Decoding how to care for your skin in the winter months
The science behind how winter impacts your skin and how to care for it
Key takeaways:
Dry skin in winter is caused by increased water loss and needs to be addressed from the inside-out
Topical products aren’t enough to address dryness alone - diet, electrolyte balance and gut health are critical
Ceramides, Squalene, Hyaluronic acid, Panthenol, Glycerin and Urea are hero ingredients you should look out for in moisturisers
Hot showers, over-cleansing and aggressive exfoliation can worsen the dryness
Growing up in Delhi (and with very dry skin), I saw my arms and legs look drastically different in the winter months. Come December, my skin would be itchy and covered in a white scaly layer, and my fingertips would peel off as if I was casually rubbing sandpaper on it (sorry for the vivid description).
If your skin also feels tight, itchy, or flaky this winter season, chances are you’ve got a case of dry winter skin too. And you’re not alone - 30% of our cohort 1 members reached out to us with this very problem.
Caring for your skin during winter, especially if you have acne or an underlying skin condition, becomes even more important. Here’s a dermatologist-approved, science-backed guide on everything you need to know about dry winter skin.
What is dry skin, and what causes it?
Normal, healthy skin gets its soft and supple texture from its water content. For your skin to feel ‘normal’, the outermost layer - the epidermis - needs to contain a minimum of 10% water – ideally between 20-35%.
To prevent this water from evaporating, the skin’s sebaceous glands (AKA oil glands) produce a natural oily substance called ‘sebum’.
Think of your skin cells like tiles stacked on a roof, and the sebum (oil) is the glue holding everything together. It keeps the tiles sealed and protected. When the glue is intact, water stays where it should, but when it breaks down, water escapes by seeping through the cracks. (Yes, sebum is not the enemy us acne-prone folks thought it was!).
This is exactly what happens to your skin during winter:
Humidity levels are low → this causes the epidermis to lose water faster, also known as Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL)
Temperature is low → this causes oil gland activity to slow down, leading to reduced sebum production.
Each thing compounds the other, leaving your skin parched.
Note: If you have extremely dry skin that flakes, causes pain or bleeds, you should consult a board-certified dermatologist to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
What to do when you have dry skin?
The solution to dry skin isn’t about layering more products, but using the right ones and actively avoiding things that harm the skin barrier. Here are some dermatologist-approved practices to help tackle skin dryness:
Use lukewarm (not hot) water for cleansing: Helps effectively cleanse the skin without stripping it of its natural oils and moisture.
Use a moisturiser twice a day: Moisturise within 2-3 minutes of cleansing (while your skin is damp), which helps lock in moisture effectively.
Use sunscreen daily: UV rays damage the skin barrier year-round, even when it’s cloudy outside and not sunny. Using SPF will protect your skin from sun damage and prevent dry skin from worsening.
Use a humidifier: Winter air is dry, which causes the skin to lose water faster than usual. A humidifier prevents this by adjusting the moisture content in the room, making the air less dry.
Ingredients that support your skin
In winter, your skin needs products that lock in moisture and help support and repair the barrier.
Here are the key ingredients you should look for when buying a moisturiser:
It’s critical to check the concentration of Urea in your products; different concentration levels serve different functions:
≤5% formulations are ideally meant for face-use.
≤10% formulations are ideally meant for body-use.
Higher concentrations are preferred for their keratolytic action (breaks down keratin and smoothens the skin) and should be used under the supervision of a dermatologist.
Other things to consider when buying a moisturiser or even a body lotion…
If you have sensitive, acne or eczema-prone skin, avoid moisturisers and lotions containing fragrance (or ‘parfum’ or essential oils) because they will most likely irritate your skin.
For body moisturisers or lotions, look for richer moisturising ingredients, such as shea butter. Avoid products containing natural oils, since these can be comedogenic (and trigger bacne).
What should you avoid?
Hot showers: I know, a long hot shower is one of the few things to look forward to on a cold winter morning - there’s nothing as satisfying as being defrosted by running hot water. But, scalding hot showers strip away the skin’s protective oils and moisture. This disrupts your skin’s oil-water balance and leaves your skin tighter and more dehydrated. Bite the bullet - switch to lukewarm water.
Over-cleansing and physical scrubs: Cleansing too often (i.e. more than twice a day) or using products that contain harsh surfactants and exfoliants irritates and dries the skin. Harsh physical scrubs like coffee or walnut bits, can damage your skin barrier and worsen dryness.
High frequency of retinoids and chemical exfoliants: Retinoids and chemical exfoliants like AHA / BHA serums can cause skin dryness and irritation. It is advised to lower the frequency from twice a week to once a week if you encounter sensitivity and dryness.
PS: Use the sandwich method while using retinoids to prevent skin irritation. What is the sandwich method?: A technique where the retinoid product is placed between two layers of moisturiser.
Diet and Skin Health are interlinked - you need to eat better
Skin health is complex, and like all skin conditions, dryness cannot be treated only by topical products. You need to address it inside-out because what you eat and drink defines your skin’s health.
Hydrate well: In winter, reduced thirst cues lead to dehydration, which can show up as tightness, dullness and flaking of the skin. So you need to keep drinking water, even if your body isn’t reminding you. Start tracking your water intake, keeping a filled bottle next to you at all times, or setting reminders to hydrate.
Don’t skip electrolytes: Electrolytes like sodium and potassium regulate the body’s fluid balance and help cells retain water. Without them, much of the water you drink would be rapidly excreted, thus limiting its availability to the skin. Avoid flavoured waters or ‘hydration drinks’ - these are often loaded with artificial sugars, flavours, preservatives and colourants.
Consume Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods: They serve as essential building blocks for the skin’s barrier lipids and prevent excessive water loss. Omega-3 fatty acids support lipid synthesis (production of vital skin fats and oils) and improve barrier function, making them a critical nutrient. Use fish oil capsules, or flax seeds / vegan omega-3 if you are a vegetarian.
Consume probiotics and prebiotics: An imbalanced gut microbiome can impair nutrient absorption, increase inflammation in the body and affect your skin’s barrier function. A healthy gut ensures nutrients required for skin repair and barrier function are optimally absorbed.
If you want to eliminate stubborn acne from the inside out, access our comprehensive root cause analysis test and treatment program. ~85% of our first cohort saw visible improvements in their skin and acne in < 5 weeks.
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