26 Nov Dry Winter Skin Fixes

Colder weather brings the warm glow of holiday lights, opportunities to gather with friends and family… and dry, cracked, or chapped skin. Why does wintertime leave our skin so irritated? The winter outdoor elements, like freezing wind and lower temperatures, mean less humidity to help skin retain moisture. Plus, colder temperatures often lead to hot showers and indoor heating to warm up our bodies – both of which can quickly dry out the skin.

So, we’ve collected a few dry winter skin fixes you can try at home to keep skin looking and feeling great throughout the cold-weather season.  

KEEP SHOWERS SHORT + MILD

You can save yourself a lot of skin discomfort by showering 10 minutes or less in warm (rather than hot) water. Another way to protect skin’s natural moisture barrier is to use a mild, all-natural soap, like this Awakening Cleansing Oil from island-grown Lau Botanicals ($50), this Organic Facial Cleanser from small-batch company Onboard Organics ($42.50 for cleanser/ moisturizer duo), or this Face Cleansing Oil from earth-friendly SudSource (starting at $15). As an added bonus, you’ll also help to save gallons of water by keeping showers short and sweet – read more about that here. 

MASTER YOUR MOISTURIZER

Dermatologists agree that moisturizing is a key step to helping your skin retain natural hydration. But adding chemical-based lotions to dry, sensitive winter skin is likely to make things worse… instead, try olive, coconut, or castor oil, which also make great natural face washes. (If you’re ready to try the oil cleansing method, you can read more about it here). However, if you’re prone to break-outs, you may want to stick to all-natural options like Onboard Organics Organic Face Oil (pictured above, $42.50 for cleanser/ moisturizer duo), or Lau Botanicals Healing Propolis Balm ($36), or SudSource Deep Moisture Cream (starting at $10.50).

WHIP UP A DIY FACE MASK

When the going gets tough, the tough make a hydrating skin mask! You can easily whip up a moisturizing mask for dry skin using items you already have at home: avocado, banana, milk, yogurt, oatmeal, and even mayonnaise. Click here for some quick and simple, 100% natural DIY recipes. Not feeling the DIY? Try this Natural Elasticity Booster Clay Mask from Dr. Lily Ros ($59).

WHAT ABOUT STAYING HYDRATED?

Even though staying hydrated is certainly important for your health, there is not much scientific evidence to suggest that drinking more water helps to cure dry skin. You can read more about that in this article by the Mayo Clinic.

For more dry winter skin fixes, check out this article on Healthline.com and this one on EverydayHealth.com.

Browse Our NEW Holiday Shop!

Be sure to browse our brand new holiday shop for our favorite go-to skincare brands: Dr. Lily Ros, Lau Botanicals, Onboard Organics, and Sud Source. Don’t forget to exfoliate for maximum moisturizer benefit using the innovative 3-in-1 QYKSonic ZOE (starting at $149).