Naturally Weatherproof Skin for Winter Dryness – One Green Planet

During the summer, our skin is challenged with overexposure sunburn, moisture sucking air conditioning, heat irritation.

Yet, when it comes to uncomfortable skin weather, winter takes the cake!

From snow-packed countryside to frost-nipped ocean fronts, cold weather brings winter dryness. Theres a whole laundry list of skin irritants to contend with including forced-air heating, low humidity, and harsh skin-damaging natural forces.

But, whats actually happening to your skin? Why are your hands and lips cracking? Is it possible to stop that crazy itch?

Pezibear/Pixabay

First off, harsh weather strips the skins natural protective barrier, creating gaps in the outer most layer, allowing water to escape (dehydration) and irritants to get in (sensitivity). When your skin feels like its under attack it has the same response that the rest of your body has inflammatory. Once inflammation kicks in it releases histamines causing that uncontrollable dry itchy feeling. On top of that, for those that also suffer from inflammatory skin diseases, especially those caused by an impaired barrier function cold weather has the nasty knack of exacerbating these conditions such as rosacea, eczema, ichthyosis, and psoriasis.

Alright, so you knowwhyyour skin is so uncomfortable, but what are the main culprits?

While the natural elements of the winter months such as the decrease of mercury and humidity levels may seem like the perfect place to start, its actually insideyour home. Forced-air heating such as a furnace, radiators, or stand-alone heaters continuously pump out dry heat causing your eyes, nasal passages, and skin to lose precious moisture.

Then you pair this with the dry outdoors and its a recipe for winter dryness!

chezbeate/Pixabay

We know why and how the winter wreaks havoc on our skin. When it comes to winter dryness, youll most likely be affected in three major areas: eyes, nose, and overall skin. Lets take a look at what we can do about preventing dryness and naturally treating these areas of your body. Luckily, there are just as many natural remedies for dry skin as there are causes!

Skitterphoto/Pixabay

Dry eyes are maybe one of the most debilitating winter side effects making you feel fatigued, leading to headaches, and causing discomfort and pain in one of the most sensitive parts of the body. The chilly temps and increased winds, plus the dry heat and low humidity indoors, can lead to aggravated dry eyes.

What does it feel like?

Depending on how dry your eyes are, symptoms can include stinging, burning, scratching, redness, sensitivity to light, eye fatigue, blurred vision, watery eyes, and even the development of mucus around your eyes.

What can you do about it?

While you can opt for over-the-counter artificial tears and even prescription eye drops, there are some precautionary aids that may help you avoid harsh chemicals.

First and foremost, opt for wearing sunglasses or clear glasses that wrap around your face for the winter. I know what youre thinking, dont they look ridiculous? Maybe they do, but if it alleviates those dry eyes, its definitely worth it! Double up on the shades with a brimmed hat. Both of these aids can slow tear evaporation while outside.

Engin_Akyurt/Pixabay

With the combination of low humidity outdoors and forced heat indoors, your nasal passages are truly put to the test to produce adequate moisture. Not only are dry nasal passages super uncomfortable all on their own, but the dryness can actually travel into your throat causing dry cough and irritation.

Whats it feel like?

Constant dryness of your nasal passage can cause mucus in the nose to dry out and thicken, the membranes inside the nose to become more fragile and the nasal lining to crack, which leads to irritation, bleeding, and invasion of germs [along with] nasal congestion or blockage, [prevention of] drainage from sinuses and difficulty breathing.

What can you do about it?

Much like dry eye treatment, you can opt for nasal sprays. With that said, if youre looking for a chemical-free, natural treatment, there are a few options!

To begin, you may need to alter your indoor environment by increasing the humidity in your home with a humidifier. The optimal humidity level to treat dry nasal passages is between 40 and 45 percent, yet humidity levels in a heated home in the winter can be well below 20 percent and often below 10 percent.

You can also perform nasal irrigation. While saline sprays are a recommended course of action, a more natural option is a neti pot. These devices change in design depending on which you choose, but they contain a mixture of warm water and saline, which is then forced through the nasal passages to clear out mucus. When it comes to dry nasal passages, neti pots can help clear dry mucus or crusts from the nose without trauma and temporarily reduce dryness. You can choose your design based on your comfort level such as this traditional Himalayan Chandra Neti Pot Complete Sinus Cleansing System Starter Kit or this more modern NeilMed NasaFlo Unbreakable Neti Pot.

cm_dasilva/Pixabay

While dry eyes and nasal passages are no fun to deal with, all over dry skin is a huge game-changer. Wind and forced-air heating are both huge players in the dry skin game, but you can blame those cold temps. When the temperature drops, that cold or dry air basically sucks away the oil that normally traps moisture in the skin, often leading to skin irritation and itchiness, as well as flare-ups of eczema, psoriasis or other chronic skin conditions.

In dermatological terms, this condition is called skin distress, and thats exactly what it feels like. The most common symptoms of severely dry skin include tightness, roughness, itching, flaking, scaling, peeling, fine lines and cracks, gray coloring, redness, and even bleeding.

What can you do about it?

When it comes to winter skincare, youll want to approach it from both preventative and treatment angles.

Preventative care includes avoiding hot water, opt for warm try to reduce your shower times, and avoid using soapy cleansers multiple times a day. After bathing, pat your skin dry with a towel then immediately slather on a substantial cream or lotion to trap water in the upper layers of the skin.

Selecting a winter moisturizer may be one of the most important parts of skincare treatment. First off, look for super moisturizing and healing ingredients including glycerin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, grapeseed or almond oil, sheat butter, and lactic acid, such as this vegan and cruelty-free 5-ounce Earth Science Almond-Aloe Fragrance-Free Facial Moisturizer with Jojoba, Shea, and Hyaluronic Acid or this 4-ounceFarmstead Apothecary 100% Natural Anti-Aging Face Cream with Jojoba Oil and Lemon Lavender.

Make sure to use your selected moisturizer after you bathe, in the morning, and before bed.

Golden Milk Frappuccino/One Green Planet

Even though tackling your dry skin with topical moisturizers and natural remedies is a great first line of defense, you should also consider hydrating from the inside out. Keeping your body nourished and hydrated via plant-based foods is a great way to fight dry and cracked skin. What should you look for? Try to integrate lots of vitamins, particularly vitamin C and E as well as super hydrating agents including coconut water.

Beginner Green Smoothie/One Green Planet

We start with a smoothie. Nutrient-dense smoothies are a great way to infuse your body with a powerful dose of hydrating liquids and nourishing vitamins and minerals all at once. Theyre super easy to prepare ahead of time and freeze, pack to work, or even travel with. This Beginner Green Smoothie includes vitamin C and E rich ingredients foods spinach, apples, banana, and grapes, as well as stomach-soothing ginger and powerful antioxidant-rich green tea. To really boost the hydration on this one, turn some coconut water into frozen cubes and use those instead of regular ice.

Kiwi Avocado Juice/One Green Planet

So, you could go withjustavocados for their broad nutrient profile or maybejustkiwis for their high content of both vitamin C and E. Instead, why not combine both to make a super powerful dose of hydrating and nourishing juice? This Kiwi Avocado Juice is a wonderful tonic to have on hand in your fridge for the entirety of the winter. Along with kiwi and avocado, this recipe calls for antioxidant-rich lemon juice, fiber-filled flaxseed, and some ice cubes follow suit with the smoothie and swap these out for coconut water for the cubes for an extra boost of hydration!

Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Almonds/One Green Planet

Looking for something a bit more substantial in the hydration department? How about trying your hand at some almond-based recipes! This Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Almonds are the perfect easy treat to get your daily dose of vitamin E, protein, and healthy fats. Mixed in with these wonderful almonds, youll also get a dose of healthy fat-filled olive oil and antibacterial garlic. A great snack for boosting hydrating nutrients and filling your tummy!

We also highly recommend downloading ourFood Monster App, which is available foriPhone, and can also be found onInstagramandFacebook. The app has more than 15,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to new recipes every day. Check it out!

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Naturally Weatherproof Skin for Winter Dryness - One Green Planet