From the warm spices of pumpkin and apple desserts to the fall leaves changing color, there are many aspects to love as the summer wraps up and autumn begins. However, cooler temperatures and dryer air are the perfect combination for causing dry skin. Luckily, with the right moisturizers and body care routine, you can enjoy the cooler season with skin that still looks and feels soft.
Why Is Skin Care for Dry Weather Important?
While you may know that moisturizing your face will help retain moisture, protect your skin barrier, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, your body actually requires more hydration than your face. Your neck, chest, and hands are areas that are particularly susceptible to dry skin, as they are usually as exposed to the sun and elements as your face.
The rest of your skin may be less exposed to the elements, but it also produces less natural oils than your skin. This can often result in increased dryness and irritation from colder weather.
If you’ve noticed ashiness on your skin, increased itchiness or redness, irritation, cracking, scaly patches of skin, or an increased feeling of dryness, then it’s time to help revive your skin. Excessive dryness can lead to many other skin issues over time.
3 Tips for Dry Skin
Dry skin can be an issue year-round, but especially during the cold season. These tips will help your skin stay quenched throughout the year.
1. Apply Sunscreen
One effective way to protect your skin year-round is by wearing sunscreen. Whenever you’re exposed to sunlight, even indirectly through windows, you should always apply sunscreen. Look for broad spectrum sunscreens, and aim for an SPF of 30 or higher. This will help protect the skin against fine lines and wrinkles down the road, but it will also help keep the skin hydrated.
Additionally, don’t mix your sunscreen with other products, such as face cream or serums. Instead, always apply it as its own layer and give it time to soak in before applying products over it.
2. Exfoliate
Exfoliation is a wonderful way of removing dead skin cells to allow your moisturizer and other products to soak in and work more effectively. Exfoliation also helps stimulate cell turnover and unclogs pores. Finally, full body exfoliation — which includes gently massaging the product into your skin in a circular motion — offers a soothing and calming experience.
However, be careful of using overly harsh exfoliants or over-exfoliating, as this can strip away your body’s natural and beneficial oils. We suggest using a gentle exfoliator two to three times a week. Our Undaria Cleansing Body Polish, which uses alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), a natural chemical exfoliant, or Salts of the Earth Body Scrub, which uses mineral salts to manually exfoliate the skin, are both gentle on the skin and effective at removing dirt and dead skin.
3. Moisturize
Apply moisturizer at least once a day. Moisturizer works great after showering, as the damp skin absorbs the moisture better. Our Undaria Algae™ Body Butter is a deeply nourishing moisturizer that features ingredients like seaweed and whipped shea butter to deliver targeted hydration to your skin.
For more age-related concerns, our Anti-Aging Body Balm features Alaria seaweed to improve the appearance and feel of the skin’s natural elasticity. A mix of natural oils boosts your skin’s hydration levels alongside the seaweed’s benefits.
Ensuring your dry skin gets the moisture it needs will help combat signs of aging and keep your skin stress-free no matter the season.
