How to Avoid Dry Skin This Winter

 
Winter is coming! Which is as inevitable as the dry skin and chapped lips that come with it. Why though? The dryness of winter combined with even-drier indoor heating lead to (you guessed it) dry, flaky skin that tends to start as soon as you’ve decided you would rather go North of the wall than drink another pumpkin-spice latte. Which is very soon.

A lot of guys think they can just do the same thing and use the same products all year long. Wrong. Starting best winter skincare practices in the fall is essential to having hydrated skin all winter. Right. Here are five winter skincare tips that will help you face the cold:

Only use face wash

That good ol’ bar of soap that you use for washing, um, everything isn’t also supposed to be used on your face. Regular soap or just hot water are actually very drying for your face, so use an exfoliating, face-specific product. Try our Solid Face Wash.

Moisturize

Chances are if you’re wearing a sweater you should also be wearing moisturizer. Dry winter skin absorbs your body's natural moisture at a faster rate, and replenishing requires a moisturizer that delivers hydration and locks in moisture. Our Face + Eye Cream is fast-absorbing and has a blend of oils, aloe and glycerin to keep your face and eyes hydrated all winter.

Take faster showers

Or colder showers, and we know both aren't easy, especially when it’s freaking freezing outside. Hot showers actually strip skin of moisture so shower once a day and keep it under 10 minutes. Need a different way to wind down at the end of the day? Try Netflix and chai (tea). See our next tip.

Drink up

Oktoberfest beers don't count! Like everything else in your body, your skin needs water to function. Drinking at least 8 glasses a day (decaf tea totally counts) naturally detoxifies your body and helps keeps skin hydrated.

Use an SPF

You may not be at the beach, but it's important to keep up that end of your skincare routine. For one, exfoliating (remember our first tip?) can make your skin more susceptible to sunlight. UV rays hit your skin all winter, overcast or not, so you need an SPF to protect your skin and keep it radiant. This is especially important if you’re on the slopes as the combination of higher altitude and UV rays reflected by the snow puts skiers and snowboarders at an increased risk of sun damage. Sunscreen should be applied after moisturizer.

Having a winter skincare routine is important because it's when your skin could potentially be at its worst, and let’s not forget that includes hands and lips. Keep up with our tips and you’ll be protected from winter’s elements and looking fresh-faced until April.