Keeping skin looking fresh and radiant is especially challenging in windy weather, but with these 10 tips you can keep yours looking healthier throughout the year.
1. Healthy skin starts on the inside. Your skin is a living organ, the largest one you have, so be aware that it does reflect your health. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, and eat a healthy diet to provide your skin with the nutrients it needs to protect and heal itself from the weather.
2. Keep it clean, but be gentle. Although hygiene remains a top priority even when your skin may be dry from the wind, you have options to make it easier on your skin. Choose a gentle soap or body wash; preferably one aimed at sensitive skin or intended to help moisturize. Avoid deodorant or fragrant soaps (their harsh chemicals can be too drying) and anything abrasive, like bars with grainy exfoliants or synthetic loofahs.
3. Include a moisturizer in your daily routine. A basic drugstore moisturizer like NIVEA Pure Moisture works well for the body, while on the face and neck you could use Cetaphil, which conveniently also has SPF15. Since sun exposure adds to your skin’s stress from wind damage, this two-pronged approach is much better than either one alone. Cap it off with some derma roller amazon for better results.
4. Take some with you. Keep moisturizer at your work desk, and keep a travel-sized container in your handbag for when you’re out and about. Use it generously, as many times as you like during the day, whenever your skin feels a little parched. Neutrogena’s Norwegian formula is very effective, odor-free, and comes in conveniently sized twist-top bottles (for safety against spills in your purse!) This lotion is so gentle it can double as lip balm; just dab some on with a fingertip.
5. Cover up. Especially if you’re in a wintry climate, do cover as much of your skin as possible-that means wear a hat, gloves, and a scarf. Wide scarves are preferable as you can use them not just to protect your neck and décolletage, but also to cover the lower part of your face (the upper part can be protected by a brimmed hat or snug sweater hat). It’s not about being prudish, it’s about looking beautiful when all that bundling comes off indoors!
6. Turn down the heat. It’s better for the environment and your skin! Indoor heating creates very dry air in your living space, more and more so the warmer your setting. Since temperatures too warm can also contribute to dehydrated skin, avoid this double-whammy by setting your thermostat no higher than 70° Fahrenheit.
7. Consider a humidifier. Even as you do your best to cover up when outside, your skin still takes abuse in windy weather, no question. Soothe it by keeping your living space at a comfortable level of humidity.
8. Avoid other irritants. Smoke, sun, extreme temperatures, and even certain skin products can aggravate wind damage. Wrinkle-creams and other products that promise to smooth fine lines often do so by exfoliating the skin. While normally safe to use, common side effects include dry, sensitive skin, an indication that you may be exposing “new” skin cells to the elements too early. Over time, this damage to your skin worsens wrinkles, so if you’re struggling to achieve healthy skin in windy weather, you might be better off without these treatments.
9. Stay out of it. Although all the above tips will help you keep your skin healthy in windy weather, the best protection is to stay out of the wind whenever possible. If the wind is particularly harsh when you’re planning to go outside, consider waiting for it to pass if you meant to be outdoors for more than a few minutes. When outdoors in urban areas, keep yourself out of wind’s way by choosing more sheltered walking routes, using less windy streets (if you know your way around well enough). If you’re waiting for someone, try sheltering yourself in a nearby storefront or bus stop. In more natural settings, opt for wooded hiking trails and avoid rolling, open spaces that encourage windiness.
10. Less is more. If your skin suffers wind damage, resist the urge to resort to extreme-sounding moisturizers, particularly those aimed at rough, dry skin. These may have chemical exfoliants intended to peel away the excess rough skin so the moisturizer can act on the newer cells. These lotions are not appropriate for wind-burned skin and can further irritate already-tender skin. Any of the high-quality aforementioned moisturizers, used consistently and in conjunction with these other tips, will help soothe and restore wind-burned skin.