Stay Moisturized: Winter Skincare Tips for Dry Skin
Charlene Shi
Choosing skincare products with the right and suitable ingredients can help you avoid problems like redness and dryness.
As temperatures drop and indoor heating becomes essential, your skin might experience dryness and tightness. No matter how much skincare you apply, it seems ineffective. The increasing roughness of your skin is likely related to the indoor heating during the winter season.
The ideal humidity level for the human body is around 50% RH. However, heating devices rapidly increase indoor temperatures, leading to a significant evaporation of moisture. This causes the indoor environment to become increasingly dry. If the indoor humidity remains below 30% for an extended period, it accelerates the evaporation of skin moisture, making the skin prone to dryness, peeling, redness, and sensitivity. Additionally, it can affect the respiratory mucous membranes, reducing mucus secretion and causing discomfort such as dryness in the nose and throat, making it prone to irritation.
Gentle Skin Cleansing
In winter, our skin requires a gentler cleansing routine. The cold environment slows down the production of skin oils, weakening the barrier function of the sebum film (a layer of immune protection on the skin surface formed by the emulsification of sebum and moisture).
Moreover, during winter, whether it's bathing or washing your face, the water temperature tends to be higher than in other seasons. Elevated water temperatures can easily disrupt the outermost layer of the sebum film, removing the skin's natural oils. If you use cleansing or bathing products with relatively high cleaning power during this time, it exacerbates the damage to the skin barrier, making it even more prone to dryness.
Hydration + Locking Moisture
If you find your skin becoming drier, prioritize moisturizing and hydrating products for short-term skincare benefits. Once your skin's hydration improves, you can then introduce other targeted skincare products. Without proper basic hydration, other skincare products may not be as effective.
