India gets different “winters” in different areas. Depending on where you live, you may have to trudge through snow, or the temperature drops only slightly compared to normal and you can get by with just a jacket. But one thing we all struggle with is dry skin in winter. No matter how much (or less) temperatures drop, our skin always bears the brunt of winter weather. The combination of cold air, low humidity, and indoor heating affects our skin’s natural moisture balance, leading to dryness, irritation, and discomfort. But with a few mindful changes and the right winter skincare routine, your skin can have that healthy glow all season long.
What Happens to Our Skin During Winter
As we approach winter, the air becomes cooler and drier, so there’s less moisture in the air. And while our skin is trying its best to stay hydrated, these atmospheric changes coupled with what we do to protect ourselves from the cold, altogether just weaken our skin barrier. (1)
The thick rough woollen clothes we put on, indoor heating, scalding hot showers – all these do less to help our skin and more to harm it.
• The clothes rub our skin and can cause itchiness and irritation, or aggravate existing skin problems.
• Hot water can remove the skin’s natural oils, leaving it dry. So hot showers might feel good in winter, but they strip our skin of moisture.
• Our hands, lips, and heels of our feet start to crack because of dryness. You can think of this as a sign of your skin barrier literally breaking.
Another winter skin problem is acne. The sudden loss of moisture in our skin and the oil can cause an imbalance in our oil production, which can clog pores and lead to acne. More so, the lifestyle changes we inevitably make during winter – different sleep schedule because of changed “night” timings, changes to the foods we eat, and a lowered motivation for exercise – also give rise to acne. This way, acne problems come up, or existing acne worsens. So solving acne should be part of your winter skincare plan.
Quick Fixes for Dry Winter-Worn Skin
You can’t fight the temperature. But you can lessen its effects and learn how to reduce dry skin by following a skincare routine that hydrates our skin and supports moisture retention.
1. Shower in Lukewarm Water: As tempting as hot showers are in cold winters, they only damage your skin barrier, leaving it drier. Lukewarm water is the best solve for winter as they moderately warm you up while also protecting your skin from dryness.
2. Gentle Patting, Not Rubbing: We have a habit of rubbing our skin to dry it, and the texture and roughness of our towels damages our skin. Harsh rubbing affects our skin’s moisture balance and causes irritation. Instead, try patting your skin dry to reduce friction.
3. Moisturize Your Skin: Regularly use moisturizing lotions and serums on your skin and face. Doing this after showering is especially good for locking that moisture in your skin. Your lips are the most vulnerable to dryness, so don’t forget to use lip balm to prevent chapped lips.
These skin protection tips help us prevent dry skin in winter, and strengthen our skin barrier so it remains hydrated and feels fresh throughout the season.
Skincare Solutions for Winter Problems
Knowing how to reduce dry skin starts not only with lifestyle changes but also the right skincare choices. As we adjust our habits and routines to winter in a way that balances skin health, it’s also important to incorporate appropriate winter skin products that externally support our skin. The major skin problems we face during winter are dryness and acne. So effective products are those that focus on hydration and barrier support to maintain clear, resilient skin.
The right skincare for winter starts with the right formulations and ingredients. Some to look out for are:
1. Ceramides maintain the structure of our skin barrier. They keep our skin hydrated by blocking moisture from leaving. So formulations containing ceramides are good for improving our skin condition, and preventing dryness in the winter. (2)
2. Niacinamide has anti-inflammatory effects, so it can reduce acne, and it retains moisture levels by locking hydration. It also boosts ceramide production. So overall, a niacinamide product should be in your winter skin products cart! (3)
3. Salicylic Acid is a powerful exfoliating ingredient that helps remove dead skin cells, excess oil, and dirt. This way, it unclogs pores, reduces swelling, and allows acne to shrink. So maybe salicylic acid won’t directly help hydrate our skin, but it’s effective in preventing acne.
4. Hyaluronic Acid is produced naturally by our body to help maintain skin hydration. It works by binding water molecules and moisture from the air to our skin. It also acts as a healing agent, reducing the appearance of wounds. This way, hyaluronic acid also supports skin protection while giving us a hydrated glow.
5. Vitamin D plays a role in skin repair, reduces inflammation and redness, and overall strengthens the skin barrier. But less sunlight during winter means low vitamin D levels, leading to several skin problems like dryness, acne, and even eczema. So it’s important to choose skin products that include vitamin D.
6. Vitamin E has moisturizing properties, so it prevents dryness and flaking of skin. It also plays a role in healing wounds. Vitamin E is thus essential for protecting the skin’s natural barrier.
Choosing the right winter skin products can make all the difference in managing both dryness and acne during colder months. So it’s crucial to look for ingredients that hydrate, heal, and protect the skin barrier to give your skin everything it needs to stay healthy and balanced all winter long.
Protect Your Skin From Within
And, of course, food fixes all. Apart from creating a winter skincare routine and changing some habits, we should also make sure to follow a diet that sustains skin health.
1. Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerels, etc. are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. They help maintain our skin barrier and retain moisture.
2. Nuts and Seeds: Apart from omega-3s, these also include several other vitamins and nutrients that contribute to skin health.
3. Avocado: This fruit has a lot of healthy fats which internally provide moisture to the skin.
4. Citrus fruits: Oranges, lemons, tangerines, etc. are rich in vitamin C, which stimulates collagen production. And collagen is necessary to maintain skin elasticity and keep it hydrated.
5. Curd or Yogurt: These help in maintaining a healthy gut, which in turn supports our skin’s natural barrier.
Eating the right foods is important to support your skin from the inside out. Nutrient-rich foods can improve skin texture, boost hydration, and strengthen the skin barrier – key factors in how to reduce dry skin.
Final Thoughts
Whether your winters are just slightly cooler air, or massive drops in temperature, or full-blown snow, your skin is always affected by the seasonal shift. So we need to be mindful of our winter skincare routine to protect the health of our skin; spanning from daily habits and product choices to what we eat. By understanding the causes of dry skin in winter and acting on them through both internal and external care, you can keep your skin soft, hydrated, and acne-free throughout the season.
FAQs
Q1. How to take care of skin in winter naturally?
Some natural practices to protect your skin in winter are: keep yourself hydrated, shower in lukewarm water instead of hot, replace your heater with a humidifier to add moisture to the air and prevent dryness, and most importantly, moisturize your skin regularly.
Q2. How to make skin glow in winter?
It’s important to stay hydrated in winter as the cold weather makes our skin dry and dull. So drinking plenty of water and eating moisturizing foods (avocado, citrus fruits, nuts and seeds, etc.) will help give your skin that healthy winter glow.
Q3. Is dry skin normal in winter?
Yes, dry skin is totally normal in winter. It happens because of the drop in temperature, low humidity, winds or snow (depending on your location), and indoor heating. These make our skin lose its natural moisture content, making it dry and flaky.
Q4. How do you fix dry skin in winter?
Some tips to prevent dry skin in winter:
• Shower in lukewarm water, and don’t take long showers
• Apply moisturizer regularly, and once immediately after showering
• Use sunscreen and the right skincare products for dryness
• Use a humidifier rather than heater
• Drink lots of water
Q5. Which vitamin is best for skin in winter?
In winter, Vitamin E is most beneficial for our skin because of its moisturising and protective qualities, that prevent moisture loss, keep our skin hydrated, and maintain our skin barrier.