Want to know how to care for your skin naturally in winter?
Want to look radiant during the holidays?
Then you came to the right place!
In this post, I’ll tell you how to keep your skin glowing during the winter with 7 beauty tips. They’re easier than you think and inexpensive.
But first a few basics.
DISCLAIMER: The recommendations presented in this post don’t replace medical advice. If you have a medical condition, please consult with your doctor first.
Why is skincare important in the winter?
Because with harsh conditions—like the dry and cold wind, the heating, hot showers, and sunlight—the skin can rapidly lose its moisture. And some of the issues that can result from prolonged exposure to winter weather are dry skin, chapped lips, cold urticaria, and eczema flare-ups.
That’s why taking care of your skin in the winter is necessary so it’s healthy and radiant.
How to care for your skin naturally in winter
1. Stay hydrated.
Drink plenty of fluids to keep your body and skin hydrated from the inside. Aim for 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
And if you don’t like drinking water, there are a couple of ways you can hydrate.
One is by drinking decaffeinated tea—perfect for those gloomy winter days.
And another, is by eating fruits high in water—like watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, oranges and pineapple.
2. Wash your skin with a gentle cleanser.
With so many varieties available, it can be hard to choose the perfect cleanser. But the thing is, cleansers with alcohol and fragrance dry up your skin. So, it’s best to use one that is fragrance-free or a neutral soap.
And if you enjoy a little fragrance in your cleanser, I recommend the Live Natural body wash. It smells nice and is gentle on the skin.
Finally, after washing your face, use a toner to remove impurities in your pores, restore your skin’s pH level, smooth it out and improve its tone.
My favorite toners are: THAYERS Witch Hazel (find it at drugstores), this homemade rose water toner or this star anise toner.
3. Shower with lukewarm water.
Who doesn’t enjoy taking a long hot shower on a cold winter day? I do.
BUT long hot showers aren’t good for your skin or hair. Here’s why:
- They can dehydrate and strip your skin of the necessary oils that make it healthy;
- worsen skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea, acne, or psoriasis; and
- lead to hair fall (read How to wash your hair the right way to avoid hair loss.)
That said, it’s best to take short lukewarm showers.
And if you want to avoid that tightness on your face after washing it, here’s an easy beauty hack for you:
Apply natural oil—coconut, almond, olive, or jojoba—on your clean face before you shower. Let the water run through it while gently massaging your face (no need to use soap). When you’re done, simply pat dry your baby soft skin.
4. Moisturize Often
Like mentioned before, harsh winter conditions quickly dry up your skin. That’s why you need to moisturize it often (face, neck, lips, hands, body and feet).
Here’s a breakdown of the moisturizers I use:
- For face and neck: Either rosehip, jojoba, olive, almond, or coconut oil.
- For hands, feet and body: jojoba or coconut oil.
- For lips: coconut, jojoba, Rosehip oil or a good quality lip balm.
- For eczema-prone skin, I use Curel lotion—my family has sensitive skin, so this is good for them.
5. Stay sun safe.
Direct sun exposure is just as harmful for the skin on winter just as it is on summer. It accelerates the ageing process, causes dryness and increases the risk of skin cancer.
So, protecting it from the sun damage during wintertime is crucial; here are 3 tips:
- Apply a gentle sunscreen lotion—I like using the ones made out of zinc.
- Wear UV-blocking sunglasses to protect your eyes and eyelids.
- Avoid direct sunlight exposure and sun hours between 10am and 4pm.
6. Protect your skin from the harsh cold.
Staying for long periods of time in wet, windy or cold weather can cause dryness or other serious injuries on the skin like frostbite or “frostnip.”
Protect it by:
• dressing properly;
• covering the delicate skin areas such as the neck, ears, and hands;
• using dry clothes;
• drying up your hair completely before going outside.
7. Apply lip balm often
Lips are another delicate area of your skin that easily gets cracked or chapped when exposed to the winter conditions. So, a good moisturizing is necessary for healthy and beautiful lips.
That said, apply a good quality lip balm throughout the day. And at night, moisturize your lips with natural oil (like jojoba, coconut or almond) to repair them from the dryness.
Also, it’s important to avoid licking your lips often. Saliva can further strip the lips of moisture, causing more dryness.
If your lips continue to be chapped, cracked, or if it gets worse, seek professional help.
Enjoy a radiant skin during dry winter days
As you can see, caring for you skin during the cold season easy and doesn’t have to be expensive.
Let’s revisit our 7 tips on how to care for your skin naturally during wintertime:
- Stay hydrated
- Wash with a gentle cleanser
- Shower with lukewarm water
- Moisturize often
- Stay sun-safe
- Protect from the cold weather
- Moisturize your lips often
I hope you enjoyed these easy self-care tips. And if severe dryness on your skin persists, see a dermatologist to get proper treatment.
Do you have any other skincare secret for dry winter days?
Share it in the comments, we’d love to know!
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4 thoughts on “How to Care for Your Skin Naturally in Winter and Look Radiant”
I can proudly say, I follow all these steps 😄 I live in Canada, so winter here lasts for like 8 months! Having a proper winter skincare is an absolute must! Thank you for putting this together!
Thank you so much and congratulations on loving your skin during the harsh Canadian winters! 😊
This is so helpful. Thanks for these wonderful tips!
So glad to hear that! Thank you too for your support 😍