Every winter my usually normal skin becomes very dry. I use an oil-free cleanser and a lightweight moisturizer that I really love and would hate to have to switch. Is there anything else I can do?
Your dilemma is quite common—between cold weather and drying indoor heat, winter takes its toll on a complexion. You may just need to change the way you’re washing your face. Here are a few skin care tips to try for dry skin this winter if you don’t want to make a switch in your cleanser and moisturizer.
Only wash your face once a day—in the pm—to get the day’s makeup and grime off. Your face does not get dirty overnight so there’s really no need for morning cleansing. If you need that splash in the morning to wake up, put some of your lightweight moisturizer on damp hands and rinse off with warm water. You’ll still get the dead skin cells off just by rinsing.
Make sure when you do wash your face, you use a warm water wash and a cool rinse. A cool rinse constricts the blood vessels and calms the skin. And, a cool rinse will not melt off any of the moisturizing agents that your cleanser may have deposited on your face.
Water itself upsets the balance of the skin and has a drying effect, so keep your routine quick—especially in the shower! Get in and get out ASAP. And apply that moisturizer within 3 minutes of washing to seal in the most moisture.
If your face still feels tight and dry, abandon your oil-free cleanser—at least temporarily—and make the switch to a cream cleanser for dry skin. Dove Essential Nutrients, L’Oreal, Olay, and Aveeno all make good ones. You could also replace your lightweight moisturizer with a more hydrating one. Look for ingredients like glycerin, lanolin, wheat germ oil, jojoba, mineral oil or safflower seed oil.
