A change in season always presents personal care challenges, and this is doubly true as we move into winter’s colder weather. Don’t worry, though. There are some easy steps that you can take to keep your skin and hair looking its best this winter.
How does winter affect your skin and hair?
With winter comes colder weather, and that cold can strip the moisture from your skin and hair. This is because cold air is able to hold less moisture than warm air, so though the relative humidity may be higher, the total moisture in the air can be lower. Drier air means more moisture evaporating from skin and hair. Windier conditions can also cause problems. Wind burned and wind chapped skin aren’t just common on windy, stormy days, but it also happens during outdoor winter activities like skiing, when you may be facing more wind resistance.
Even the air indoors can be drier, especially when we turn on the heater.
Because of all of these things, it’s important to take great care of your skin and hair during the winter season.
Winter skincare tips
When you’re taking care of your face during the winter, the key is to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
- Use hydrating cleansers - Even those of us with oily skin can benefit from using a hydrating cleanser in the winter. Avoid harsh and drying ingredients, like alcohols, and embrace hydrating ingredients like aloe and more that will pack extra moisture into the surface of your skin. Try out our Palm-Free Aloe Soap Project for a great soap made with soothing aloe, or the Oat Shea Cleansing Cream Project for an extra gentle clean.
- Treat with hydrating serums - Serums are leave-on products that can carry a lot of benefits. For winter, we recommend humectant serums. Humectants are ingredients that sink into the outermost layer of your skin, attract moisture, and hold on to it like a sponge. Some of our favorite humectant ingredients are marine collagen and hyaluronic acid. Check out our Hyaluronic Acid Serum Project for a great DIY serum for winter.
- Protect your skin with emollients - Emollients are ingredients that protect your skin from water loss. They form a coating over the surface of the skin and make it harder for moisture to evaporate into the cold, dry, winter air. For emollients, you’re going to be looking for heavier moisturizers, from thick creams to balms. Try our Bakuchiol Face Cream Project for winter-ready skin.
- Don’t forget the sunscreen - The sun’s rays may not be as strong in the winter, but you can still get sunburned even on a cloudy day. If you’re out in the snow, the reflection from the snowy white ground can increase your exposure to UV light. Wear sunscreen on your face every day, even in winter.
Winter body care tips
- Take warm showers - Avoid hot showers in favor of warm ones. Hot water can actually dry your skin. This is because hot water can damage the keratinous cells on the outermost layer of skin, which compromises your natural moisture barrier. Showering with warm water will help you keep more moisture in your skin.
- Slather up after your shower - Putting some body butter on your skin right after you shower is a great way to keep it from drying out. When you shower with warm water, the outermost layer of your skin absorbs that moisture. Body butter helps to keep that hydration in your skin where it belongs. Check out our Natural Whipped Shea Butter Project and keep your skin hydrated.
- Skip harsh scrubs - While you might use a harsh scrub for exfoliating during other seasons, in winter you’ll want to go for a gentler exfoliator. This may mean looking for scrubs with smaller grain sizes and rounder grains, or you may look into a chemical exfoliator, like beta hydroxy acids. Some seeds, like poppy seeds and cranberry seeds, have rounded shapes, making them gentler than more jagged exfoliants. Try our Cranberry Sugar Scrub Cubes Project for easy-to-use body scrub with a wonderful festive scent.
Winter hair care tips
- Shampoo less often - Shampooing frequently can strip the moisture and natural sebum from your hair. This leaves your hair extra vulnerable to damage from winter weather. You may even find that you don’t need to wash your hair as often in the winter, when you’re not sweating as much. If your hair starts to feel greasy between shampoos, try a little dry shampoo.
- Use conditioner - Conditioning your hair doesn’t just leave it soft, shiny, and more manageable. Conditioners contain emollient ingredients that form a protective layer on the outside of your hair shaft that helps keep the cold dry hair from stealing moisture from your hair. Conditioning every time you shampoo helps keep your hair protected and healthy. Check out our new Conditioning Shampoo Bar Project to add some conditioning to your shampoo.
- Try a hair oil - Oils are emollient ingredients in hair care. That means that they form a protective layer around the hair shaft, helping to prevent dryness and damage. We have an excellent hair oil base that includes light oils and hair-healthy ingredients. It’s easy to customize, too. Check out our Nourishing Olive Hair Oil Project to learn how.
- Try a hair mask - A hair mask is a deep conditioning treatment that you use once every week or two to keep your hair healthy and beautiful. We have a luxurious hair mask base that’s perfect for protecting your locks from the harsh winter. It’s got wonderful ingredients like jojoba oil, fatty alcohols, and vitamin B5. We have this Luxury Hair Mask Project that shows you how easy it is to customize.
Keeping your hair and skin protected not only helps it look its best, but it also helps to keep it healthy, avoid irritated skin, and prevent cracks in the skin. Taking some easy steps to take care of your skin and hair during winter weather can make all the difference.
