Hi Mary,

I generally have pretty good skin, but during the winter my skin gets irritated and starts to crack. My hands, lips, face, everything! My boyfriend noticed my hands were rough when we went to the movies and I was so embarassed because I had just put on moisturizer earlier in the day. Any suggestions?

-Susannah

Hi Susannah,

You’re definitely not imagining things. During the winter months, the low humidity in many parts of the U.S. can cause dry, chapped, and irritated skin. But you don’t have to throw up your hands in defeat; there are a number of things you can do to help prevent dry skin during the winter.

• Invest in a humidifier. Humidifiers help to replace the moisture lost from running the furnace or heaters and keeping doors and windows closed up. You can buy a larger model to humidify your home, or you can invest in two or three smaller humidifiers to put in different rooms where they are most needed (such as bedrooms).
• Keep your skin moisturized. After you shower or bathe, immediately apply moisturizer to seal the moisture into your skin, and then reapply moisturizer throughout the day as necessary, especially to your hands. Oil-based moisturizers are particularly effective during the winter months, and lotions and creams work well for reapplying moisture to the hands during the day.
• Apply sunscreen. Though it may seem less important to use sunscreen during the winter, the opposite may actually be true. During the winter, UV rays are more powerful because they reflect off the snow. Apply sunscreen to any exposed skin—face, neck, arms, hands, and so forth. It is important to use a good sunscreen (at least SPF 15, and preferably higher if possible) all year round to prevent sunburns and premature aging. I like to use our Robanda Multi Therapy SPF 25 Moisturizer, for it's moisturizing and sun-protection affectiveness.
• Exfoliate. Exfoliate your skin weekly to help remove dead skin cells. Use a gentle, nonabrasive exfoliant that will not irritate your skin, especially for your face.
• Use lip balm. Apply lip balm often and liberally during the winter months to help prevent dry, chapped lips. And don’t lick your lips—this will only make them more dry and irritated.
• Reduce your use of hair blow dryers. If your skin is particularly susceptible to overdrying, consider reducing or stopping completely your use of hair dryers during the winter months. Instead, let your hair air dry naturally, and then try letting it hang wavy or straight, or put it in a loose ponytail or bun.
• Drink plenty of water. This is important year-round, but during the winter it especially helps to prevent skin from becoming dehydrated. You should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, and you should drink more than that if you can during the winter.

The dry winter months can wreak havoc on your skin, but you don’t have to let them if you are willing to take a few preventative measures. Keep your skin soft, smooth, and beautiful by keeping yourself adequately moisturized, inside and out!

Please check back soon for more Beauty Secrets by Mary.

Until then, be your most beautiful!