Falling leaves, cloudy mornings, and rain is finally upon us! What’s also upon us, however, is a major change to our skin. Chapped lips, cracked skin, psoriasis (an autoimmune skin disease that is sometimes present during the winter), and redness are all symptoms of sensitivity to winter weather. In dry areas like Dublin, we are far more likely to experience the conditions listed above. Now let’s talk about some strategies you can use to give your skin a much-needed pick-me-up during this season.
Dealing with Dryness: Switch over to a moisturizer, not a hydrator. Surprisingly enough, there is actually a difference between these two items. Hydrators use water as their main product to tackle dryness while moisturizers use oil as their main product. If you don’t have a problem with dryness however, do not switch your routine around, as your skin is already providing you with sufficient sebum (natural oil of the skin). Basically, your skin isn’t phased by the harsh winter weather; it’s doing its job! It’s important to not disrupt that.
Tackling Chapped Lips: The skin on your lips is extremely fragile and thin, making it far more susceptible to dryness, bleeding, cracking, and more. All you can really do about this is to wear a lip mask over the average lip balm. Wearing it during the night will also ensure hydration during the day. The good thing about lip products is that all of our lips generally react similarly to them (unless you’ve got a special type of condition,) so really anything could work. A common misconception is that lip gloss, lip oil, and lip balm are all different. This is pretty far from true, and you can wear any of those to have happy lips.
Dullness: Dullness in your skin is caused when you’ve got excess dead skin on you. Many people don’t wear sunscreen in winter, which can actually contribute to this dullness. Another thing that can make you more prone to dullness is a lack of exfoliation. Since we’re young, our cells can do this by themselves, so all we have to do is use some moisturizer, SPF (sunscreen), and a gentle face wash. Using a serum can also give your skin a glowy appearance.
Winter can be a significant period of hardship for your skin, but it’s not something to worry about. With the right products and routines, you’ll be glowing in no time! It’s important to keep in mind the fact that everyone’s skin is different. Even identical twins will find differences in their skin, and so you may find success in one of these tips that doesn’t work for somebody else. It’s absolutely critical to understand your skin and its needs. After all, it is the biggest organ of the body!