10 Winter Tips for Sensitive Skin | Cosmetics & Makeup

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10 Winter Tips for Sensitive Skin

There's no question why winter can harm your skin! Cold air and wind outside and dry air inside team up to make your skin dry and itchy at best, cracked and damaged at worst. What can you do? Try these tips:

Know your skin type. First thing after you get out of bed in the morning, wash your face, but don't put anything on it. After half an hour, look in the mirror:
- If all or most of your face looks shiny, you probably have oily skin.
- If your skin is rough or you see fine, powdery skin flakes, your skin is probably dry.
- If you have red irritation or blotches, you skin may be sensitive.
Use moisturizer more often in winter and be sure it's suited to your skin type:
- Dry skin - look for products with more emollients like petrolatum, cocoa butter, shea butter, and mineral oil. High emollient moisturizers help seal water in the skin.
- Normal to oily skin - look for products that contain more humectants such as glycerin or sorbitol. High-humectant lotions attract water molecules to the skin to help keep it moist.
- Sensitive skin - consider skin care products that form a protective layer on this skin using ingredients such as petroleum jelly, dimethicone, or colloidal oatmeal.
If your skin is especially sensitive, select hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and dye-free products. And be sure to use a gentle, soap-free cleanser to reduce the likelihood of stripping and irritating skin.
Pay special attention to lips, hands, and feet:
- Use lip balm to protect your lips: they're easy prey for chapping winds and cold.
- If your hands need extra care, try moisturizing them with a heavy emollient cream before going to bed and then wearing white-cotton gloves while you sleep.
- Apply rich creams or ointments to dry and calloused feet, and consider wearing socks or "booties" at night to keep the skin soft.
Choose fabrics that are gentle on winter-wary skin. Try cotton over wool, which has a "friction effect" that can irritate even normal skin. Also:
- Dress in layers, with loose-fitting cotton next to your skin, then as many layers as appropriate for the weather.
- Take off wet clothes and shoes and dry your skin (and moisturize again) as soon as you come inside.
Keep using your sunscreen. Even on dark winter days, you may not see the sun, but its rays can still damage and even burn your skin if you spend a lot of time outdoors. And watch out for reflected sunlight from snow and ice, which can be even more damaging than direct rays.
Protect your skin in winter from the inside, too:
- Eat plenty of skin-nourishing "good" fats, especially the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and flaxseed products.
- Drink plenty of water.
Keep the air in your home as moist as possible: winter heating and closed windows invite dry, cracked, itchy skin. Try using a humidifier around the house to help keep your skin hydrated.
Take warm, not hot, showers and baths. Hot water can strip off your skin's natural oils and contribute to dry, itchy skin.
See a dermatologist if your skin becomes extremely dry or you develop eczema or "winter itch."