Winter can be the toughest season on our skin, with all the dry heat inside and brutal cold air outside. It can leave our skin dry, cracked, and uncomfortable if we’re not prepared. Rest assured there are ways to combat dry cracked winter skin. With a bit of TLC, your skin will be hydrated and glowing again!
In this post, I share 5 of my clean beauty tips and tricks that I have been using for years to combat dry skin. Keeping my skin and face hydrated and soft this winter.
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1. Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and veggies are rich in so many antioxidants, nutrients, and hydration that helps to keep your skin hydrated and glowing. I’ve found the key to getting the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day is by adding in juice or smoothies. Drinking juice and/or a smoothie every morning has helped my skin has become so much softer, hydrated. Fruits and veggies help decrease inflammation in the form of acne, while also providing our skin with antioxidants and nutrients. Juices and smoothies are a great way to flood your body with hydration nourishment each morning. When I began committing to upping my intake of fruits and veggies every day I found my skin to be so hydrated I could actually go without body lotion (which was a daily must before).
I’m a firm believer that beauty comes from the inside out. The more we fuel our bodies with nutrient-rich hydrating foods, the more our skin will be hydrated and nourished.
This post Smoothies on the Go offers tips for adding fruits and veggies into your daily diet, even when you’re short on time.
2. Humidifier
I like to run a humidifier at night in my bedroom and in the living area of the house during the day, it’s a great way to replenish some moisture into the air. Heat is naturally drying and our skin is our largest organ is vulnerable to the effects of the air we are living in. If you live in an environment where you are going between harsh cold air and dry heated air, it will take quite a toll on your skin. A good humidifier will help to increase the moisture in the air, helping to prevent or improve any drying effects the heat is having on your skin. Humidifiers have also been shown to have numerous health benefits, improving immunity against colds and viruses. I’ve been using these humidifiers by Vicks for about a decade. To keep the air you breathe as clean as possible, make sure you are cleaning your humidifier regularly.
3. Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil has literally been a “face-saver” for me. Years ago I discovered it when my dry face was suffering from severe winter dryness, the painful, flaky I can’t get enough lotion on it dryness. Jojoba oil is very hydrating, anti-inflammatory, while also being non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores. It also contains antioxidants which may help to soothe fine lines and wrinkles. Jojoba oil is a great moisturizer that can be used on the face and body. And best of all, it’s relatively inexpensive
4. Quality Moisturizer
Finding a quality moisturizer is key in allowing your inward beauty to radiate out. It’s important to use a moisturizer after taking a luke-warm shower (hot showers will dry skin out), while the skin is still wet to help keep moisture in. CeraVe is a trusted lotion often recommended by dermatologists as well as Cetaphil RestoraDerm. You also want to moisturize as well as throughout the day and especially before heading out into the cold and wind. For those sensitive parts of your body such as your lips, nostrils, and any cracked dry spots, try Aquaphor Healing Ointment which is great for soothing and protecting those spots.
For dry hands, use your favorite moisturizing creme and then slip on these skin-softening gloves. These are great to put on while you sleep, allowing your skin to soak in the moisture and repair while you rest.
5. Stay Hydrated
I know I often think of hot summer days and good sweaty workouts as the times I need to be paying attention to my hydration, but the dryness of winter makes it as important to keep hydrated in the winter as the summer. Your water intake should be the same in the winter as it is in the summer.
Staying hydrated is another key to having great skin and minimizing dryness. Your skin needs you to drink tons of water. One rule of thumb I like to follow is drinking half your body weight in ounces. So a person weighing 140 lbs would aim to drink 70 oz of water a day.
If you’re not a plain water kind of person, know that it doesn’t have to be plain water. There are lots of options that are lots of healthy options and ways to drink water. My go-to drink is sparkling water, adding lemon or lime juice for flavor. You can make all sorts of fruit infused water. Herbal teas are another favorite of mine. In the winter I actually drink tons of tea and hot lemon water during these chilly days. My current favorites herbal teas right now are hibiscus and ginger lemon. Tea is so great because there are so many flavors to choose from. I often will carry tea bags with me in my purse too, especially when I travel.
Trying these tips out will help to keep your skin more moisturized throughout the winter as well as a great way to be proactive with your skin game throughout the year before dry skin even starts.
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Karla Kueber is a Certified Evidence Based EFT Practioner and Health Coach, with a double Masters Degree in Education. She works with people to overcome emotional eating, curb cravings, and overcome resistance to eating new healthy foods. You can learn more about coaching with her here.