3 Ways to Keep Dry Skin at Bay This Winter

The air is getting colder and the days are getting shorter. More time is being spent indoors, and getting cozy is the name of the game. With the change in seasons, many find comfort in taking longer and warmer showers to ward off the winter chill, cranking up the heat, or burrowing inside warm clothing. While the warmth can feel wonderful, it can also leave you feeling dry, itchy and uncomfortable. It doesn't have to be this way. If you're ready to shed that shrunken wool sweater feeling, keep reading. Here are three ways you can keep dry skin at bay this winter.

Fine-Tune Your Showers and Pamper Your Skin Right

There's no doubt that a hot shower feels wonderful, especially when the temperatures are dropping outside. Unfortunately, spending a lot of time in there can also wreak havoc on your skin.

However, turning down the temperature and decreasing the length of time you're scrubbing down will make a big difference — aim to keep your shower under ten minutes. But if your home's water is hard, your skin could be taking even more of a beating due to excess amounts of calcium and magnesium. You might also notice it's difficult to rinse away soap residue. The good news? This is fixable. Installing a water softener system in your home could make a huge difference in the condition of your water and your skin.

Did you know that moisturizing has a huge impact on your skin? It's true, and for good reason. Applying moisturizer to your body as soon as you step out of the bath or shower will ensure you gain the maximum benefits of the product you're using, because moisturizers pack the most punch when the surface is already dewy. Be mindful of the types of products you use, especially those that are strongly scented. While they might smell wonderful, strong fragrances can be more irritating to dry or sensitive skin than anything.

Keep this in mind for laundry products as well. Switching to fragrance-free options might be the ticket to keep your skin calm, cool and collected all winter long.

Pump Up the Humidity Indoors

Whether you've switched on the baseboard heat, fired up the wood stove or stoked the fireplace, you can expect the air indoors to become dryer. When that happens, there's a good chance your skin will follow suit.

Since indoor heat is a necessity during colder months, finding other ways to add healthy moisture to the air is a must. Running cool mist humidifiers in the main areas of your home will help provide the necessary humidity that will keep your skin comfortable. Be sure to run them in the bedrooms too, as your body tends to lose moisture overnight.

You can also add a unique and healthy fragrance to your home along with much-needed humidity by simmering homemade potpourri throughout the day. This is a great option for the holiday season, especially.

Hydrate Your Body With Food and Drink

Chances are you know that it's important to stay hydrated by drinking enough water, but sometimes the winter months can be challenging. That's okay — there are plenty of ways to stay hydrated without sipping on a glass of ice water. There are plenty of healthy options for both hydrating beverages and foods.

While you should strive to make drinking enough water part of your daily routine, remember that you can also hydrate through foods like cucumbers and oranges, or from a steaming-hot cup of nutritious and delicious bone broth. Sipping on hot lemon water throughout the day is also a great choice. Not only is the water great for you, the lemon will pack a powerful punch of immune-boosting Vitamin C.

Taking care of your skin is something that you will never regret doing. It works hard for you each day, why not give it the attention it deserves?