When life has you constantly on the run or buried under your to-do list, it’s easy to overlook self-care.
Skincare can be even more challenging when the seasons change. A rushed shower or morning routine, coupled with colder temperatures and dry indoor heating, can leave your skin looking and feeling dry, dull and neglected.
While you can’t control the weather or unexpected changes to your day, you can take steps to ensure your skincare routine helps combat dry skin during the cold weather months. Here are five dermatologist-approved ways to change up your skincare routine for fall.
Prep your skin
While a long, hot shower may feel fantastic after a chilly day, it can be damaging to your skin. Did you know that hot water strips away the skin’s natural oils and disrupts surface lipids and proteins? To combat dryness, decrease shower length and use tepid water instead of hot. Also, use a moisturizing bodywash formulated with petrolatum (the number one dermatologist-recommended moisturizer) to help hydrate while you shower.
Treat your skin right
As temperatures drop and humidity levels decrease, melanin-rich skin can become more prone to dryness, dehydration and visible ashiness. For fall, look for richer, barrier-supporting moisturizers with humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which attract water to the skin, along with emollients and occlusives such as shea butter, ceramides, jojoba oil and other plant-based oils that help soften skin and reduce moisture loss.
Creams and body butters can also provide additional moisture during cooler, drier months, particularly on areas prone to dryness, such as the elbows, knees and hands. Moisturizing your skin immediately after a bath or shower, while it’s still damp, can help keep it from drying out.
Protect your skin
Wearing sunscreen daily is equally important during the colder months as it is during the warmer months. Protect your skin by using sunscreen on any exposed areas, even on cloudy days, to help defend against damage from harmful UV rays. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher that provides broad-spectrum protection (against UVA and UVB rays) for any exposed skin.
Hydrate from within
When you start cranking up the heat indoors, don’t forget to hydrate your skin from within by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. This is also the perfect time to use a portable humidifier in rooms where you spend the most time. Moisturizing the air around you can help keep your skin from drying out.
Dress for the weather
Think of your skin as a vital part of your wardrobe. Dress it with care. Wear comfortable fabrics to reduce the risk of irritation. Try layering light, breathable fabrics under clothing made of wool or other potentially abrasive materials, and include a layer of lotion under gloves to protect your hands from wind and cold temperatures that can be drying.
Try incorporating these steps to help keep your skin looking and feeling its best from head to toe.