With the biting chill, harsh winds, and dreary rain, it’s hard to keep your skin in check during the winter. Cold weather can cause the skin to be flaky, dry, red, and inflamed. Not just on your face, either. Who hasn’t experienced dry skin on their hands or chapped lips? Rough knuckles especially are awful. However, we’re here to tell you that it is very possible to keep your complexion healthy throughout the winter months. All you need is some help and useful knowledge on the matter to properly care for your skin.
Wear SPF
Despite the fact that it’s cold and cloudy outside, you still need to wear sunscreen every single day. While there is slightly less UVB in the winter, UVA levels are still significant enough to age our skin. Not to mention, UVB rays are those that stimulate the production of vitamin D, meaning that levels can drop in the winter months. If necessary, you can supplement with vitamin D3. In any case, just because it’s cloudy or not too sunny outside, doesn’t mean you don’t need sunscreen. As a matter of fact, approximately 80% of UV rays get through the clouds.
Avoid Fragrance and Alcohol in Products
When picking out a cleanser for your face, make sure it has no fragrance or alcohol in the ingredients list. These things can seriously irritate and dry out the skin. Of course, when your skin is already dry and red, this is the last thing you want. Choose a cream-based cleanser for dry skin. If you have oily skin, use a heavier cleanser than you would in the summer, but don’t go overboard. Overusing heavy ingredients can be just as bad for the skin.
Drink a Lot of Water
Since it’s cold outside, we tend to forget to drink as much water as we should throughout the day. However, winter is when the low humidity is most likely to strip our skin of its moisture. Keep in mind to sip water all throughout the day and make sure you stay properly hydrated. If you want something more comforting, go for hot tea!
Eat Healthy Fats
If you happen to love avocado, you’ll be excited to hear this. In the winter, eating healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, and walnuts has been proven to help maintain supple and healthy skin. Healthy fats are essential for keeping the face and hands looking healthy and helping prevent them from getting too dried out in the cold winter months.
Vitamin C
We’ve all heard how vitamin C is crucial for keeping the immune system working smoothly, but it’s good for so much more than that. Vitamin C is an essential vitamin for keeping the skin looking radiant. It helps the skin grow new cells and heal, which is exactly what you need to keep it looking tight and bright. When grocery shopping, reach for foods such as kale, tomatoes, red bell peppers, and oranges to make sure you get enough vitamin C on a daily basis.
Get Enough Sleep
One of the most crucial things for great skin is sleep. Getting deep sleep is one of the best things you can do for your skin and your overall health. When you’re sleeping, that’s when the body repairs all your systems – including the skin. As you probably know, the skin is the biggest organ in the body. To really go the extra mile, eat a walnut or two before bed. According to dermatologists, doing this might help improve your sleep thanks to the antioxidants and omegas walnuts contain.