Top 5 winter skincare routines for your dry skin to keep it healthy

Including effective skincare helps in hydration and protection of your skin and keeps it healthy and radiant throughout India's winter. Check out five winter skincare routine to avoid dry skin

Winter is approaching in India, and the season brings with it a unique set of skincare challenges. Cold winds can be very harmful for your skin. One might notice subtle tightness on cheeks after a brisk walk or a hint of flakiness on the forehead in the mirror. If you also witness such discomfort, it is a sign to make some changes in your skincare routine as winter is settling in.

 

Michelle Henry, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, told Vogue.com, “Dry skin can result from a multitude of factors that affect skin health and hydration.” She says that multiple factors are responsible for dry skin on our faces and bodies such as environmental factors like dry air exposure to cold, harsh skincare ingredient choices, natural ageing process and some medical conditions.

 

However, dry skin is important to combat and one can easily overcome this challenge by improving their daily winter skincare routine.

Top 5 winter skincare routine

Wash your face with warm water

It is advisable to avoid using hot water in winter to wash your face, hair, or even your body no matter how soothing it may feel as it can cause inflammation and disrupt the skin barrier making skin even worse. It is advisable to use warm water instead.

Apply moisturiser on damp skin

The best way to apply moisture is when the skin is damp. According to Henry, the best way to apply moisturiser is when your skin is still damp and once you apply moisture, make sure not to rub your skin.

Use products with hydrating ingredients

The best way to overcome the challenge of dry skin in winter is to find products with hydrating and moisturising ingredients. Daniel Belkin, MD, board-certified dermatologist at New York Dermatology Group, states that moisturiser comes in multiple forms using multiple ingredients in a single formulation. The three most common forms are emollients, humectants, and occlusive.

Avoid harsh ingredients

When skin barriers are disrupted, it causes dry skin. Hence, Belkin advises avoiding irritants as it can cause more damage to the skin. Some of the ingredients to avoid are tea tree oil, menthol, alcohol, acetone, fragrance, and botanical oils. Henry also added some ingredients such as parabens, sulfates, any forms of retinoids or retinol, and more.

Never skip sunscreen

Sunscreen is very effective for the skin and body, even in winter. It is advisable to choose a hydrating, broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen to keep your skin protected from ultraviolet radiation, even during overcast days.