Cold Dry Air + Wind + Indoor Heat = Dry Skin.

Whether you call it beauty, skincare, grooming, or self-care, skin requires more TLC when winter comes, regardless of gender. Shaving or sporting a beard calls for additional care. Here are some winter skincare tips from Bytewrthy to tough it out through cold months with soft skin.

Winter’s Wrath

❄Drier air inside and outside, bundling up against the elements, hot showers all contribute to drier skin.

❄Dead skin accumulates while skin produces excess sebum, overcompensating for the loss of lipids – a clear path to clogged pores, oily shine and acne.

❄With less sunlight, vitamin D is in short supply and skin may turn pale and blotchy.

❄Sudden transitions from hot to cold wreak havoc on blood capillaries and lead to red patches.

❄Unprotected lips and hands chap and crack quickly.

❄Shaving becomes more of a challenge when skin is dry, irritated, thinner, and stripped of its protective barrier.

Hydration is Key

Because moisture is in short supply, the winter game plan calls for actively adding moisture in addition to locking it in. In other words, you need to hydrate. Some hydrating ingredients to look for: glycerin, lactic acid, glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid – and water… Don’t forget the obvious and do drink copious amounts of water.

💧If you are still stripping your face with body soap, please just stop! Switch to a hydrating face cleanser (Bytewrthy loves Gentleman Farmer’s gentle Daily Face Wash). If you do not yet use a moisturizer after cleansing your face, now would be a good time to start! In winter, consider using a slightly heavier moisturizer.

💧As tempting as they are, long hot showers strip skin dry. Remember this if you become itchy all over.

💧Cleanse and moisturize at night without fail. Men produce comparatively more sebum and sport larger pores which trap pollutants and dirt. Clean it all up before getting your beauty sleep.

💧Exfoliation removes dead cells which clog pores and dull your complexion but it also helps keeping skin balanced and moisturized. No need to overdo it – once or twice a week is enough. Don’t scrub yourself raw and stick to light exfoliators.

💧UVA rays don’t go on winter break. Days may be shorter and skies cloudier, but don’t forget sunscreen. You might however switch to a lighter SPF moisturizer rather than the heavier cream you wore all summer. (You did, right?) As always, pick a mineral zinc oxide SPF over chemical protection. Your sensitive winter skin will thank you.

💧Protect your lips. We almost need not say this. Step out in frigid, windy weather without lip protection or a scarf and you’ll know what you did in very short order. Really, this is the time to get a quality balm, not the stuff next to the gumdrops by the drugstore cashier. Bytewrthy’s Sea Witch Botanicals Vegan Lip Balm offers superior protection from just five plant-based ingredients.

Shaving and Beard Care

💧If you shave your face, you might have experienced firsthand that skin becomes more sensitive, fragile, and prone to nicks and cuts in winter. The solution again is to moisturize – before and after shaving. Take a warm (not hot) moist towel to your face for 10-20 seconds to soften hair and open pores. Then apply a hydrating, non-irritating (read: fragrance-free) shaving lotion or cream (like Bytewrthy’s Gentleman Farmer Shaving Cream) – and give it time to prep skin and hair before reaching for the razor.

💧Post-shave skin is at its most vulnerable. Apply a hydrating shave balm right after shaving and ideally, shave early to allow your face to recover before stepping out into the cold.

💧Beards really do little to fend off the drying impact of heat and cold. But they stand quite effectively between the skin underneath and moisturizers. This is where beard oils come in strong. Oils and balms reach the skin easily and absorb quickly. Bytewrthy selected Gentleman Farmer’s Beard Oil for its lightweight moisturizing vegan formula. Or turn to Siren’s Folly, Sea Witch Botanicals’ hand-crafted beard serum.

Takeaway

You don’t have to live with dry, uncomfortable winter skin. A few simple tweaks and upgrades will keep your hide pleasantly moist and ready to brave the cold.