So your skin feels dry. Tight. Itchy. Flaky. Cracked. You moisturize your skin, but your skin feels dry an hour later? Winter weather will do that. Anytime there’s low humidity or harsh winds, the skin takes a beating.

Know if you’re dry or dehydrated? They have similar symptoms but different causes.

DRY skin is due to a lack of oil (sebum). DEHYDRATED skin is due to a lack of water.

Anyone can be dehydrated. Even oily skin. If you live in a big city or polluted area, there’s a good chance you have dehydrated skin in at least some parts of your face. Pollution does that to skin.

But truly dry skin (as a skin type) is far less common. Unless we’re at an old age, very few of us are truly dry. Truly dry skin does not produce oil. But most of us do. You can learn more about Dry vs Dehydrated Skin here.

Normal skin should have a little shine in the T-zone at the end of the day. Don’t cleanse your face too often or over-mattify with products in order to achieve that perfect, shine-free complexion. It’s not natural.

We are meant to have a little oil on our face. Without the oil, our precious barrier will get weak (say hello to every skin problem you can imagine). And we’ll wrinkle faster.

Cleansing twice a day is enough. Plus a third time if it’s after exercising. If you over-cleanse or over-exfoliate, you can strip your skin of oil and make it dry.

So besides the obvious (moisturizing), what can you do if your skin feels dry?

12 Winter Skin Tips

There are a number of ways you can alleviate and minimize the feeling of dry or dehydrated skin. Below are some product strategies, which are specific types of products that you can experiment with, and lifestyle tips, which are things you can do besides changing your skincare routine.

You don’t have to try every tip below. These are different approaches that you can choose to fit your lifestyle.

My top recs are: #1, #4, #6, because these are things you should be doing in your routine anyway. And #8, #9 and #12, because these are simple and will give you lifelong health benefits.

Product Strategies

1. Use a hydrating toner after cleansing. It will act like a sponge to keep moisture in skin.

2. Add a hydrating booster to your moisturizer.

[A great one is Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster.]

3. Moisturize with a face oil instead of a moisturizer to strengthen the skin barrier. A stronger barrier doesn’t lose water as fast. Not all oils will make you oily. And it doesn’t have to be every day. Add to your routine 1-3x/week. Or add a drop or two to your regular moisturizer.

4. Cleanse with a cleansing oil at night. Skip the 2nd step of the Double Cleanse, and just use the cleansing oil, which will leave skin more nourished than a Double Cleanse. [This strategy is better for Normal or Dry skin types.]

5. Use an overnight sleeping mask at night. These are designed to lock in moisture. Can be daily, several times a week, or as needed.

6. Exfoliate regularly so that dead skin doesn’t build up. Skin will absorb moisturizer much better if there isn’t a layer of dead skin in the way.

7. Layer several products (serums and moisturizers). Wait 1-3- minutes between layers to allow for full absorption.

 

Lifestyle Tips

8. Drink more water. Vital organs get water first, skin last. So make sure you get enough water to keep the whole body hydrated.

9. Eat juicy fruits & veggies. There’s a lot of hidden water in them!

10. Use a vaporizer in your home so the air doesn’t get too dry. Humidity plays a big factor in the skin’s moisture level.

11. Clean your skin with warm, not hot, water. Hot water dries out skin.

12. Don’t go outside without sun protection. Not only does the sun cause photodamage, it also dries out skin. Sunscreen will also protect skin from windburn.

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