1. Hydrate from the inside out.
Drinking water is always a must, especially during the drier seasons. Aim to drink around 8-10 glasses of water a day. If that seems like a lot, mix and match by adding food with a high water content into your diet. Try some watermelon, apples, kiwi, cucumbers, celery and oranges.
2. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
This one is unavoidable if you naturally get dry skin. During the winter, moisturizers should be a ritual in your routines. However, this is the time to be nit-picky about what moisturizers you use. Some over-the-counter moisturizers have ingredients that are petroleum-based and might make your skin even drier. Once you get one that you like and works for your skin type, a good tip is to put it on as soon as you get out of the shower.
3. Do-It-Yourself Masks.
Treat yourself every other night with homemade hydrating masks. These can provide the extra moisture your skin might need. Some moisturizing ingredients that you can mix and match are honey, olive oil, almond oil, bananas, aloe, avocados and yogurt. Leave it on for 10-30 minutes for hydration that lasts.
4. Consider buying a humidifier.
If you live in a place where the air is especially dry, consider investing in a humidifier for either your home or room. This will provide the moisture that you are lacking and help your skin avoid unwanted dryness. A plus is that it can help get rid of any sinus congestion you might encounter during the winter.
5. Avoid harsh exfoliators.
Although exfoliating is always good and needed to get rid of the dead skin cells, during the winter you’ll want to be extra careful about what exfoliators you’re using. Winter skin is really fragile so aim for cleansers and exfoliators that are designed for sensitive skin even if that’s not naturally your skin type.