If the year feels like it flew by — it did. The seasons swiftly shifted from summer to winter in a flash, leaving your head (and skincare routine) spinning. Cooler months coupled with drying indoor heat can leave smooth, soft skin feeling less than, which isn’t ideal for anyone. Thankfully, you can turn the beat around with these seven easy-to-follow tips (and product recommendations) to make sure your skin is 100% winter-ready.
1. Develop a skin routine for the season
Keeping a roster of winter skincare products at the ready is a major key. Sadly, some of your summer faves won’t make the cut, as they are traditionally more lightweight, and don’t help battle seasonal dryness. Make sure to create a moisture-first routine that doesn’t strip your skin including a creamy, sulfate-free body wash, gentle body scrub, and hydrating body cream. Even if you have oily skin, don’t skimp on the moisture — you can aggravate your condition and make it worse. Striking a balance is ideal!
2. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
Protecting your skin barrier against the elements is essential — and choosing the right moisturizer is crucial to combat dryness. Skin-savvy ingredients like cupuaçu butter, coconut oil, and açaí oil treat dry skin and leave it feeling silky soft. No matter what your skin needs, we have a trio of body creams complemented with iconic scents. Always apply your moisturizer liberally after your bath (or shower) within three minutes to seal in hydration and replenish your skin.
Don’t forget, keeping your hands hydrated is important too! Constant handwashing during the cold, flu and newly minted COVID-19 season can take a toll. Apply hand cream after every single wash with a nourishing option like our fast-absorbing, delightfully scented Brazilian Touch Hand Cream.
3. Take warm (not hot) showers
As tempting as it may be to crank up the heat in the shower — don’t. Super-hot water is a sure-fire way to strip skin of moisture. Not to mention, it can cause inflammation resulting in redness, itching, or peeling (big yikes!) In technical terms, when your skin’s barrier function is compromised, you get trans-epidermal water loss, making the skin drier. When possible, opt for shorter, cooler showers, gentle exfoliation (our scrubs are perfect for this!) and generously apply body cream afterwards.
4. Apply Sunscreen — Even on Gray Winter Days
Your dermatologist tells you; your favorite influencer tells you, even your mom tells you — if you want beautiful, refreshed looking skin apply SPF 30+ daily on all exposed areas. Here’s why — snow reflects the sun’s rays which multiples your UV exposure. Think of it this way, if there’s heat or the weather is particularly harsh, you need to wear sunscreen. And don’t be fooled by darker, dreary days in winter, either. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, up to 80 percent of the sun’s harmful UV rays can permeate clouds and still cause damage.
5. Pat Yourself Dry
When it’s time to towel off, consider blotting or patting skin dry versus giving yourself a full wipe down. The reason: damp skin absorbs moisture significantly better than dry skin. So, completely wiping yourself off can be counterproductive to maintaining moisturized skin. Want to go even further? There’s an argument to skip towel usage all together by simply wiping excess water off, standing on a bathmat, and applying body oil and/or body cream on semi-wet skin. Save your skin + save on some laundry? Perhaps.
6. Wear your socks to sleep
The fastest fix to keep your feet feeling baby soft? Slip-on some socks paired with a moisturizer before bed. During your nightly shower, use Samba Foot Fetish Care Smoothing Board to slough away rough, dry or calloused skin. Then, apply our non-slip, no-mess Samba Foot Fetish Cream to deeply hydrate and condition dry heels. Keep up this routine — and you’ll be ready for sandal-season come spring without worry.
7. Take vitamin D supplements
According to a study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital, taking vitamin D supplements in the winter may improve eczema flare-ups. Additional research has shown low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis — both of which can cause dry skin. Talk to your doctor (or dermatologist) if you are a good candidate to incorporate vitamin D supplements into your routine — or if ultraviolent light (make sure to apply SPF, see tip 4) is a better option for you.
