How To Beat Dry, Itchy Skin this Winter
Winter is the pits for my skin. I suffer from scalp psoriasis and eczema on my body so winter is just all kinds of fun for me. Last year, I had somewhat cracked the code of dry itchy skin and this year I have decided to be proactive and improve upon my routine.
1. Swap out your shower gel for a shower oil
I did this last year and it made such a huge difference in how my skin felt after showers. My skin didn’t feel as stripped afterwards and felt really soft. I was using a small travel sized bottle of the L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil which I loved. I also recently purchased a giant bottle of the Nivea Shower Oil. Caveat: I still use a traditional shower gel to cleanse my body as I don’t feel like my skin gets really clean when I use a shower oil alone. I usually clean with one of my favorite shower gels, The Body Shop Tahitian Tiare or Balkan Juniper (I love to use this one in the winter because the smell is like a walk through a fresh crisp winter forest) and then follow up with a wash of the shower oil.
2. Reduce the temperature of your water
This one is a tough one for me and full disclosure: I don’t always do it. I love hot showers! But they wreck havoc on my skin so on the nights (I shower at night) that I decide to treat myself to one I try to make it a quicker shower than my usual one. So, I’m essentially talking to myself while saying this to you: reduce the temp of your showers. It sucks but it does help tremendously with dryness.
3. Invest in a humidifier
Game. Changer. This helps so much not only with helping keep and impart moisture into the skin, but if you’re like me and suffer from headaches due to the dry air indoors and out it can help so much with that as well. I am currently between humidifiers (ordering a new this week) and am missing having one. Everything from my sinuses to my skin feel better when I use one.
4. Add an occlusive to your skin care routine
Now this is a bit controversial to some, but most estheticians recommend adding one to your routine during the winter months. Occlusives are things like petroleum jelly, mineral oil, lanolin, beeswax, argan, saffron or jojba oils. Choose the one you feel the most comfortable with. I use Petroleum jelly. Women have been using it in my family for years and it works wonders for me during the winter months. My favorite way to use it is on my eyelids and around my eyes before bed. For whatever reason, my eyelids get very dry in the colder months and petroleum jelly really helps seal in the moisture and protect my skin while. And it’s affordable! If you have misgivings about using petroleum jelly then perhaps an oil would be better for you. I would say to a skin patch test first to make sure the oils are not too heavy for your skin. Another occlusive I recently added to my skin care is the Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour Cream. Which isn’t a cream at all, but an ointment. I opted for the fragrance free version. I like to use this on my cuticles, heels of my feet and elbows and knees. I also will sometimes slather it all over my hands and then apply my hand cream.
5. Opt for fragrance-free moisturizer
Years ago, I noticed that when I used body lotions with fragrance that my skin would often feel drier after a couple of hours of applying it. Fragrance in products often means a high alcohol content - and alcohol is drying to the skin. And so I opted to use fragrance-free lotions and it made a world of difference. My current go to body lotion is Aveeno Daily Moisturizer. It’s gentle, affordable and fragrance-free.
Listed below are the products I try to keep in my winter skincare arsenal:
Petroleum Jelly
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion (I have a smaller bottle that I use as hand cream)
Elizabeth Arden Eight-Hour Cream (Fragrance-free version)
Hydrocortizone cream (for eczema flare-ups)
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask (But I am looking for one with no fragrance)
Dr. Gross Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel
*please note that this post contains affiliate links
What are some of your tips for keeping your skin hydrated during the winter months? Let me know in the comments.
