Bid Goodbye to Winter Dry Skin

Winters call in for cuddling blankets with a hot cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. But winters also is the season of dry skin and needs special care while the temperatures dip. The humidity level drops in winters and the air is cold and dry. This causes the moisture in the skin to evaporate quickly while making the dry skin look flaky. Dry skin is quite common in the winter months. Winter weather can also make the skin look and feel dry and chapped.

Causes of winter skin

Although the major contributing factor for dry skin is the winter weather itself, other factors can also escalate the dry skin. Let’s have a look at the various causes- 

• Season
  Many people experience dryness of skin during winters when the weather is dry and cold. The dryness in skin due to the winter season may or may not be persistent in summers. 

• Age
  Age is one considerable factor for dryness in the skin. As we age the skin tends to produce less sebum or is prone to dryness. This coupled with other factors can be significant causes of dryness of the skin.

• Skin type
  If your skin type is dry or normal then winter can make it even more dry leading to flaky skin. Some people with oily skin may also face slight dryness during the winters. 

• Using hot water for showers
  While hot showers are bliss during the cold winters, they can dry out the skin further making them flaky. Hot water strips the skin of the sebum making it itchy. Long showers have the same effect on the skin as using hot water for showers.

• Skipping on Moisturising
  While we tend to moisture the face, the rest of the body is often neglected. If you are someone who doesn't moisturise your legs, hands then you may often find them dry and flaky.

• Using wrong cleansers
  Sometimes, the cleansers that you use might be taking a toll on the already dry skin while drying them out further and making it susceptible to dryness.

• Medical conditions
  Certain medical conditions can cause dryness in the skin. Some conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis, may cause excessively dry skin.

• Certain medications
  Some medicines as a part of your medical condition may be one of the reasons for dryness in your skin.

Ways to get rid of winter skin

Some experience dryness in the skin during the winters whereas people who have dry skin type may experience it all around the year. Winter skin can be taken care of by making a few changes in your routine and including a few good skincare products. One must pay attention to the dry skin during winters else it may make the skin itchy, inflamed and flaky. Dry skin is more susceptible to bacteria and the outside environment than healthy, moist skin. So it is better to not ignore the dryness of the skin.

• Using a moisturiser
  Massaging a good moisturiser into damp skin for a few minutes at night can support skin repair. You can use organic body butter on your body, hands, feet to make them soft and supple. The moisturising oils and butters in the body butter penetrate deep into the skin cells while healing them. Moisturising works best when left overnight when the skin repairs and rejuvenates from day-to-day wear and tear.

• Sunscreen
  Yes, you should be using sunscreen in winters too as we tend to soak up in the Sun often during the winters. Even if the Sun isn’t too hot in winters, the UV rays present can damage the skin.

• Sealing it with a face oil or serum
  You can dab a few drops of face oil on your skin as the last step of your skincare routine to seal in the moisture. Some people use face oil on damp skin as well for better absorption. 

• Using bath and body oils
  You can use bath and body oils as pre-bath oils or as post-bath oils. Bath oil can be applied to the skin for 30 minutes before taking a bath or shower. It can be washed off while taking the bath. You can also use bath oil on damp skin by massaging a little oil onto your body. You may wash it off with lukewarm water if you want or leave it on, to seal the moisture in the skin. This will help relieve the dryness of the skin. You may use specially formulated bath and body oils or simple cold-pressed carrier oils such as almond oil, olive oil or jojoba oil as per your choice and preference.

• Following a good lip care routine
  Many people experience dry chapped lips during the winters. You can use an organic lip scrub to buff away the dead skin cells and moisturise with a good lip balm. The emollients in lip care products help to moisturise and heal chapped lips.

• Avoiding hot water showers
  As mentioned earlier, hot showers feel good during the winters while making the skin dry. Avoid having hot water showers as they make the skin parched and flaky while stripping the skin of its moisture.

• Exfoliating the skin
  Since the skin is dry around winters, the flakiness of the skin can be easily overcome by including a good organic scrub. Organic scrubs help buff away dead skin cells and make the skin soft, supple, and smooth.

• Choosing gentle cleansers
  Choosing cold processed soaps as body and face cleansers can help in preventing dry skin while nourishing the skin with theirs blend of nourishing nut butters, organic cold pressed oils and therapeutic essential oil. Organic soaps help to keep the skin moisturised, soft, supple and plump.

Juicy Chemistry's products to help reduce winter dry skin condition

• Night Cream
  Juicy Chemistry Australian Sandalwood & Myrrh Organic Night Cream
  This rich and nourishing cream controls pigmentation, signs of ageing while rejuvenating the skin. It is specially formulated for dry and mature skin types.
• Body butters
  Juicy Chemistry Fig, Vanilla & Blood Orange Organic Body Butter for dry skin
  An organic body butter that helps moisturise, soften and tone the skin. It is packed with oodles of moisturizing oils and emollient butters to keep skin soft.
  Juicy Chemistry Jasmine, Lemon & Tea Organic Body Butter for dry skin
  A body butter that supports the healing of damaged and scarred skin. Packed with oodles of moisturizing oils and nourishing oils, the body butter melts into your skin.
• Cold processed soaps
  Juicy Chemistry Papaya, Apricot and Mandarin Soap
  Handmade cold processed superfatted soap made with essential fatty acids rich oils and butters, it leaves skin nourished, soft, and supple.
• Lip Care Products
  You can check antioxidant-rich lip balms made with moisturising butters and oils from the lip care range of Juicy Chemistry
• Juicy Chemistry Blood Orange & Rosehip Lip Balm
• Juicy Chemistry Damask Rose & Fig Lip Balm
  You can also check the following range of gentle, organic lip scrubs
• Juicy Chemistry Blood Orange & Rosehip Lip Scrub
• Bath and Body Oil
• Juicy Chemistry Damask Rose Ylang Ylang Body Oil
  Formulated with a therapeutic and nourishing blend of oils, this body oil moisturises parched skin and improves skin texture while calming and soothing the senses.
  Juicy Chemistry Grapefruit & Camellia Body Oil
  Formulated with a moisturising blend of camellia, baobab and grapeseed oil, it helps rejuvenate and replenish the skin.
• Exfoliator
  Juicy Chemistry Hazelnut, Coffee and Chocolate Face and Body Scrub
  This gentle scrub is made with rich and emollient butters of Shea and Cocoa. It is a moisturising face and body scrub for dry and mature skin. 

Frequently Asked Questions on winter dry skin

• Which oil is best for dry skin in winter?
  Argan or Marula oils are the best for dry skin in winter. You can use them as a pre-bath or post-bath oil to help relieve dry and flaky skin.
  
  
• How can I protect my face from winter dryness?
  Always moisturise and apply sunscreen once you wash your face. Just because it is winter, one must not skip using sunscreen.

References

https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/winter-skin-survival-kit