With all the dry indoor heat, wool sweaters and hot showers we take to stay warm through the winter, it’s no wonder we’re left looking—and feeling—a little parched. Plus, as we age, our bodies produce less estrogen, hyaluronic acid and ceramides, all of which work to keep skin hydrated, says Connecticut-based dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD. Luckily replenishing that moisture is as easy as updating your skincare. “Just like you change your clothes in the winter, your skincare products need an overhaul too.” Here, Dr. Gohara shares the easy, affordable ways to treat dry skin in winter—these easy tweaks that switch up your routine will bring your skin back to life fast.
Where do you notice dry skin the most during the winter months?
Dry skin in winter on the face: Double up on hydration
There are three key steps to keeping the face hydrated in winter, says Dr. Gohara.
Step 1: Use a gentle, non-soap cleanser, such as Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, that will cleanse and hydrate the skin at the same time. Unlike soap cleansers that can dry out the skin, these replenish moisture while they strip away dirt and impurities.
Step 2: Double moisturize. Start with a moisturizer infused with hyaluronic acid–our body’s natural humectant, which declines with age leaving skin less hydrated, buoyant and radiant. We like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel with Hyaluronic Acid, which sinks deep into the skin to restore moisture.
Step 3: Apply a moisturizing cream, such as La Roche-Posay Lipikar Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream, as creams tend to be thicker and more hydrating than lotions. If you like to exfoliate your skin, too, Dr. Gohara suggests limiting it to once a week during the winter to avoid drying out the skin.
Dry skin in winter on the body: Look for replenishing ingredients
“What we do in the shower makes a huge difference in terms of keeping our body skin hydrated,” says Dr. Gohara. Using harsh soaps, scrubbing loofahs and hot water can dry it out. Instead, opt for a gentle body wash that contains hyaluronic acid, such as Dove Hydration Boost Serum Body Wash—it’s just as important for hydrating skin on the body. After showering, pat, don’t rub, your skin dry with a towel. Rubbing disrupts the skin barrier making irritation and dryness even more likely.
Then, lock in moisture with a ceramide-infused body cream. “Ceramides are a component of the skin barrier that helps to lock water and moisture in, but they deplete with age,” says Dr. Gohara. She suggests a ceramide cream made for melanin-rich skin, no matter what your skin tone is. Why? “Studies show that when it comes to skin, the more melanin (skin’s pigment), the fewer ceramides, and these creams are made to boost the levels of ceramides and moisture,” Dr. Gohara says. Try one also made with shea butter and coconut oil, such as Vaseline Radiant X Deep Nourishing Body Cream, as these lipids provide skin with the building blocks to replenish its own ceramides levels. “Just make sure to apply the cream within three minutes of exiting the shower, while the skin is still moist,” she adds.
Dry skin in winter on elbows, knees and heels: Wrap them up
You can show the body spots with the roughest skin extra love by applying a thick ointment like Vaseline or Aquaphor, says Dr. Gohara. The only caveat? You’ll need to remove dead skin cells first so that any creams can better penetrate. This can be done with a urea-rich cream, such as Eucerin Roughness Relief Cream. Urea is an ingredient that helps break down the hardened protein in dry, scaly skin. Her genius hack: Mix a dollop of the urea-based cream with an ointment, apply it to the rough skin areas and wrap them with plastic wrap. “Let it soak into your skin for a few hours while you watch TV or fold the laundry.” Then, remove and rub in the excess.
