The winter months bring so much joy to a lot of people: wintery holidays bring people together, we celebrate the new year and new beginnings, winter sports fans have their chance to enjoy what they love. The weather, as cold as it may be sometimes, is something that a lot of people enjoy about the season as well. Especially for those of us in Scottsdale, or anywhere else in the southwest, the cooler temperatures definitely help to relieve us from those typically sweltering Arizona days. 

Although we don’t experience the freezing temperatures that our northern counterparts are forced to endure, we are definitely not protected from some of the less attractive aspects of winter. Colder weather is all fun and games until you start feeling your face tighten, the skin on the back of your hands starts to crack, and your lips start to bleed from lack of moisture. Winter weather brings a lot to the table, and the dry air is one we wish it would leave behind. 

So how do we protect ourselves from the damaging, dry air that comes around with every seasonal change? How do we keep our skin looking youthful and combat early aging that comes from dry air, sun exposure, and an overall lack of moisture? In this blog, we will review some of the best ways to keep yourself moisturized and protected against the harsh winter air. 

MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE

We’ve put this tip at the beginning because this is arguably the most vital thing you can do for your skin, especially when the air becomes drier. If you already have a set skincare routine, then you already have your favorite moisturizers that work for your skin type. 

Any moisturizer is better than no moisturizer, but people often neglect to change their moisturizers to accommodate to the dry winter months. Just as the seasons change, so should our daily skincare routines. To accommodate the drier air, try looking for moisturizers that are oil-based rather than water-based. Although oil-based products tend to make our skin shinier (especially on the face), it’s best to have that protective layer on your skin that will absorb more moisture and keep your face feeling smooth. If you’re not sure what to look for, note that a lot of nighttime moisturizers are oil-based!

SUNSCREEN IS NOT JUST FOR SUMMERTIME

Sunscreen hits home for a lot of natives of Arizona, because where else will you get sunshine like this for the whole year? While it is more common to use sunscreen to combat the sun’s harmful UV rays, it’s also important to note that the glare the sun creates on the snow can be very damaging to your skin and can even cause painful sunburns! Although we don’t have to worry about snow glare as much in the south, it’s important to keep yourself protected while taking a skiing or snowboarding vacation in the mountains. 

You should be wearing sunscreen every day and should be applying to your face and hands at least 30 minutes before you go outside. If you’re going to be outside for a while, bring the sunscreen with you and reapply frequently. The sun is the enemy of youthful-looking skin as excessive sun exposure will create sun spots and wrinkles on your face

DON’T FORGET YOUR HANDS

Anti-aging techniques are more often targeted towards the face and neck, but what a lot of people don’t know is that your hands are one of the first places to show signs of aging. It’s also the part of the body that you use the most and expose to the harsh winter elements. 

The skin on the back of your hands is actually thinner than the skin on your face, believe it or not! Taking out the fact that your hands are exposed to wind, rain, sun, and the cold, the elasticity and the amount of collagen in your hands tends to deplete, which means that the skin on the backs of your hands starts to look and feel more feeble. 

Daily habits such as washing your hands after you use the bathroom, doing dishes, or anything else involving your hands, soap, and water will also dry out the skin on your hands even faster, especially if you don’t have a daily moisturizing routine for your hands. It’s even a great idea to reapply throughout the day since you could wash off the moisturizer you applied earlier on in the day. 

USE YOUR HUMIDIFIER

An item that is often left to collect dust in the closet and only busted out a few times out of the year is your humidifier. Oftentimes, people assume that their humidifier is only good for helping in clearing your mucus and relieving sinus pressure when you have a cold or flu. 

Fortunately, your humidifier is great for the entirety of winter, not just those weeks when your immune system fails you. In Arizona, we’re not blasting our central heating systems or using space heaters all too often, but these can dry out our homes and offices even more. Humidifiers help to keep moisture in the air, which is why they’re so helpful with colds. 

By dispersing small humidifiers in your bedroom, living room, or anywhere else in your home that you spend most of your downtime in, you’ll be able to disperse the moisture in the air more effectively. This will help to prevent your skin from drying out and keep you feeling rejuvenated while you’re relaxing at home. 

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER 

This tip should just be a given. Drinking water does so much more than just quenching your thirst, and the benefits of drinking water tend to extend to other health aspects of your life. Here in Scottsdale, it’s so important to keep your body hydrated because we live in one of the harshest climates in the country that often causes dehydration. 

It’s a common misconception that drinking plenty of water will make your skin look more youthful. While keeping your body hydrated from the inside makes your outside look and feel better, drinking water does not explicitly make your skin look younger. 

SKIP THE STEAMING SHOWER

We know, this is probably the most difficult tip to come to terms with, but it will actually help to keep the moisture in your skin. Soaking in a steaming-hot bath or relaxing your muscles under a hot shower is the best remedy for colder weather, but this could actually be drying your skin faster than you think. 

Intense heat from a shower or bath breaks down the lipid barriers of your skin, causing you to lose moisture even faster. If you just can’t make it without that steaming shower, try to keep the bathroom door closed while you shower. This will cause your mirror to fog, but it will keep the humidity from the shower in the air, and with a nice body lotion application, it can make your skin feel refreshed. 

CONSULT A SPECIALIST!

For some people, listening to helpful tips is not enough to resist dry skin and actually need to stay moisturized because of their dry skin cracking and bleeding. Since this can oftentimes disrupt your everyday life, it would be worth it to see your dermatologist for medicinal moisturizers and lotions meant to treat chronically dry skin. 

For those who are unsure of what sort of products and routines are best for their skin, visiting your local spa could provide you with the information you need. Your local Scottsdale spas, such as Vibe MedSpas, will help consult you to understand your skin type, what sort of skincare regimens will keep you feeling moisturized, and can recommend treatments to combat dry skin and early aging. 

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Dry skin can affect us in a lot of ways, and in the winter months, it seems especially important to maintain our healthy skincare habits to keep up with the dry and unforgiving air. 

Helpful tips are definitely a major benefit, but it also helps to consult skincare professionals who will listen to your concerns and based on that, provide the best treatment for your specific needs. For aging skin and wrinkles, facial peels are perfect for reducing the appearance of skin damage, which can also be treated with microneedling and the platelet rich plasma (PRP) methods. If you live in the Scottsdale area and want to learn more about treatments to combat the adverse reactions to dry skin, contact Vibe MedSpas and book your appointment today!