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How to Take Care of Your Skin During the Winter

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Ottawa chapter.

With last week’s snowfall and the temperature drop, it is very easy for your skin to start to become dry. During the winter season, it is incredibly important to modify your skincare regime to accommodate for the weather changes. Luckily, taking care of your skin in the winter doesn’t have to be a hard, lengthy task. There are some very easy ways to modify your skin care routine that will help prevent any damage throughout the coming winter months.

 

1. Moisturize, PLEASE

If you even remotely care for the condition of your skin, you’re going to want to get a moisturizer that works for you. It’s incredibly easy for your skin to dry out during the winter season. So remember to apply a moisturizer suited for your skin type in the morning AND at night.

2. Water, water, and did I mention water?

I know, you hear about the importance of water constantly. But seriously, drink water! It’s so important because your skin needs to hydrate from the inside, out! As tempting as it is to base your liquid diet solely on warm cocoa and peppermint mochas during the winter months, make sure you’re still getting your daily water intake. One way you can sneak in some extra water is by eating foods with a higher water-content (watermelon, kiwi, celery, apples, etc.) This will help to keep your skin hydrated and glowing (with the extra boosts of vitamin C)!

Aside from making sure your body is receiving enough water, you should also be conscious of the temperature of the water you are using. As tempting as it may be to take a scolding hot shower after a long day on campus and a cold walk home through the snow, it’s actually not the best idea! It’s helpful to take warm or lukewarm showers, as hot water can strip moisture from your skin AND hair. This also applies when washing your hands too!

3. Exfoliate

The importance of exfoliating cannot be stressed enough. Simply put, exfoliating removes your dead skin cells and brings new cells to the surface of your skin! So be sure to invest in an exfoliator or use an exfoliating skin brush (like a Clairsonic). Otherwise, how can moisturizer work to the best of its ability if it has to go through all of the dead skin first?

Another important part to remember to exfoliate is your lips. It’s super easy for them to dry out during the winter, so try a lip scrub! In addition to lip scrub, don’t forget to carry lip balm with you to keep those lips moisturized too!

4. Don’t forget about your entire body!

It’s not just the skin on your face that becomes dry and suffers during the winter. Your entire body needs some tender love and care, especially your hands and feet. Try investing in a good quality hand moisturizer for the winter months and an effective foot cream for your feet! In addition to these, don’t forget to invest in a body moisturizer for the winter. It’s also a good idea to exfoliate your entire body with a body scrub!

5. Add some SPF

Applying sunscreen/SPF is commonly forgotten during the winter months. However, that doesn’t make it any less important. In fact, winter skin is more sensitive to sun than tanned, summer skin. Therefore, during the winter months, apply sunscreen to your exposed areas. A good way to get some coverage from the sun during the winter is to get a moisturizer that has SPF in it!  

What are your winter-skin types? Comment below!

Alexandria is a fourth year student at the University of Ottawa with majors in Communications and English. She is passionate about animal rights, advocating for mental health, writing, and napping. In the odd occasion that she does have spare time, you can find her crying over cute videos of puppies, devouring a tub of chocolate peanut butter ice cream, reading, or playing with her cat.