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Towels might be the leading cause of dry skin, but the winter months are also pretty flaky.

I’m joking about towels, but in all seriousness, the colder months often bring about dry, tight, itchy skin. My hands are usually the first to go, and then my legs follow suit, along with my butt, and my face.

To ditch the dry skin drama and really love the skin you’re in this season, Skin Renewal has put together a few easy-to-implement skin-saving strategies, and my epidermis couldn’t be happier for it.

Different seasons do different things to your skin, which means your skincare routine needs to adapt to the winter months just like your outfits do. As the humidity drops with the temperatures, boosting and maintaining your skin’s precious moisture needs to be on top of your skincare ‘to-do’ list.

Slap The Lotion On Your Skin

It is indeed recommended to lather up in lotion every night. Ointments, creams, and lotions work best straight after hopping out of the bath or shower to trap existing moisture in your skin.

Something is always better than nothing but if you really struggle with dry skin, opt for an ointment or a cream over a lotion. That’s because ointments and creams tend to pack more of a hydrating punch when the skin is particularly dry and uncomfortable. Look for a moisturiser that contains one or more of these ingredients: Jojoba oil, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid, Lactic acid, Lanolin, Mineral oil and/or Shea butter.

Forget The Fragrance

The key to keeping your skin hydrated while humidity is at its annual low is to use gentle, fragrance-free skin care products because fragranced skincare products, like deodorant soaps, are too harsh for dry, sensitive skin.

Plus, an ‘unscented’ product can contain chemicals that neutralise or hide the odours of other ingredients. These chemicals can really get on your skin’s nerves if it’s on the dry, sensitive side. So, it’s best to opt for products that clearly say ‘fragrance-free’.

Dile Down The Heat During Bath Time

You might crave the extra heat for bath time in the winter, but unfortunately, the hotter your bath or shower, the worse for your skin this time of year. Dial down the heat from hot to warm and try to keep the long, drawn-out bubble baths for the warmer months. Stick to a time limit of max ten minutes; wash with a gentle, soap-free cleanser; gently blot your skin dry with a towel; and liberally slather on your favourite post-bath/shower moisturiser from head to toe.

Fire Is No Way To Bring The Heat

We love a roaring fireplace as much as the next person but fires and heaters suck the moisture out of the air, making your skin pay the price for staying warm. Rather than seeking heat from an external source, try to dress appropriately for the weather, layer up, and don’t skip the one chance you have, all year, to wear a fabulous pair of gloves.

What Ingredients Are a Recipe For Dry(er) Skin in Winter?

One might think that skipping exfoliating AHAs and resurfacing Retinoids is best in the colder months because the goal is to hold onto your natural oils, and not to do anything to upset their balance or strip them clear off.

However, some AHAs are actually used for their hydrating properties. In that case, if you are using a substantial amount of AHAs and your skin is feeling dehydrated, you may just need to add an additional barrier-repairing moisturiser. With regards to retinoids, they can actually be ramped up in the winter months as it is the best time to do more “aggressive resurfacing” skin regimes. Retinoids are actually very helpful skin resurfacers during the winter, but again, you would benefit the most by adding barrier-repairing products to prevent dryness and discomfort in the colder weather.

While you’re taking note of what your skin needs this winter, kick any products containing alcohol to the curb for a while, too. Except for hand sanitiser, which you’re going to want to keep using to keep all the season’s germs at bay. Just make sure you’ve got a fragrance-free hand cream in your handbag to pop on straight after sanitising.

Drink Up – Water, We Mean

Getting your two litres of water isn’t just a summer thing, it’s everything for glowing winter skin, too. You need to be conscious of drinking water throughout the day, sipping often, whenever you get a gap – AKA in-between meetings or during the school run.

Just like you hydrate from the outside in with a good moisturiser, you need to be hydrating from the inside out, too.

Stay warm, stay hydrated, stay fabulous.