5 Simple Ways to Prevent Dry Skin This Winter
This time of year my skin always begins to get dry.
Well, my skin is always dry, but it gets worse in the winter. Between the cold temperatures and the winds, it feels like a loosing battle.
As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, many of us start to notice a familiar problem creeping back—dry skin. The combination of cold weather, harsh winds, and indoor heating can leave our skin feeling tight, flaky, and uncomfortable.
But don’t worry; there are simple ways to keep your skin hydrated and healthy all winter long.
I want to share 5 easy ways you can help win this battle. I try to follow most of these. Sometimes it’s just one or two at a time.
They’re all super simple, nothing fancy needed. And there’s a really simple recipe at the bottom to get you started.
Stay hydrated from the inside out.
Drinking water hydrates you from the inside out. It’s not only the best way to hydrate your dry skin; but it helps to lubricate everything inside too. This allows everything to work better.
I struggle to drink enough water on a daily basis.
I keep a cup on my desk that holds about 16 to 20 oz of water, TRYING to ensure I run through 3 of them a day. That’s my goal. But I don’t always get there.
I have my coffee in the mornings. Did you know you can’t count caffeinated beverages like coffee, soda or even some teas as part of your daily water or liquid intake. That’s because caffeine is a diuretic and ultimately it can be drying too.
Plain water or decaffeinated herbal teas are an awesome way to stay hydrated.
Here’s a wonderful cooling & hydrating herbal tea.
There are all kinds of calculations you can use to tell you how much water you need to take in. And I’m not sure which is or isn’t right.
Obviously, if you’re thirsty drink something. But, make sure that something isn’t soda, caffeinated or sugery (including fruit juice). Just plain water or an herbal tea, cold or hot or maybe even a warm broth is perfect. If you’re thirsty they say you’re already dehydrated. So you’ll want to avoid getting to a thirsty stage.
Sometimes if you feel hungry, unless it’s pretty close to meal time, you might actually be thirsty. Try drinking a glass of water first. Because thirst can be disguised as that nagging feeling for a snack.
Here’s a great way to hydrate with cucumbers.
Moisturize regularly.
Moisturize every time you wash your skin. Preferably moisturize over wet skin to allow your all natural moisturizer to easily penetrate your skin.
Wet skin allows the moisturizer soak into your pores better. That’s why you’ll want to use all natural moisturizers like organic oils or even a homemade lotion you’ve created using an herbal infused oil.
Learn to make your own all natural infused oil.
If you’re really dry and using an all-natural oil, you might add something like aloe vera gel to the oil. Aloe vera is very hydrating and can enhance the moisturizing effect of the oil.
Discover which oil will work best for you.
I use a 50/50 mixture of my rose infused oil and aloe vera gel every morning. This works great on my face. And it’s also great for the rest of my body too.
Learn all the ins and out of making your own all natural infused herbal oils here.
Avoid hot water.
This is a tough one for me.
In the winter I LOVE my hot baths. But the hot water was really drying to my skin.
Once I started taking very warm showers, instead of hot ones, I noticed a difference with my skin, especially on my legs. They weren’t nearly as dry as before.
Now I save the hot (or not so hot) water for an occasional herbal soaking bath.
Incorporate Omega-3 Fatty Acids into Your Diet
Our skin is moisturized by not only water, but by oils too.
Getting enough Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet can help keep your skin moisturized and keep much of your insides moisturized as well.
Omega 3 fatty acids can be found many different whole foods including the world’s most perfect protein source, eggs. An average egg contains 25 – 30 mg of omega 3 fatty acids. A perfect start to your day.
Getting a daily or even a weekly dose can help with the oil content of your skin, both inside and out.
Use hydrating face masks
There’s plenty of hydrating ingredients you can use to help the dry skin on your face.
A facial mask made with a combination of ground oats and honey is a great start for many different variations. Both oats and honey are super hydrating. This recipe will get you started with a base and options so you can create a mask perfect for your needs.
You can add additional things like coconut oil, olive oil, or plain yogurt, to name a few.
Use 2 to 3 of these ingredients to create a creamy mask that you can apply to your face, neck or any place else that needs hydrating. Allow it to sit on your skin for 10 to 15 minutes while you relax and then remove it with a warm washcloth. Be sure to moisturize afterwards.
I hope you’ll give one or more of these a try to help with your dry skin. Let me know how it works for you.
Are there any of these you already use? Which ones?
Do you have a fabulous moisturizing recipe you’d like to share? Let me know!!
