day. However, a long hot bath is not a good thing for our skin - especially in winter.

Instead, it would be best if you took quicker showers with lukewarm water so that your skin is not stripped of its natural moisture. Submerging in hot water for longer periods of time can cause the skin to create more oils which can lead to breakouts. Similarly, extremely sensitive skin can show longer-lasting redness after a particularly hot soak. WebMD suggests limiting shower time to under 10 minutes, and limit yourself to a bath once or twice a month. 

4. Massage With Sweet Almond Oil

Sweet almond oil is known to treat skin dryness for all skin types. It is widely used as a treatment for scars, as well. If you want to heal dry skin and give a glow to your face, massage it with almond oil daily before going to bed. 

Facial massage with almond oil vastly improves the condition of the skin by encouraging blood flow and has no negative side effects. Plus, as the oil is less viscous, it feels very light on the skin.

5. Use a Mild Cleanser For Face

As if cold weather was not enough, centralized heating in our homes is also the reason why our skins’ moisture is decreased during the winter season. Cleansers with a mild formulation that encourage maintaining hydration are the best to use these days as they will protect your skin from the damaging effects of exterior winds and indoor heat.

A highly effective skincare regimen can be utilized for winter if you incorporate a cleanser that is both hydrating and gentle. To this end, organic products are a must, and brands like Eminence Organic that use natural ingredients are preferred. If you buy Eminence online, you can rest assured that you are getting a healthy dose of nutrients for your skin that contribute to its overall health. 

Go for cleansers that gently clean the skin without stripping natural oils and clogging pores, resulting in ease of inflammation and dryness. It will prepare your skin for the next step in skincare that is applying toner and moisturization.  

6. Use a Hyaluronic Acid-Based Serum

Our skin tends to lose its firmness due to lack of moisture as well as aging. Especially during the cold season when the air around us is drier, our skin is the most vulnerable and can become chapped and red.

Using a face serum that contains hyaluronic acid as its base ingredient is worth it as it seals in the moisture and reduces fine lines through its deep-penetrating properties. Along with that, it infuses the skin with nourishing ingredients, giving it a healthy glow and plumpness.

Before applying a moisturizer, apply the serum using a dropper on your face and rub it in with your hands or a facial sponge. Hyaluronic acid serum is a must-have, top-tier skin product for every winter.

7. Moisturize Generously

Make sure you start using a deeply nourishing moisturizer before winter is here to start off the season with prepped skin. Ideally, the moisturizer should have added anti-aging properties (like retinol) to get rid of fine lines and wrinkles as well.  

The best time to apply moisturizer is right after you take a shower in the morning or before you go to sleep at night, always after a cleanser. Make sure you apply the moisturizer generously and rub it in well to maximize the replenishing effect. The regular moisturization helps your skin withstand the impact of harsh cold weather.

8. Give Special Attention To Lips, Elbows, and Heels

Specific areas on our bodies like our lips, heels, fingertips, and elbows need special care if you want them to stay soft and supple during winters. These areas tend to dry out faster, so deeply moisturizing them with a product that contains glycerine, petrolatum, or essential oils is very important. 

We would suggest keeping a lip balm with you at all times and apply it frequently to protect your lips from becoming chapped. If left without treatment, chapping can become more intense and even bleed.

As for heels, elbows, and fingertips, apply vaseline or lotion twice a day. Vaseline forms a protective layer over the skin while skin gets healed underneath, while lotions are a lighter formula for those that are prone to oily skin. Wearing socks after applying moisturizer to your feet will make a big difference and keep your heels soft.

9. Remember To Use Sunscreen

Just because the sun is not blazing hot as it is in the summertime doesn't mean you should skip applying sunscreen the entire winter season. The temperatures may have dropped, but the harmful UV rays are very much there and so are their harmful effects on our skin. If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, the sun can reflect off of the white surface back onto your face as direct exposure, and can even cause sunburns!

Use sunscreen with a SPF 30 or above during the winters, and try to get a sunscreen product that contains zinc. Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before you plan to leave the house, and be sure to cover any exposed areas - even your hands and feet!

Get Your Best Winter Skin!

Our skin needs tender loving care to stay beautiful and healthy every single day. But wintertime can bring about issues you need to address head on. The key to skin that is ready to face the harsh winters is protection and moisturization. A clean, nourished, and moisturized skin will look supple and radiant no matter how harsh the weather is.