Oh...hey, guys. It’s just me, the person who EFFING HATES WINTER. And cold weather, in general. I really hate it.
I hate the cold, I hate the wind, I hate the slushy wetness of Day 2 Snow. I hate the puffy coats that never keep me warm enough, I hate the hats that mess up my hair. I hate when my curls freeze. I hate it all.
Take me to the tropics and LEAVE ME THERE.
Dramatic? Perhaps. But my sentiment stands...and my melodramatically-sensitive skin will back me up.
Even if you don’t share my fiery hatred of the chillier months, your skin probably knows exactly what I’m talking about. Alas, dear readers, winter is for more than power-eating mac n cheese cups and binge-watching Scandinavian Netflix shows (Don’t act like you don’t do that, too).
Winter weather also takes a serious toll on your skin and hair. Harsh climate, low humidity, and strong wind chill are all big no-no’s for sensitive skin.
My skin - particularly my face and scalp - has been a dry, patchy, psoriasis-riddled mess for the last few weeks. I thought it was the stress of my recent move to Astoria (hey girl HEY!), and while that might have played a part, it’s definitely Mother Winter’s fault.
THE WHY?
Basically, it’s a really evil Catch-22: The winter is COLD (duh), so you take natural and evolutionary steps to warm yourself up, including cranking the heat and taking long, hot showers.
While these showers feel amazing, the heat can wreak major havoc on your already-traumatized skin.
Drier air means your skin has a tougher time retaining moisture. So, when you take a 30-minute scalding hot shower (ahhhh), your skin basically has a panic attack. The harshness of the heat aggravates your already-chilled skin, which can lead to itchy, dry patches or a general feeling of chapped, tight skin.
So, basically, winter sets us up to fail. Awesome.
Fortunately, the next few weeks are looking up. It’s FINALLY getting warmer (get at me, spring!), and soon it’ll be time for denim jackets and cute capris. But, it’s not that simple for us sensitive-skinners....the change in temperature might do wonders for that seasonal affective disorder, but your skin doesn’t know WHAT THE F&%@ is going on.
THE WHAT NOW?
Don’t fret, fellow fragile-skinned readers...All is not lost!
The next few weeks are crucial for a healthy seasonal skin switch-up. Time to treat your epidermis like the smooth, luxurious ka-ween she is. Here are some natural, hypoallergenic steps you can (and probably should) take to revive your skin and lock in some moisture while we wait for Punxsutawney Phil to
get his shit together.
Winter Skin: Tips & Tricks
1. Turn Down the Heat
An obvious choice. Take cooler showers.
If you suffer from any chronic skin conditions (psoriasis, skin lupus, eczema), this is ALL YOU. I can feel my skin prickle up the MOMENT I step out of a too-hot shower.
Trust me, the blissful heat is NOT worth the tight itchiness. Now, I’m not saying take an ice bath (unless you're into that). But, keep the water on warm, instead of piping hot. It will make a world of difference.
2. Moisture All The F#**king Time
Another “duh” tip - or so I thought.
Turns out, a lot of people do not use daily moisturizer. ANYWHERE. Not on their face, body, hair, ANYTHING. It’s baffling to me, so I’ll say to you, dear readers - I don’t understand this. Do you really hate comfort, or do you just love dry, crackly skin? In conclusion: Moisturize your body like you’re slathering a roasted chicken in gravy. I mean it.
If you are a chronic skin condition person or just someone with extremely sensitive skin, steer clear of added fragrances, dyes, glitter, glycerin, etc. Here are a few of my favorite dermatologist-recommended moisturizers:
Tricky to find, but well worth the search. This has changed my entire LIFE. According to my skin, this kicks every other lotion’s butt. It’s thick, creamy, unscented, and made with salicylic acid to combat psoriasis symptoms. It has seriously helped to keep my skin at bay for MONTHS. It’s my Grade-A-Choice-Sirloin-Karate-Kid lotion now and forever AMEN.
Gentle as a baby’s bottom and tougher than that witch hair that keeps growing back on your chin, this is the perfect moisturizer for VERY sensitive skin. You know, the kind that gets all red and blotchy after you wash - or, dare I say - exfoliate your face. No fragrance, no dyes, NO PROBLEM.
3. Don't Over-Exfoliate
Guys. I didn’t realize this was a thing until it was too late. I thought ooh, my face feels rough...I’d better EXFOLIATE LIKE A PSYCHOPATH.
Wrong approach, readers, especially if you have sensitive skin. Back in my wild days, I was using an exfoliating cleanser every morning. Like, hard-deep-exfoliation on my dear sweet overly-chronically-sensitive facial skin every single morning. And then I wondered why my face hurt? PLEASE.
Do yourself a favor: Exfoliate once a week AT THE MOST.
Here are my favorite gentle cleansers and gentle-ish exfoliants:
4. Sleep Like a KWEEN
This will be brief. There really isn’t much to say. SATIN PILLOWCASE.
You spend the entire night on your pillowcase. It’s a very intimate arrangement. You drool, you snore, you toss and turn, you sob watching This Is Us. Your pillowcase is basically your face’s studio apartment. So, why do you want your face to sleep in a dump? Please do yourself a favor and throw out ALL of your non-cotton/satin/hypoallergenic pillowcases. Anything synthetic is basically like rubbing steel wool all over your face. All night.
Cottons and satins are your best sleepover pals. You will notice an immediate difference in your ‘morning skin’. I’m talking DEWEY AF.
Get a satin pillowcase. The end.
5. Stick To Your Routine
I know right. Routine? Force me to take a 100-year nap, why-don't-ya? What about the fun, bubbly, charcoal-glitter sheet masks? What about the scented under-eye patches?
What about the new night cream that was on sale at Sephora?
STOP IT.
Stop it now. If you’re a sensitive-skinned reader, your skin thrives on monotony. Sticking to my routine has revolutionized my skin game. My psoriasis is finally getting under control, my skin looks damn dewey in the morning, and I generally feel pretty good about it.
The long and the short of it is: Find a fresh, clean, gentle, moisturizing routine and stick to it like it’s your damn job.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Sensitive skin can be REALLY ANNOYING. As if the colder months aren’t bad enough, worrying about the new zit or rash or hive is a rough game to play. But, let’s spin this in a positive light, shall we? Our bodies are always trying to tell us something, and our moody-judy skin is no different. Dry skin? Hydrate and use gentle cleansers. Miss that morning dew? Wrap your face in satin.
Basically, be nice to your skin and she’ll (or he’ll or they’ll) be nice to you. And even if they’re not, it’s the only skin ya got.
(And, who cares what your skin looks like? Beauty is a male construct, anyway.)
XOXO
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