Winter is just around the corner, and with it comes harsh, bitter winds, static-filled hair, and chapped lips. Keep reading to learn how you can perform proper skin and hair care in winter.
The winter months can be brutal on your skin and hair. Because cold air contains much less moisture than warm air, as you’re exposed to it, moisture is leached from your skin and hair. But that’s not all. Once you step inside, you’re exposed to even more drying elements. Space heaters, furnaces, and fireplaces all add to this moisture-wicking process. No matter where you go in winter, you’re faced with constant water loss.
Keeping your skin and hair healthy in the winter is all about retaining—and adding—moisture. Before we jump into the specifics of skin and hair care in winter, however, we need to cover some general winter hydration tips.
During the winter, we tend to veer toward hot drinks like tea, hot chocolate, or coffee. Nothing beats the warmth in your chest as a piping hot drink goes down. Despite their warmth, however, these drinks actually add to your dehydration.
To combat water loss, you need to make a concerted effort to drink more water. Yes, it may be cold, but it will help your skin and hair in the long run. If you aim to drink as much water in the winter as you do in the summer, you can start to offset the effects of water loss from cold air. Proper hydration is the first step of skin and hair care in winter.
Humidifiers are a great way to infuse your home with extra moisture. As the name implies, they pump out humid, water-logged air that counters the drying effects of your space heaters and furnace. If you sleep with a humidifier next to your bed in the winter, you’ll wake up with hair and skin that is less dry.
Sometimes, skin and hair care in winter can be a little counterintuitive. You may not like to hear it, but that long, scalding shower you take every night isn’t doing your body any good, even if it feels great. Like furnaces and space heaters, prolonged exposure to hot water can dry out both your skin and your hair. To maintain proper skin and hair care in winter, you can instead opt for quick, five-minute showers under lukewarm water. It may be cold getting out, but you can always bundle yourself up again.
As mentioned above, your hair is much drier in the winter, and exposing it to hot, dry air can damage it further. To perform the best skin and hair care in winter, put the blow dryer away and consider drying your hair with a soft, old t-shirt. The shirt will soak up excess water and be gentle on your wet hair.
Your regular shampoo schedule might be adding to your body’s water loss. Excessive shampooing strips the hair of its natural oils, especially in winter. Try extending the amount of time between shampoos to retain those oils and keep moisture in longer.
When you do wash your hair, make sure you’re using products that contain natural moisturizers, like coconut oil, shea butter, or argan oil. These will add moisture back into your hair and scalp while also repairing damage.
Once a week, before you hop in the shower, try massaging your scalp with olive or coconut oil. This helps replenish your scalp’s natural oils. Or, after you shower, apply a deep conditioning hair mask to the ends of your wet hair and work it all the way up toward your roots.
These simple products for moisturizing hair will penetrate the hair shaft and leave your hair feeling much less dry and frizzy.
If your hair is extra dry or brittle in the winter, use a leave-in conditioner or hair serum to keep moisture locked in throughout the day. These products can prevent breakage and damage from dryness while leaving your hair soft.
Applying skin serum is an essential part of skin and hair care in winter. Serum penetrates the outer layers of your skin and delivers antioxidants deep within the dermal layers. Combine this product with a high-quality moisturizing cream to seal in moisture.
If you incorporate serum and moisturizer into your nightly routine, you can sleep with it on your face and wake up with your skin feeling refreshed and replenished.
Keeping your skin hydrated in the winter prevents it from becoming dry, raw, and flaky. Using a daily moisturizer or skin serum can prevent these uncomfortable symptoms. The best daily moisturizers for dry skin often include ingredients like:
These moisturizing ingredients gently nourish your skin and help it retain moisture throughout the day. It’s best to apply moisturizers when your skin is still damp, like after a shower.
Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you should forget about UV protection. Harsh winter winds can make your skin dry and raw, and having a sunburn on top of that can be extremely unpleasant. When looking for winter skincare products, make sure to look for products that have a good SPF value. Apply a day cream with high SPF before you head out for the day to ensure that your skin is moisturized and protected from the sun’s rays.
Your hands, lips, and nose often have to deal with the brunt of the cold, so make sure you provide them with a little extra care. For your hands, invest in a thick, cream moisturizer that contains heavier ingredients like shea butter or beeswax. Lather up at the end of the day and sleep with a pair of gloves on to prevent dry, cracked hands.
For your lips, use a sugar scrub to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells. Then, apply an emollient or oil and coat your lips with a layer of petroleum jelly to lock in moisture.
Finally, your nose should be feeling moisturized from the rest of your skin care routine, but if it’s feeling a little extra dry and raw, you can apply a warm compress to relieve it. For those that deal with sinus issues in the winter, this can also relieve some pressure.
At Brillare Beauty Institute, we’re dedicated to education. That’s why we’re determined to provide each and every one of our students with the tools to help you to combat dryness during the winter months.
If you’re unsure about how to perform proper skin and hair care in winter, we can help. Our SalonSpa services will leave your hair and skin feeling plump, moisturized, and ready to take on the winter winds. Contact us today to schedule your SalonSpa appointment.
Cosmetologist Branding