# 20: Winter Skin- Your Survival Guide
It’s winter. And if you’re like me, by the middle of January your skin starts to feel like sandpaper.
Here are a few tips to get through the winter season and keeping your skin soft and smooth, and the wrinkles at bay.
Drink more water.
Drinking water is always at the top of the list for a reason. A hydrated body has hydrated skin. This means better elasticity, softer wrinkles and lines, and less likely to scar.
Take cooler showers.
Ok, this is a harder one for me. There are great reasons, though, to turn down the temp in your shower. If you have skin conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis, or eczema, hot showers will potentially worsen the condition.
But it’s not just people with skin conditions who should cool off. Hot showers strip moisture from the skin. So, especially in the winter with all of the dry air, cool down your shower as much as you can.
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
Moisturizing your skin often during the winter months is a must. But also, using the right ingredients, like shea butter. Not only is shea butter naturally moisturizing and nourishing and protecting for your skin, it acts as an anti- inflammatory which helps enhance collagen rejuvenation. Pro tip: Keep a good moisturizer in your shower, and immediately after your shower, while your skin is still damp, apply moisturizer. My current favorite: Kiehl's Creme De Corps for Unisex Body Moisturizer, 16.9 Ounce
Lip scrubs exfoliate and moisturize
Use a lip scrub
Cracked, chapped lips are the worst. Because of low humidity and dry air in the winter months exfoliating your lips with a good lip scrub eliminates dry flaky skin, removes impurities, and moisturizes. Use 2 to 3 times per week, and be sure to use lip balm.
Exfoliate
Dry skin builds up and when you moisturize, you are re-hydrating dead skin. Exfoliating eliminates the dead skin cells and keeps the top layer of your skin as absorbent as possible. I exfoliate my face daily, by using a foaming cleanser with lactic acid. A great body scrub will make a huge difference in the texture of your skin. I’ve been using Spongelle Boxed Flower Body Buffer - Shower/Bath Sponge - French Lavender
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Being a little extra when it comes to your skin this winter will have you ready for short sleeves and bare legs when spring rolls around.
