Winter Skin Care Tips for Dry Skin

Summer is over and still months away. Wintertime and cold, dry weather are now upon us. Combine this with the effects of indoor heating on our skin and many of us end up with very dry and possibly very itchy skin during the winter season. We still need to keep our skin moisturized, even though much of it is covered up during the cold weather. And on skin that's exposed, such as the face, dry skin will show more fine lines and wrinkles than moisturized skin. Check out these winter skin care tips to relieve and prevent dry skin.

Petroleum Jelly

This is an all-around great moisturizer. It's available almost everywhere and it's cheap. You can use it on your face, hands, feet, or anywhere that needs moisture. A great trick is to dab on and rub in a small amount around the crow's feet area on the face at night when going to bed. Let it moisturize all night while you're sleeping.

Fragrance-Free Products

Shower gels and soaps that are heavy in the fragrance department usually contain a lot of alcohol which is very drying to the skin. It's best to leave those heavy aromas for the summertime when our skin isn't so dry. In the winter it's best to opt for cleansers that have no fragrance. Products that contain oatmeal are very gentle and non-drying to our skin.

Drink Lots of Water

We've all heard it before. Drink plenty of water. And the reason we hear it so often is because of how important it is. Drinking approximately 8 glasses of water a day will help to hydrate our skin from within.

Don't Take Hot Showers

It may feel good, but taking a hot shower removes the oils faster than taking a cool shower. Obviously during the winter it would be uncomfortable to take cool showers. So the best advise is to try to maintain a lukewarm water temperature for most of the time you spend in the shower. If you just have to have some hot water, keep it brief and return to the lukewarm water as soon as possible. Your skin will thank you!