Along with all the things we love about winter, wrapping up in our favorite scarf, or sipping tea in front of a roaring fire, there’s the not-so-fun aspect of winter: dry skin. If you’re like many of us, you may be faced with heels that are dry and cracked, patches of eczema or itchy skin caused by cooler temperatures and drier air.
While the concept is similar, different areas of the body benefit more from specific treatments. The skin on our heels is often far dryer than on our faces, for example. Here’s how to best tackle those dry areas that leave you feeling tight, cracked, and flaky.
1. For the Face:
A moisturizer is a must. The best way to amp up its effectiveness is to apply it while your skin is still damp, as this not only helps ingredients absorb into the skin but also to lock in moisture. The same applies to the rest of your body as well as your face. Though you might feel that an exfoliating product may lead to dryness, it can benefit skin by whisking away the dead dry skin cells that sit on top. This will not only help improve the look of skin but also help your moisturizer and other treatments absorb more effectively.
Here are moisturizers that our customers love for winter:
Apothekari Daily Infusion Moisturizer. Ideal year round, it not only hydrates and plumps skin, but also provides anti-aging benefits, protects against bacteria and leaves your skin feeling refreshed.
Anthelios KA SPF 100. For those of you who love multi-taskers, you can’t go wrong with Anthelios KA. This daily protective moisturizer is designed for skin at high risk from UV damage, offering long-lasting moisture and broad spectrum SPF 100 protection in a comfortable and non-greasy emulsion that is ideal for all skin types.
La Roche Posay Active C. Rich with 5% Vitamin C, this formulation smoothes skin texture and improves the radiance of your complexion.
2. For the Body:
Once out of the shower or bath, pat your skin dry (avoid rubbing) and massage your moisturizer all over while skin is slightly damp. If you’re planning on wearing tights or skinny jeans, let the lotion absorb for five to 10 minutes before dressing. Repeat at night, just before bed. For rough areas, such as knees and elbows that need extra TLC, treat them with a heavy balm with soothing ingredients to help reduce itch and irritation and create a protective barrier. Consider:
Lac Hydrin Lotion. Indicated for the treatment of dry, scaly skin (xerosis) and for temporary relief of itching associated with these conditions. Contains gentle lactic acid plus glycerin to emolliate.
Impruv Barrier Cream. This new generation moisturizer not only moisturizes and soothes dry, sensitive skin, it also restores, regenerates and repairs the skin’s natural moisturizing function. Impruv Cream contains naturally derived plant-based lipids that absorb into the deepest layers of the skn. It is specially formulated for all types of dry, sensitive skin, and is ideal for the entire family, especially infants and children with dry or sensitive skin.
Neostrata Body Smoothing Lotion. Formulated with 10% glycolic acid, this exfoliating moisturizer offers a fast absorbing and non-greasy formula, that with daily use, will help reduce flakiness and dehydration, leaving your skin feeling softer and more supple.
3. For the Hands:
Keeping a hydrating hand cream and cuticle oil in your desk drawer (and in your car, in your purse and by your sink) is key to maintaining soft hands and healthy nails. Again, look for soothing, moisture-retaining ingredients, such as shea butter and urea to keep your skin supple and soft. Try new paraben free Ureaka, which was developed because of its special ability to hydrate dry skin and alleviate itchiness by drawing moisture into the cell structure of the stratum corneum.
4. For the Feet:
If your feet are feeling irritated and showing signs of disrepair (such as cracked heels), slather on your favorite body moisturizer, don a pair of socks and head straight to bed. We like Epilyt, which helps to loosen dead skin cells, moisturize and counteract dry skin. Eucerin Foot Cream, contains urea to replenish rough and chapped feet with calluses, cracks and pressure marks.
