8 Winter Skin Care Tips for Healthier Skin

Winter can be harsh. Cold winds outdoors and dry heating indoors are the perfect recipe for chapped lips and dehydrated skin. Thankfully, there are many ways we can pamper and protect our skin during the winter season. From applying a moisturizing face mask to smoothing on your favorite lip balm, here are 8 of our favorite tips.

Eight winter skincare tips:

#1 Bundle up – Our skin is the protective barrier between our internal parts and the environment that surrounds us, but that doesn’t mean it can’t use some protection of its own. Bundle up!   Gloves, hats, and scarves (even just for a short run to our warmed-up car), can help prevent the dry, cracking skin caused by harsh winter weather.

#2 Watch your water temps – When you’ve come in from a cold, wet winter day, hardly anything sounds better than a hot steamy shower. But while you may think your body is craving it, it could be sucking the moisture from your skin. Curve the craving for heat and lower the temps to prevent drying out your skin and making it more vulnerable to damage.

#3 Bring on the humidity – While the harsh winds and cold temps can feel blistering on your skin, the dry artificial heat pumping through your home could be just as damaging. Invest in a humidifier to help pump some moisture in the air and keep your skin hydrated. Keeping your temperatures where they are comfortable but not too warm can also help reduce the shock of drastic temperature differences.

#4 Don’t forget the lips – While we spend most of our time prepping and caring for our face, many of us neglect our lips, which are even more sensitive and vulnerable to damage. The skin that covers our lips is fragile and can easily become chapped from sun, wind, cold, heat, and more. Keep a good lip balm on hand to lock in moisture as needed.

#6 Swap out your summer skincare routine – Just as the weather patterns are drastically different, so are our skincare needs. Rethink the way you cleanse and hydrate your skin in the winter. Use facial cleansers that are more gentle and don’t contain fragrances that could irritate your skin. In addition, you may  opt for a heavier cream or oil moisturizer to replenish your body after its natural oils have been stripped by harsh weather. Winter is also an excellent time for exfoliating and investing in professional skincare treatments.

#7 You still need SPF – Sure, it’s not summer, but you still need SPF! Even on the cloudiest of days, the UVA and UVB rays could still cause significant skin damage. Plus, SPF is more than just protecting your skin from burns and wrinkles; it’s also about preventing skin cancer and other skin conditions. SPF should be a daily part of your year-round skincare routine.

#8 Replenish with face masks – Collagen face masks are an excellent way to give your skin a little extra TLC year-round. However, when winter comes rolling in, we recommend you apply them even more often. Consider using a gemstone-infused face mask such as a rose quartz soothing face mask from KNESKO.  Fight free radicals with powerful antioxidants, restore collagen, and strengthen your skin’s defense against cold weather.