Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Mix the low humidity with cold air, more time spent indoors than out, harsh cleansers, hot baths and showers, and tons of hand washing, and tender skin is what pays the price. Here are some tips to keep your family’s skin healthy and protected this winter.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Although drinking more water makes sense, there are many ways to ensure you and your family stay refreshed this winter. Fresh fruit and vegetables that have a high-water content (oranges, watermelon, cucumbers), coconut water, yogurt, and smoothies are great ways to rehydrate. Adding Omega-3 to your diet in a variety of ways will also help to enrich those essential fatty acids needed for everything from dry eyes to dry skin.

Avoid Anti-bacterial and Other Harsh Soaps and Cleansers

Many anti-bacterial sanitizers contain alcohol, which strips already dry skin of its oils. Sanitizers like Everyday Shea contain no alcohol, and as an added bonus, have a high content of moisturizers, like essential oils, to replenish and protect. As with sanitizers, look for soaps that cleanse without harsh ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate, synthetic fragrances, and polyethylene glycol. Also, as tempting as it is to blast away those cold and flu germs with piping hot water, lukewarm washes them away just as well without stripping as many oils.

Stop Using Your Summer Moisturizers

Trade out your skin care products just like you trade out your wardrobe when the weather changes. Skin has a different job in the winter; naturally, it needs different tools to stay healthy. Lighter, oil-free moisturizer just won’t cut it when it comes to dry, cold air. Moisture-rich skin care products that have a variety of emollients like hyaluronic acid, retinol, sunflower seed oil, panthenol and avocado oil will protect your skin and keep it supple.

Don’t Forget the Sunscreen

This is one of those summer habits that shouldn’t be neglected. The sun’s rays can still damage skin even on a cloudy, winter day, and if you head for higher altitudes, those rays are more intense. Fortunately, many moisturizers, primers and foundations have added sunscreen, which makes this step an easy one! Look for a minimum of SPF 30.

Protect, but don’t Irritate

Heavy, wool blends and synthetics are great for warmth, but can irritate skin, especially if someone in your family struggles with eczema, dermatitis or other skin conditions or allergies. A thin layer underneath made of organic cotton or cotton blends will provide warmth and protect tender skin. For outer-layer warmth? We love North Face Boy’s Thermoball Full Zip Jacket ($120). It’s thin, non-restraining, warm, soft and gorgeous.

Use a Humidifier

Especially when there are little ones in the house, a cool-mist humidifier keeps skin and nasal passages from getting too dried out. It also creates a comfortable breathing environment when children have stuffy noses or colds. Just remember to keep the humidifier clean and, if it’s an ultrasonic humidifier, use distilled water.

Tricks of the Trade

Kiddos who writhe, fuss and flee to avoid chapstick? Try some flavorful balms! La Lune, Ben & Jerry’s, LUSH, and Treat are just a few great choices. Many of these are organic and cruelty-free.Sore, raw and tender skin is a common factor in kids not wanting to wipe their nose. Soft, organic cotton hankies are a brilliant alternative.Leanne Powell, 2017