Managing Sensitive Skin In The Winter

If you have sensitive skin, wintertime can be a real challenge. The cold, dry conditions will probably lead to itchy, dry skin, and that’s no fun at all. There are some things you can do to manage sensitive skin in the winter, though, and we’ve got some great tips to help you here. 

BATHING

• We recommend daily showers or baths with a time limit of 10 minutes or less
• Don’t use super-hot water, since this can dry out your skin
• Go easy on the soap, due to its drying qualities and avoid any soaps that make extra suds – use gentle cleansers and lotions instead
• Scrubs should only be used once a month
• When you towel dry, just pat your skin instead of rubbing or scrubbing, and change out your towel every couple of days

MOISTURIZING

• Moisturize your entire body immediately after bathing; it does a better job at keeping skin hydrated than moisturizer applied to totally dry skin
• Thicker moisturizers that contain ceramides – fats found naturally in the uppermost layers of your skin – help keep your skin healthy and provide a shield to prevent environmental conditions from causing irritation. A lack of these fats is what actually causes sensitivity in many instances
• If you are experiencing extra dry or flaky skin, moisturizers that contain alpha-hydroxy acids will be a big help to you. These can exfoliate the top layers of your skin and help to remove dead skin build-up

LIFESTYLE

• The temperatures in both saunas and steam baths will be extra drying on sensitive skin and the steam keeps your pores open and more susceptible to infection, so you will need to avoid them during cold, dry weather

• Items made from wool or any other scratchy material will often irritate sensitive skin
• Chemicals from your detergent can add more irritation to your already-dry skin, so experiment with hypo-allergenic versions or those made especially gentle for babies

• The added moisture in the air from a humidifier will soothe dry skin and keep it hydrated and can prevent and relieve chapped skin on your nose and lips.
• Although jumping into a super warm bed sounds lovely during the coldest time of the year, that heat will often make your skin dry out and increase itchiness

Here at Urban Oasis Day Spa, we offer products and services created especially for our patrons who need help managing their sensitive skin in the winter,  or also during the heat of summer. From lotions and facials to scrubs and dermaplaning – and everything in between –  we can compose the perfect spa session just for you to help your sensitive skin in the winter. You can schedule an appointment online anytime or just give us a call!