Columnist Haadiza Ogwude discusses various techniques to keep your skin healthy this season.
Although winter got off to a slow start this season, the cold weather is finally in full effect. The negative-degree weather, black ice and ferocious winds that we all missed are back again to wreak havoc on our fragile college lives. For the next few months, many of us will be breaking out the snow boots, layering our outfits and enhancing our moisturizing routine to prevent dry and flaky skin. For some, however, lotion after a nice shower is not enough to protect the skin from the harsh winter weather.
The cold dry air of winter strips away the layer of oil that traps moisture in the skin, causing itchiness, flakiness, cracking and even more severe conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis. However, there are many ways you can protect your skin this season. If you have extreme dry skin, a severe condition, or you are just unsure of what products might be good for you, I definitely recommend seeing an esthetician or dermatologist. A specialist can analyze your skin type, create a skin care regimen and give you advice on the skin care products you should be using. Depending on your type of skin, the specialist may prescribe you more expensive products or tell you a combination of cheap drugstore products that would be good for you.
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Regardless of the level of dryness you experience in the winter, everyone should moisturize more. I highly recommend an ointment moisturizer that is oil-based, rather than a water-based moisturizer. Oil-based moisturizers create a protective layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion. Many good brands include Sephora Brand Instant Moisturizer, Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream, EOS Body Lotion, Amlactin Moisturizing Body Lotion, Renee Rouleau Skin Recovery Lotion and Eminence Echinacea Recovery Cream, just to name a few.
When it comes to moisturizing, pay attention to the oils you use on your face. Make sure your products are made with “non-clogging” oils such as avocado oil, mineral oil, primrose oil or almond oil. WebMD also recommends looking for lotions and moisturizers that contain "humectants," a class of substances including glycerine, sorbitol and alpha-hydroxy acids that attract moisture to your skin.
Another way to avoid dry, brittle skin is to use sunscreen. Sunscreen is not just something you put on at the beach in the summer. The winter sun combined with harsh winds can damage your skin. Applying broad-spectrum sunscreen to the exposed areas of your body 30 minutes before going outside can go a long way.
If you don’t already have one, I highly recommend investing in a humidifier. Not only are humidifiers good for your sinuses during flu season, but because they put more moisture in the air, they can also help to prevent your skin from drying out. A few other minor things you could do to improve the overall health of your skin is to drink more water, exfoliate and use extra moisturizers on your feet, avoid using harsh facial masks and avoid super hot baths and showers that can break down the lipid barriers in the skin, which can lead to a loss of moisture.
By simply doing one or all of these things, I guarantee you will see a visible improvement in the health of your skin. There is no such thing as over-moisturizing your skin in the winter. Stop by your local drugstore, visit a local dermatologist or browse the Internet to find the best brands for your skin type.
Haadiza Ogwude is a sophomore studying journalism. How do you combat dry skin in the winter? Tweet Haadiza @AdoreHaadiza or email her at ho299413@ohio.edu.
