Ah, winter skin . . . We all know the discomfort of the flakey, itchy, uncomfortable dry skin days. . . But did you know there are easy ways to manage and soothe dry skin? These winter months don’t have to be miserable. Here is our beginner's guide to treating and preventing dry skin.

Why does skin get so dry in the winter?

The cold season can wreak havoc on our skin due to the lack of humidity in the air. Humidity is responsible for keeping skin hydrated and supple, so when it’s absent our skin loses that moisture quickly. (If you've got questions about what to use on your face when, checkout  this post on the proper order for applying skincare products).

This means flakey, itchy patches and uncomfortable tightness all over your body. For those already predisposed to dry or sensitive skin, this onslaught can cause extreme skin irritation. Your skin's surface barrier can become compromised, causing dehydration and further exacerbating the issue.

How do I prevent dry skin?

Keeping your skin hydrated is key to avoiding flaky, itchy patches. Moisturizing regularly will help keep your skin barrier healthy and protect against environmental factors that could cause further damage. Paying attention to your face is just as important, so if you’re going outside make sure to use a hydrating facial moisturizer followed by a facial SPF for optimal skin protection.

Lock-in Moisture

Your face is exposed to all the elements, so it loses moisture like a mother. Daily moisturizing is critical to keeping your skin glowing. Look for hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides to help seal in moisture and keep your skin hydrated.

And don't forget that beautiful face! Start the day right with a hydrating moisturizer followed by a facial oil to lock in moisture. This will make your skin soft and healthy looking all day long.

Don't Scratch

This will only irritate your skin more. No bueno. Might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s hard to resist scratching that itch. Dead skin cells can really make you want to catch that itch, but it'll only make it worse.

Instead, try running an ice cube or ice roller over itchy skin if it’s getting too intense to ignore. Follow up with some aloe vera gel and a light moisturizing cream. Aloe vera helps soothe and calm irritated skin.

Make a Change in Your Diet

Your diet can also affect your skin health. Incorporating foods that are rich in essential fatty acids - such as salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds - can help maintain the balance of oils in the skin, keeping it hydrated and glowing.

Incorporating healthy fats into your diet is a great way to help keep your skin moisturized. Some of our favorite healthy fat-foods include:

• olive oil
• coconut oil
• avocados
• Almonds, sunflower seeds, and other nuts and seeds.

You can also try using supplements like Evening Primrose Oil and Omega-3, which are known for their skin-hydrating properties.

Choose Your Cleanser Wisely

Cleansers are a necessary part of our skin care routine but they can be harsh on dry skin. Choose one that is non-comedogenic and free of sulfates and parabens as these can strip away natural oils in the skin. Look for gentle, natural cleansers such as micellar water or a cream-based cleanser.

Protect Against the Elements

Wind, sun and cold temperatures can all dry out your skin. Make sure you’re protecting your skin from these environmental factors with a daily moisturizer followed by a mineral-based SPF. If you’re going outside in colder temperatures, layer with a heavy coat and gloves to protect your skin from exposure. 

Turn down the Temp

Don’t let a hot bath deceive you. Hot water can strip your skin of its natural oils and make dryness worse. While we all like a warm soak now and then, try to limit your time in the hot water as it strips your skin's moisture and can take dry skin to extremely dry, itchy skin. So, keep it lukewarm and give yourself enough time to actually soak up the benefits of the moisture in the air.

Ditch the Soap

If you’re looking for an extra boost of moisture in the shower, trade your soap bar for a gentler body wash. Avoid anything with sulfates (sometimes referred to by it's long name as sodium lauryl sulfate) and try to look out for natural oils like coconut, avocado or olive oil.

This is especially helpful if you have eczema or sensitive skin. Dry skin is exacerbated by sulfates (hear "salts"). They will leach moisture and make skin feel itchy. So make sure you keep these bad boys off your skin and out of your shower.

Harsh soaps can be anything from hand soap by your sink to body soap in the shower. Both can cause moisture loss, worsen dryness, and leave you feeling itchy. Body washes, on the other hand, are rich in hydration like aloe vera and coconut oil. These powerful plant-based ingredients will help keep skin stay hydrated and protected from the elements.

Get yourself a good humidifier 

Humidifiers help restore balance to your home's air by infusing it with moisture. Not only is this great for your house plants (Orchids love a good humidifier), you'll notice big benefits in your skin's moisture and your ability to breathe easily. 

Our favorite humidifers allow you to add a few drops of essential oil into the mix, giving your home an elevated aroma that boosts your spirits and your glow. 

How do I treat dry skin?

Moisturize on Repeat

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! It's probably the most important thing you can do to keep your skin healthy. Look for a moisturizer that contains hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. Apply it regularly all over your body, especially to any dry or sensitive areas.

No More Epic Showers

We know it's nice to soak in the hot water and let the stress melt away. . . but if it's dry skin you're concerned about, long baths and showers are not the answer.

Limit your time in the hot water and use a gentle body wash that won’t strip away moisture. Hot water can strip the skin of its natural oils, so aim for lukewarm when showering and keep it short.

Drink Lots of Water

Drinking enough water is not only healthy for your body, but it’s also great for your skin. Hydrated skin is happy skin and that means fewer dry patches. So make sure you're drinking enough water to keep your skin looking and feeling its best. We recommend getting yourself a nice water bottle that offers built-in insulation so it'll stay warm or cool for hours. That way, you'll be ready to go - no matter the season.

Scrub Flaky Skin Away!

Exfoliation is a must for achieving healthy, hydrated skin during the winter months. Regularly exfoliating your skin will keep it looking and feeling baby-soft.

All bodies shed dead, dry skin year-round, but the cold weather can ramp up your scaliness. Get that flaky skin off your bod with a good exfoliator. We're pretty partial to a body scrub that’s ultra-rich in hydrating oils paired with sugars. It's the perfect duo for a winter scrubby session.

Try a Foot File

O.k., o.k., they can be a little scary, but believe us when we say foot files are your feet's best friend! They'll get all that rough, calloused skin off, leaving feet oh-so-soft. 

Dealing with Dry, Sensitive Skin

When you have both dry and sensitive skin, the stakes feel all too real. Your skin barrier is compromised and you must do all you can to keep it in tip-top shape.

Stay away from harsh ingredients like sulfates, alcohols, and fragrances. Look for body washes with hydrating oils that won’t strip your skin of its natural moisture. And when it comes to moisturizing, reach for something that’s lightweight and fragrance-free. 

Obviously, your skin needs TLC no matter the season - but in winter, it's especially important. Use these tips to keep your skin from feeling dry and itchy all season long. Stay hydrated and keep up those moisturizing habits!

Dealing with Dry, Itchy Skin

If you've got dry skin, chances are good you're itchy too. That's because dry skin is more prone to inflammation, which can cause itchiness.

The key is to find a way to keep your skin hydrated so you don't feel itchy all the time. Start with a gentle body wash that won’t strip away moisture and follow up with an intensely hydrating moisturizer. Look for one that contains shea butter, aloe vera, and ceramides.

Next, reduce your time in the shower and make sure you keep it lukewarm instead of hot. Hot water can strip away natural oils and leave skin feeling dry and tight - so avoid it at all costs. Finally, drink lots of water throughout the day - it's not just good for your skin, but your overall health too.

With a few simple tweaks, you can keep dry and itchy skin at bay all winter long. Stay hydrated and don’t forget to moisturize! Your skin will thank you for it.

Relieving Dry Skin

How do you relieve dry skin when baby, it's cold outside? We're fans of the good ol' spa night.

1: Start with a good dry brushing of your entire body to remove the surface's flaky skin.

2: Next, hop into a warm bath complete with a bath bomb that doesn't have synthetic fragrances and dyes. Use ones with moisturizing clays and oils.

3: Follow with a body scrub that has oils and sugar. This will help to exfoliate your skin and bring back hydration to dry skin.

4: Once you're out of the bath, pat yourself dry before adding a thick layer of moisturizing body cream to your skin. Look for ones with shea butter and other hydrators to keep your skin fresh and healthy all winter long.

5: Finally, apply some lip balm to keep your pout healthy and hydrated.

Healthy skin is all about maintaining that moisture, so make sure you stay vigilant during the cold season.

The Dry Skin Line Up: the best skincare products for dry and itchy skin

Face Wash:

For a gentle but effective face wash that won't dry out your skin, we recommend the foaming face wash (original) or the foaming face wash in citrus lavender. Both of these gentle formulas will clense skin without irritation or drying.

Body Wash:

Go for the gentle citrus lavender body wash to keep skin clean but hydrated. It's rich in sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and oil vera to give skin the perfect mixture of clean and hydrated!

Facial Serum:

For combatting facial dry skin, go for the Hyaluronic Acid serum. It's a powerhouse for hydration, with active Hyaluronic Acid holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water. 

Facial Moisturizer:

For daytime hydration, opt for a facial cream that pairs Hyaluronic acid with niacinamide to give your face powerful moisture and protection. We recommend the YouthRestoration Bakuchiol Face Moisturizer. Before you hit the sack, go for a night cream rich in Hyaluronic acid like this one. 

Facial Oil: 

Facial oils are a great way to finish off your face's moisture efforts. They'll seal in that hydration by creating a thicker barrier between your skin and the elements. We're big fans of the glowing and radiant facial oil here.

Facial SPF:

Before leaving the house, make sure to apply a good facial SPF. It'll help keep dry skin at bay while protecting your beautiful visage from premature aging from sun damage.

Body Scrub:

A body scrub is part exfoliator and part hydrator. It's the perfect pairing of moisturizing oils and a deliciously rejuvenating scrub. Grab one in Peppermint Tea Tree for the acne-prone.

Bath Bombs:

While many bath bombs are packed with drying sulfates, dyes, glitters, and synthetic fragrances, this 6-pack is not! It's only got the good stuff in it so you can enjoy a rich, luxurious bath that will keep skin glowing all winter long!

Dry brush:

Dry brushing is a great way to boost circulation, relax, and get that dead, flaky skin off. We're obsessed with this long-handled dry brush since it gets those hard-to-reach spots on your back as well as every where else.

Goodbye Dry, Flakey, Itchy Winter Skin!

Winter may be cold and dry but you don't have to let it affect your skin. Follow these tips for keeping your skin hydrated and healthy all season long. With a few simple steps, you can get your skin back in balance and keep it that way all winter long. So grab your exfoliator and moisturizer, hop into the tub, and enjoy some much-needed TLC! Goodbye very dry skin, hello a skin care routine that keeps skin hydrated.