Winter Weather time can be hard on the skin. Cold weather, wind, and dry indoor air can suck moisture from your skin. Add in the use of drying acne-fighting products and medications, and you have a recipe for uncomfortable dryness, itching, flaking, and peeling.
What can you do to help keep your skin hydrated throughout the winter months, while still getting the most from your acne treatment routine?
Try these four tips to winter-proof your acne skincare routine and make your skin look (and feel) a whole lot better.
1-Change Your Cleanser
While it may have been a great choice during the summer months, your cleanser may not be working for you now that the cold weather has set in. Winter Weather
If you feel tight and dry after cleansing, you probably need to switch to a milder cleanser.
Foaming cleansers, whether they be liquid washes or in bar soap form, are incredibly effective at cleansing away excess oil.
This is great during the warm weather when your skin tends to be sweaty and oily, but not so great when your skin is feeling parched or chapped.
Try switching out your foaming wash for a non-foaming or cream cleanser.1 These are less likely to leave that tight, overly-cleansed feeling.
Also, take into account that any cleanser containing acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are particularly drying.2 This is especially true if you are using them in conjunction with other acne treatment products like retinoids, topical antibiotics, and such.
During the winter months, you might do better with a gentle, non-medicated cleanser like Dove, Neutrogena, or Cetaphil.
You can always go back to an acne-fighting cleanser once the weather warms and your skin doesn’t feel as dry.
If you need help choosing a cleanser, you can ask your dermatologist for recommendations.
