How to Combat Dry Skin This Winter

Winter will be here before you know it, and with it will come dry, cracked skin.

In many parts of the United States, it feels like fall just got here, but unfortunately, winter will be here before we know it. And regardless of whether you’re a fan of the cold weather or you wish you lived somewhere warm and tropical for the winter, the cold, dry air can have ramifications for your skin, leaving it dry and cracked. The good news, though, is that you don’t have to be stuck with super-dry skin all winter long. There are actually a lot of ways that you can combat dry skin this winter. Here are just a few of them:

#1. Invest in gentle, fragrance-free cleansers.

A lot of soaps and body washes contain ingredients that can dry out your skin, and while they may be acceptable during the summer, your skin will thank you if you avoid them during the winter. Instead, look for a gentler cleanser, preferably one that is fragrance-free. Regardless of the type of cleanser you choose, though, don’t overapply it; use only what you need to remove the oil and dirt from your skin, which shouldn’t be enough to create a thick lather.

Products to Try:

• Aveeno Active Naturals Moisturizing Bar Fragrance-Free 
• Free Clear Liquid Cleanser

It’s also smart to look for fragrance-free options for any products that come into contact with your skin, like laundry detergent and deodorant.

Products to Try:

• Grab Green Laundry Detergent - Fragrance-Free
• Schmidt's Natural Deodorant Stick - Fragrance-Free

#2. Take fewer hot baths and showers.

When it’s cold out, taking a hot bath or shower feels simply amazing, but there’s a downside — it’s not the best for your skin. The hot water can strip the moisture out of your skin and leave you feeling itchy. Instead, try to take cooler showers, or alternatively, you could take shorter showers — ideally, five to 10 minutes long.

#3. Use a moisturizer immediately after washing your skin.

Whether you’ve just stepped out of the shower or washed your face or hands, it’s important to moisturize your skin as soon as you can after cleansing it. Moisturizers work by trapping the existing moisture in your skin, so to trap as much moisture as possible, it’s important to moisturize yourself within a couple of minutes of drying off your skin.

#4. Opt for a cream or an ointment instead of a lotion.

Lotion may be enough to keep your skin moisturized for the rest of the year, but during the winter, you need something that is a little less irritating and a little more effective. Creams and ointments are typically a good alternative to lotion. Look for an ointment or a cream that contains moisturizing ingredients, like jojoba or olive oil, shea butter, urea, lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, mineral oil, dimethicone or petroleum.

Products to Try:

• Aquaphor Original Ointment 
• CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

#5. Use humidifiers.

Running the heater is a must during the winter, and that can dry out the air even more, which in turn, will also dry out your skin. Luckily, it’s easy to add moisture back into the air and protect your skin from overdrying by simply using humidifiers. If you have a whole-house humidifier, make sure that you’re using it, but if you don't, you can always purchase individual humidifiers to use throughout your home.

Products to Try:

• Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier V750 White
• Kaz HealthMist Humidifier White 4100

#6. Exfoliate less often.

The cold air and dryness of winter can compromise your skin barrier, and it’s important not to over-exfoliate in the winter because this can compromise the skin barrier further. If your skin is very dry, you may want to consider giving up exfoliation altogether in the winter or only exfoliate sparingly. If your skin holds up well to exfoliation, limit it to just once a week so that your skin can regenerate properly and your moisturizer can better penetrate your skin.

Shop with us at The Online Drugstore today to protect your skin against winter dryness!

Whether you need a fragrance-free moisturizer, a gentle cleanser or a new humidifier, The Online Drugstore has the products you need to protect your skin from itchiness and dryness this winter. Best of all, we offer free shipping for all orders of $49 or more. Shop with us today!