How to Keep Your Skin Soft and Beautiful this Winter!

Last Updated on January 7, 2021

Dry skin can occur due to frequent bathing, use of harsh soaps, certain medical conditions, and aging. And since we’re about to welcome winter, people in colder climates are more likely to experience raw, red, rough, or itchy skin. This is because the low levels of humidity prevent the skin from retaining enough moisture.

Even if you live in an area where cold winter air isn’t a concern, chances are you’ll need to manage dry skin at a given time.

Regardless of the cause, here are 9 simple and affordable ways to keep your skin soft and healthy.

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– How to keep your skin moisturized

The first step in banishing dry skin is to start using skin moisturizers, which contain a set of ingredients that help seal in the moisture to keep the top layer of your skin cells hydrated.

For the best results, choose thicker moisturizers because they’re greasier, thus more effective. Some affordable, yet effective products are petroleum jelly and moisturizing oils. These are best used on damp skin after a shower to keep the moisture sealed within the skin.

Although oils and petroleum jelly may not be cosmetically appealing, they contain no water, meaning they’re more effective in keeping your skin hydrated than other moisturizers that contain both water and oil.

#1 – Use a humidifier during the colder months

The cold winter air means low humidity both outdoors and indoors. And since the water content of the top layer of the skin reflects the humidity level around it, using a humidifier every day will help you maintain well-hydrated and beautifully soft skin.

Set your humidifier to sixty percent, which is a perfect level that will keep the top layer of your skin hydrated.

#2 – Don’t take too many or long showers

If you take a shower every day, try not to spend more than ten minutes in there.

Bathing or showering for any longer than that will strip away most of your skin’s oily layer, causing dryness and dehydration.

To protect your skin and avoid losing your natural oils, always use lukewarm water instead of hot water.

#3 – Minimize your use of soaps

You need to avoid using perfumed soaps, deodorants’ soaps, and any products that contain alcohol because they can easily rip off your natural oils.

If you must use soaps, opt for moisturizing preparations like Basis, Olay, and Dove. You may also want to consider using soap-free cleansers, such as Aquanil, Oilatum-AD, and Cetaphil.

#4 – Avoid scrub brushes, washcloths, and sponges

Using bath sponges, washcloths, and scrub brushes can damage your skin. But if you still wish to use them anyway, make sure to use a light touch and never be too harsh on your skin.

Also, you may want to avoid rubbing your skin when drying with a towel for the same reason.

#5 – Apply moisturizer after showering or washing your hands

To seal in the moisture, you should always apply a moisturizer immediately after bathing or washing your hands and make sure to do so while your skin is still damp.

This will help fill the spaces between your skin cells, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

#6 – Use thick creams

Petroleum jelly and thick creams are your skin’s best friends, especially during winter. Use them on damp skin to seal in moisture and maintain soft skin.

If the greasy feel of such creams bothers you, just keep rubbing a small amount over the dry areas until neither your hand nor your skin feels greasy.

#7 – Do not scratch

If your skin is itchy, avoid scratching no matter how much you really want to do it. Scratching will only make it worse and damage your skin. Instead, use a moisturizer to manage the itching.

You can also put a cold compress on the itching areas to get some quick relief.

#8 – Avoid detergents that contain fragrance

Laundry detergents may make your clothes smell amazing for days, but they can cause various health problems, including skin irritation.

To maintain soft and healthy skin, never use fabric softeners and always opt for fragrance-free laundry detergents.

#9 – Don’t wear skin-damaging fabrics

Wearing wool and similar fabrics may keep you warm but they can irritate your skin, leading to redness and itching.

Also, besides being allergic to wool, many people don’t feel comfortable wearing this fabric. If your skin hates wool, it’s best to make sure to determine the cause behind it so you can deal with it properly.

– Can dryness develop to serious skin diseases?

In most cases, dry skin isn’t a serious concern and can be easily managed. However, it can lead to serious complications, like chronic eczema, bleeding from deep fissures that disrupt the dermis’ capillaries, and secondary bacterial infection.

Rarely, dry skin can be linked to allergies.
If regular creams and oils provide no relief or if you start noticing redness, swelling, or other serious symptoms, make sure to consult your dermatologist. And don’t forget to use sunscreen on a regular daily basis.

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