We’re officially in winter. It snowed, it’s cold, and you can’t go through your emails for more than 30 seconds before being bombarded with a new holiday promotion. There is plenty to love about winter — for one, the winter flavors at Starbucks are my personal fave. And I might pretend that I only rewatch Elf every year because my kids want to — but let’s be honest; I probably love that movie even more than they do.
Something I don’t exactly love about winter is “winter itch.” If you’re wondering exactly what winter itch is, it’s pretty straightforward.
Have you ever noticed that in the winter, your skin feels dry more often? Have you noticed your hair lacking luster, and your lips cracking despite you applying a normal amount of product and adhering to your daily routines? That’s because cold air carries less humidity than warm air, so when temperatures drop, so does the humidity, and so do the levels of moisture in your skin and hair. That’s why your skin and hair dry out so much more quickly than usual, and can feel itchy as a result. For some people, this turns into eczema.
There are VERY simple fixes for this, and as you might imagine, the way to compensate for less moisture in the air is by adding moisture from other sources.
Face Care
One of the key changes to make in your skincare for winter is to incorporate a thick cream into your moisturizing routine. Many people are hesitant to use a thick cream on their face. As long as you are using a clean product that isn’t greasy you should be able to incorporate a heavier product without issue. For my face, I take a pump sunscreen and a pump of Vanicream Skin Cream, mix them together, and smooth over my face and neck area. I find that this combination offers a great boost of moisture while protecting from UV Rays. SPF is critical, even in the winter!
You will also want to avoid harsh soaps and over exfoliating during the winter months as this will leave skin feeling dull.
Keeping skin covered when exposed to the elements is essential. A hat and scarf will help keep your face protected from the cold air that tends to leave your skin chapped and dry.
Chapped, Cracked Lips
Chapped lips are a very common occurrence during the winter. Personally, I always have Vaseline on hand to smooth on my lips anytime they feel dry. Another option is Vanicream Vaniply Ointment which contains a skin protectant called Dimethicone. This helps to prevent and protect chapped or cracked skin or lips. I also find Vaniply great for using on your hands, around the nail and cuticle area. Hint, keep reading below for Vaniply giveaway details!!
Body
Keep your skincare routine simple. Avoid using really hot water and keep showers to a minimum, only using gentle products. I prefer Dove unscented soap and Vanicream cleanser as they are gentle and very effective. Immediately after your shower or bath, a layer of Robathol bath oil will supplement the protective action of skin oils. You can also add this oil to a warm bath. After the oil apply a generous layer of Vanicream skin cream – this will seal in the oil and leave your skin moisturized all day.
For The Kiddos
Kids are just as prone to dry, itchy skin in the winter as adults. Avoid long, hot baths and moisturize immediately after the bath (Vanicream Skin Cream, is great for this). A humidifier in the bedroom will help with keeping skin from feeling dry and is also great if your child is getting bloody noses from the dry air. Finally, keep their skin covered as much as possible when they are outside playing in the cold. A good hat, scarf and gloves will offer great protection from the elements.
In summary:
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I can’t overstate the importance of frequent and generous moisturizing is in the winter months.
Use a humidifier if and when possible to make the air in a given space less harsh on your skin, and make up for the natural dryness of winter.
Use detergents designed for sensitive skin. It’s easy to forget about this, because you don’t often think of clothes as having to do with your skin, but what has more contact with our skin than our clothes? Harsh detergents can irritate the skin — especially in the winter.
Drink plenty of water. I know you’ve heard it a thousand times, and you’ll hear it a thousand times again because that’s how important drinking water is for every aspect of your health!
Giveaway time!! If you’re suffering from winter itch and want to try out a great product to help sooth and protect your dry skin, enter the giveaway. We will select 12 lucky entrants to receive Vaniply Oinment from Vanicream. I personally LOVE this stuff and I think that you will too. Enter today!!