Have you ever wondered why your skin starts acting up in the winter? Same. You’re not alone. Most people notice a difference between their skin in the winter and their skin during warmer months. Although we sometimes associate the summer with skin-damage because sunburn always seems to get us, we somehow find ourselves looking for ways to save our skin in the winter too.
Skin can appear red, dry, and more prone to breakouts during the winter due to the cold, windy weather. The constant temperature change from indoor to outdoor transitions also affects our skin’s barrier. There’s really no avoiding this though–you have to go to school, or work, or errands. But even if we can’t avoid it, that doesn’t mean we can’t give our skin a little extra TLC to help reduce some of the side-effects of winter.
How to Get Your Summer Glow Back
- First things first. If you aren’t moisturizing, you should start. During the winter, your skin produces less oil (or sebum) which typically can keep your skin “naturally” hydrated. Without replenishing, your skin can become dry at a faster rate.
- Don’t forget SPF. Even though it may not feel like you’re catching rays, they’re always there. SPF provides an extra layer of protection.
- Don’t focus solely on your face. Although your facial skin is seen and exposed the most, the skin on your body needs love too–especially your hands. I somehow always manage to forget about this too. So what I do, is I’ll keep a travel size lotion in my bag, and it helps me remember.
- Hydrate with water too. I don’t mean splash your face with water but drink it. When your body is hydrated, you’re skin elasticity and color gets brought back to life. Aside from this, hydration is beneficial to your overall health like metabolism regulation and body temperature.
- Slow your roll with harsh peels and exfoliants. Over-processing your skin will backfire. It can irritate the skin barrier and dry it out or, for some people, cause an over-production of oils. Either way, over OR underproduction of oils can cause more skin problems.
- Avoid super hot water. I know that a hot shower during the winter is enjoyable, but this can also breakdown the skin barrier, causing you to lose moisture.
- As always, watch what you’re eating. We all tend to slack in the winter and turn to comfort food. But what you eat can greatly affect your skin. If you find yourself eating junk food, processed food, or drinking alcohol, try cutting back and see what happens!
Written by GUADS staff member Toni with contributions from www.everydayhealth.com
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