Winter Skin Care Tips: Protect and Nourish Dry Skin

As the weather turns colder and the air gets drier, you might notice your skin feels tight, itchy, or even starts to flake or crack open. This is a common experience since our skin, our body’s largest organ, reacts — and possibly even overreacts — to shifts in temperature and humidity.

To keep your skin healthy and happy through the chilly months, you need to adjust your winter skin care routine. 

Winter skin care is more nuanced than just using extra lotion. We need to understand why winter impacts our skin and address those issues. Luckily, with the right knowledge, you can achieve that radiant glow, even when it’s freezing (or below) outside.

Read on for winter skin care tips that can help keep your skin smooth throughout the colder months.

Why Does Our Skin Change in Winter? 

Have you ever noticed your hands getting dry and chapped after washing them in hot water? This same principle applies to our whole body during winter.

As temperatures drop, so does the humidity level in the air, both outside and inside, due to indoor heating. This drier air pulls moisture out from our skin. The top layer of our skin, called the stratum corneum, is responsible for holding in moisture.

When the stratum corneum can’t maintain a high enough moisture level, our skin becomes dry. Combine that with a lack of moisture in the air, and it leads to that dreaded dry, itchy feeling.

Common Winter Skin Problems

Beyond dryness, winter can trigger a host of other skin problems. Skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea are often worse in cold weather.

The already delicate skin barrier of people with these conditions is further compromised by the dryness, making it easier for irritants to penetrate and cause inflammation.

Even for people without preexisting conditions, chapped lips, rough patches, or even keratosis pilaris (sometimes nicknamed “chicken skin”) are not uncommon.

You are not alone if you have dry skin in winter. However, using the right winter skin care products can help combat dry skin. Before we get to the best options, here’s one to avoid like the plague.

Avoid Petroleum Jelly Like the Plague

Petroleum jelly is cheap and plentiful. Despite its widespread use and low cost, it contains ingredients that may cause more harm than good.

Petroleum jelly is made from — surprise, surprise — petroleum. It’s a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons, made from fossil fuel — the very same stuff your gasoline is made from. If that gives you pause to put it on your skin, it should!

Yes, it can create a waterproof barrier on the skin. But it just sits there atop the skin until it gets rubbed off. Be aware, petroleum jelly goes by several other names that you’ll also want to avoid:

• Vaseline (a specific brand name of petroleum jelly).
• Aquaphor (also petroleum jelly by a different name).
• Carmex.
• Neosporin.
• Chapstick.
• Blistex.
• Mineral oil.
• Soft paraffin, liquid paraffin, paraffin oil.

Petroleum can even hide under the name “fragrance” or “parfum.”

The Many Problems with Petroleum Jelly

If you value your health, you’ll want to shun petroleum jelly like the toxin it is – because it has many problems:

1. It sits on your skin but doesn’t get into your skin. This is why so many lip balms don’t make your lips less chapped and why you must reapply so often.
2. It blocks your pores and traps bacteria, potentially causing acne and infections.
3. It’s terrible for your lungs. When inhaled, it enters the lungs, but your lungs can’t break it down, so it builds up over time — causing lung inflammation, coughing, and shortness of breath. For this reason, don’t use petroleum jelly on the inside of your nose. It causes lipoid pneumonia.
4. It’s an oil refinery product, and isn’t sustainable or eco-friendly, not to mention skin friendly. (Remember from biology class that skin is your largest organ. You don’t want to put toxins on it.)
5. It’s linked to cancer development. Produces polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which have been listed as a possible or probable carcinogen by:            

• The American Cancer Society.
• The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services National Toxicology Program (NTP).
• The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

In addition to cancer, PAHs are believed to mess up hormones which regulate many issues internally, from sleep to appetite to reproduction. But really, PAHs can affect just about any system in your body.

Great Petroleum Jelly Alternatives to Consider

Fortunately, there are some great alternatives to petroleum jelly that aren’t harmful and absorb and actually nourish your skin.

• Cocoa butter.
• Shea butter.
• Avocado oil.
• Olive oil.
• Coconut oil.
• Jojoba oil.
• Beeswax.

Read ingredient lists and watch out for (and avoid) phthalates, parabens, synthetic dyes, and other risky ingredients.

Environmental Working Group has a database of products that are rated from very safe to very harmful. Check it out: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/.

Winter Skin Care: Practical Tips

Here’s how to fight back against dry winter air and achieve supple skin. These steps make a real difference for your skin during winter.

Moisturize Like Your Life Depends on It

This is the most crucial winter skin care tip. Switch from your lightweight summer lotion to a richer cream.

Look for moisturizing face and hand cream ingredients that draw moisture to the skin, like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, as well as ones that create a protective barrier to lock moisture in, like ceramides. Aim to use nourishing, organic ingredients.

Shorter and Cooler Showers

As tempting as a long, hot shower might sound on a frigid day, it harms your skin more than it helps. Hot water strips away natural oils that help maintain moisture, leaving your skin more vulnerable to the dry air.

Limit hot showers and instead, stick to lukewarm water and keep those shower sessions to under 15 minutes.

Use Gentle Cleansers

That squeaky-clean feeling might feel good, but it usually means your cleanser is too harsh, especially during winter. Strong cleansers often disrupt your skin’s pH balance and strip away essential oils, causing more dryness.

Consider switching to a hydrating cleanser. Swap harsh products out for gentle, non-foaming, fragrance-free cleansers that cleanse without drying out your skin. This is a simple way to help with sensitive skin, especially during winter.

Use of a hydrating cleanser can make a big difference when it comes to winter skin care

Get a Humidifier

Central heating sucks the moisture out of the air in your home. Indoor heat being on all the time means dry indoor air. This is one of the biggest culprits of dry skin during winter. 

Investing in a humidifier can help restore moisture balance in the air, giving your skin a fighting chance. Generally, the larger your room (or home), the higher capacity humidifier you’ll need. Place them in the rooms you spend the most time in, especially the bedroom. (Incidentally, many wood-based musical instruments will also benefit from a humidifier in the room — just not blowing directly onto the instrument.) 

Remember to clean the unit and change the water as needed. This can help your skin tremendously in the winter.

Exfoliate, But Ever So Gently

You want to keep your skin’s natural oils, but a buildup of dead skin cells can prevent moisturizers from working effectively. The key here is gentle exfoliation.

Harsh scrubs are a no-go but consider incorporating a gentle exfoliant into your routine a couple of times a week. Look for products with ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs).

These dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells, leading to smoother skin without harsh scrubbing. Always patch-test new products before full use.

Sun Protection is a Year-Round Thing

Snow reflects sunlight, amplifying UV exposure. So be aware on bright sunny days even in the dead of winter — especially if you’re at high altitudes, like for example, on the ski slope.

If you’re planning to hit the slopes, double down on sun protection with a good mineral sunscreen and consider wearing protective clothing.

Skiers have been known to get second-degree burns on exposed skin even on cold days in mid-winter while skiing at high altitudes. Protect your skin from the winter sun, even if it’s not as hot as the summer sun.

Keep Your Lips Hydrated

The delicate skin on our lips is susceptible to winter’s harshness. Use lip balm to help dry lips. Apply it generously throughout the day, especially after eating or drinking, to lock in moisture and protect your lips from chapping.

Balm suggestions can be found at EWG’s skin deep page.

Listen to Your Skin

Everyone’s skin is unique, so reactions to winter vary. Take time to notice how your skin feels and responds to changes in temperature, products, or routines.

Pay attention to natural moisturizing factors, and whether they’re affected by the winter weather. Natural moisturizing factors are elements in the skin that help keep it moisturized.

Noticing changes in your skin can help identify potential irritants. If your skin feels irritated, nix potentially aggravating ingredients such as retinoids and exfoliants.

Eat More Healthy Oils

Nourish your skin from both the outside and from the inside. If you’re consuming a very low-fat diet, you’re not supplying your skin with what it needs to be healthy, thriving, and radiant.

Make sure you’re consuming healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and sufficient omega-3 oils (such as in salmon, other fatty fish, or a supplement). 

Conclusion

Successfully managing winter skin care boils down to adapting to the specific challenges winter brings, such as cold temperatures and low humidity.

By embracing a hydrating but gentle winter skincare routine, you’ll keep your skin radiant and healthy, allowing you to enjoy winter without sacrificing your glowing complexion.

Your skin will stay smooth, with a healthy skin barrier that aids your immune function! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to avoid petroleum jelly and similar products for winter skincare tips?

Petroleum jelly blocks pores, traps bacteria, and doesn’t hydrate skin. It’s made from petroleum, which may contain harmful PAHs. Choose natural alternatives like shea butter or jojoba oil for better hydration and safety.

What are some natural skincare products to look for in moisturizers for winter skin?

Choose moisturizers with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, along with emollients like shea butter and jojoba oil. Avoid products with synthetic dyes, fragrances, or harmful chemicals.

What are the dangers in PAHs found in petroleum jelly?

PAHs in petroleum jelly are potential carcinogens and can disrupt hormones, posing long-term health risks on multiple levels. For safer winter skin care, avoid petroleum-based products and choose natural alternatives.