Our Top Five Winter Skin Care Tips

Along with beautiful snowy white vistas, winter also brings a deluge of more unpleasant things: dry skin, chapped lips, dandruff and red noses. But just because the weather isn’t hot, doesn’t mean you can’t be.

Here’s our top five winter skin care tips!

1. Moisturize properly The winter is notorious for drying your skin out. Not only is the cold wind harsh on you, the heater dries out the air indoors. Moreover, products that you love during summer might not be strong enough during the winter. It’s important to make sure you product contains the proper type of oils (for the face, non-clogging oils) that are designed to help combat dry skin, whether it’s for your body, face, lips or scalp. When in doubt, consult a specialist who can analyze your skin type and determine from which kind of moisturizer you would benefit the most. In general, coconut oil is fantastic as it contains a unique molecular structure that allows it to be absorbed better by the skin. We love Aveda’s Caribbean Therapy Body Crème ($42).

2. Winter facials In the winter, your face might not be able to handle as frequent oil-stripping face peels as you might be used to. Especially if your skin is already dry or tight, you’ll want to be sure that your facials are designed to help you maintain a proper balance of moisture. Of course, nothing beats a facial that contains natural ingredients tailored to your skin type (like ours). Whatever your approach, take it easy on alcohol-based toners, astringents and clay-based masques.

3. Sunscreen The sun can be damaging, no matter the temperature. Use a product that contains a broad-spectrum sunscreen on your hands and face before you go out. And don’t forget to reapply!

4. Keep hands and feet dry After those snowball fights, snow angels and all that slush, don’t leave your gloves and socks wet. If you’re spending a day at the cottage or ski resort, bring spares so you don’t have to deal with damp garments. As the skin on your hands is already thin, wet gloves can cause irritation, making dry skin worse.

5. Moisturizing baths Before you turn on the water on super-hot, slow down–intensely hot water can actually lead to worse dry skin. Instead, we suggest bathing in lukewarm water with a product like Caribbean Therapy Body Scrub and Cleanser by Aveda ($52.00 and $34.50) to help slack off dead skin, allowing you to rehydrate with nourishing ingredients quicker. What could be better than a long bubble bath that smells like the tropics after a day in the snow?

Winter can make healthy skin a battle, but with the right products and techniques, you can have glowing skin year-round. Do you have a favourite winter skin care tip? Share it with us below!