Winter weather can be amazing or the bane of existence, depending on who you ask, but we can all agree that the winter is one of the harshest times of year for your skin. You know it ’tis the season when dry, cracked skin begins to appear everywhere! Winter weather is a dry, arid wasteland, and those who work hard to take care of their skin suffer the most. We all need a few handy tricks to help our skin survive the cold weather, so here are a few you can use to get you started.

Don’t Overdo the Heat

During winter, we’re tempted to crank the thermostat as high as we can, but it turns out that this adjustment in temperature can have a detrimental effect on our skin. Heating in your home can be dry and painful to your delicate skin, which relies on moisture for health. While you’re at it, avoid taking scalding hot showers – the heat does as much damage there as it does elsewhere!

Invest in a Humidifier

Humidifiers are your skin’s best friend, and winter’s worst enemy. A good humidifier will constantly release water into the air, upping the general humidity in your home and calming the crackling dryness that comes packaged with winter weather. While a humidifier is best in the winter, feel free to use it all the year around to keep your skin healthy and happy.

Pat Dry

When coming out of the shower, we’re tempted to rub away the water from our skin using a towel, but science says this can hurt more than help. Rubbing your skin dry with a towel will not only agitate your sensitive skin, but it will wipe away all that lovely moisture, leaving your skin dry. Instead, pat dry gently and apply moisturizing lotion to your skin straight away, so that extra moisture gets trapped in.

Moisturize Overnight

Most of us know that applying lotion at key points during the day will help keep our skin healthy, but moisturizing right before bed time can help the most. Just before going to bed, apply lotion to key “trouble areas” – namely your feet, hands, and joints like your elbows and knees. If you’re afraid you’ll wipe the lotion off at night, try capping off your hands and feet with loose gloves/mittens or comfortable socks.

Stay Hydrated

Lastly, and arguably most importantly – hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Water is key to keep your skin from drying up, no matter the time of year, but during winter it’s more critical than ever to keep downing your liquids. Your skin is reliant on the hydration levels in your body to keep healthy – without water, your skin will dry, crack, wrinkle, and eventually begin to sag.

Keep water on you wherever you go this winter, whether that be in a bottle or a cup. Be sure to drink water whenever you imbibe in a caffeinated beverage, as caffeine is known for dehydrating you. Drink up, and you can be sure your skin will survive the harshest of winters!