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How to Prepare for Winter Skin

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Cold temperatures, strong frigid winds, and low humidity, both inside and outside of your house, can damage your skin, making it dry, flaky, scaly, and in extreme conditions even cracked or bleeding. Knowing how to prepare for winter skin will help your skin stay healthy from head to toe.


  1. 1
    Humidify your home and office. Heated homes and offices make the air around you very dry. Humidifiers don't have to be expensive. You can buy a basic humidifier at your local drug or discount store relatively inexpensively. Place several humidifiers around your home.
  2. 2
    Moisturize your skin frequently with an oil-based moisturizer. Ointments contain more oil than do lotions and will help better protect your skin in winter. Petroleum jelly is a good moisturizer to use in the winter although some experts suggest lighter ointments.
  3. 3
    Look for moisturizing products that contain glycerin, shea butter, jojoba oil or sunflower oil.
  4. 4
    Apply sunscreen to exposed skin when you go outdoors. If you live in an area where there is a lot of snow, this is even more important as snow reflects 80 percent of the sun's light. Look for sunscreen products with built-in moisturizing cream.
  5. 5
    Wear gloves to help keep hands dry and protected from harsh conditions and rough fabrics. Be sure the material used in your gloves doesn't irritate your skin. A pair of thin cotton gloves worn underneath heavier gloves or mittens will keep your hands from becoming irritated.
  6. 6
    Wear layers of clothing so it is less likely you will overheat, sweat and lose moisture. Wet clothing irritates your skin. When you dress in layers, you can remove excess clothing as you warm up.
  7. 7
    Avoid any skin products containing alcohol or those that reduce oiliness. Try not to use anti-aging products or those for treatment of acne if possible as those tend to dry out skin even more.
  8. 8
    Remember to keep your lips moist. Since your lips are moist to begin with, exposure to harsh elements makes them especially susceptible to damage. Use lip balm or other protection at all times.
  9. 9
    Keep baths short. Don't use extremely hot water. Pat yourself dry instead of rubbing. Moisturize after your bath.
  10. 10
    Exfoliate gently. If possible exfoliate and moisturize at the same time. Any skin that has been irritated is more susceptible to additional damage.
  11. 11
    Use Vitamin C to repair your damaged skin. Find a serum product with L-ascorbic acid or Vitamin C Ester as an ingredient.
  12. 12
    Hydrate yourself. Drink water and other hydrating fluids and eat foods rich in oils such as salmon and avocado. Limit caffeine and alcohol.
  13. 13
    Protect your child by following many of these recommendations. Children's skin is especially sensitive and it's important to moisturize and protect their skin whenever they go outdoors in the winter.
  14. 14
    Visit your doctor or dermatologist if your skin becomes severely damaged. Besides skin becoming painful, unsightly and uncomfortable, broken skin invites infection.

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Categories: Skin Care

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