The cold months are probably already a real challenge. Bundled up head to toe, but with every gust of wind, you can already feel that dry skin during winter creeping up on you. It almost feels like your skin is turning into sandpaper.
When the temperature drops, your skin feels it immediately. You lose moisture faster, and here it comes: the dry, tight skin. Especially your face, that sensitive little spot, takes the brunt of it. And yes, shaving can make it even worse. But no panic, because with the right skincare, you can give your winter skin the protection and hydration it needs to beat that icy cold.
Spotting a shedder.
While some men only suffer from dry skin in certain conditions, and for short periods, others find that a dull and flaky visage comes as standard. Nice.
Signs and symptoms of dry skin depend on your age, health, where you live, and how much time you spend outdoors. If you experience one or more of the following, you need help with hydration, pronto!
- Skin that’s tighter than your boss at the bar, especially after bathing, showering, or swimming.
- Skin that looks rough or patchy.
- Itching, itching, all the itching, all of the time!
- Scaling, flaking or peeling.
- Cracks in the skin (these afflict us all as we age, but are often deep chasms, rather than fine lines, with chronic dry skin during winter).
- Grey skin that’s ashier than a volcano.
- Redness, especially around the nose.
Forgetting the flakes forever…
While a good daily skincare routine will help you get on top of dry skin and restore your complexion to fully-hydrated health, there are also some easy ways to help ward off future attacks of aridity.
While the skin may naturally dry out as you age, stress can be a major contributing factor to dull, flaky skin, so make sure you carve out some time each week for R&R, and to do the things that help you unwind (whether that’s a Netflix marathon, beers with the boys, or a heavy-duty workout at the gym).
Try limiting your skin’s exposure to water, by keeping bath and shower times to 10 minutes or less, and turning the dial down from hot to lukewarm.
You could also try covering your hands and as much of your face as possible in cold or windy weather (though we don’t recommend wearing a balaclava in the bank) and wearing rubber gloves when you immerse your hands in water or use harsh cleaning products.
By far the most effective way of banishing flaky face syndrome forever is to moisturize regularly to keep water from escaping and to use products on your face and body that are as natural as possible – lookout for those that promise to be alcohol and paraben-free, as these are the main culprits for dehydrating the skin, and causing irritation.
The Face-Boosting Power
What makes skincare products truly great? It’s all about natural ingredients, without the fuss. Think of a colourant-free, pure face cream that actually cares for your skin. Ingredients like wheat germ, vitamins, and hyaluronic acid work together as a team to hydrate, calm, and keep your skin soft.
I bathe in Asses’ milk, but I still got dry skin?
If your dry skin during winter doesn’t improve, despite your best efforts, a trip to see your family doctor is in order, to check that there are no underlying health issues causing your dermal drought. Better safe than sorry, and you deserve the best care for your skin, even if it means taking that extra step
