If you live in a temperate region, you know that winter usually brings chapped, dry, and flaky skin. This can feel almost unavoidable at times, especially for those of us who work with our hands to make a living. While winter certainly has a tendency to dry out skin, all hope is not lost. With a few simple adjustments and some seriously powerful moisturizer, you can enjoy healthy, strong, and hydrated skin all year round.
How Cold, Dry Winters Affect our Skin
Your skin is the largest organ in the body, and it has the all important job of protecting you from the outside world. When cold temperatures, shorter days, and drops in humidity roll around this winter, your skin’s strength can be compromised. But why exactly does the winter cause us such consternation when it comes to skin dryness?
There are two primary reasons why the winter can be so tough on our skin, particularly on our hands and face:
- Winter weather generally brings lower humidities and lower temperatures both inside and outside.
- Cold temperatures cause us to compensate by taking hot showers.
Our skin has a natural moisture level which keeps it healthy and strong. Dry air, cold temperatures, and activities such as hot showers sap our skin of its natural moisture, which may cause cracking, discomfort, and even bleeding. The cold outside and the heat inside can feel like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Thankfully, there are some easy methods to protect your skin from excessive dryness.
Easy Strategies to Manage Dry Skin this Winter
Here are a few simple ways to keep your skin from drying out this winter:
- Limit long, hot showers. We have all stood under scalding hot water having an existential crisis while trying to remember the name of a song we heard in a movie 10 years ago. Well, most of us have anyway. Long, hot showers, can feel great in the colder months, but they do as much to dry out your skin as anything else.
- Choose your soap(s) wisely. Soaps with built in deodorants, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic dyes all have the tendency to dry out skin. While there is no one solution, consider shopping around for a soap which will not lead to dry skin this winter.
- Use a humidifier at night. This is for those of us who live in areas where our heater is running 24/7 during the winter months. The moisture in your home gets sucked out by heating units, and replacing that with a humidifier while you sleep is a great way to protect skin.
- Use a moisturizer as part of your daily routine. After that non-scalding, non-30 minute shower, add a moisturizer as part of your regular routine. For best results, apply moisturizer when skin is still slightly damp.
How Moisturizers work to Prevent Dry Skin
If you walk into the drugstore or grocery store and pick up the first bottle of hand lotion you find, the results may underwhelm you. This is due to the fact that moisturizers actually hydrate your skin in three distinct ways. Some moisturizers only utilize one or two of these critical components. Instead, make sure you look for a product like HEFF, which utilizes all three:
Occlusives are the heavier ingredients which create a seal on the outer layer of your skin. A commonly used occlusive is petroleum jelly, better known as Vaseline. This traps moisture in as well as protecting skin from outside irritants which may strip away moisture.
Humectants function almost like a magnet for water. They literally attract hydration from other parts of the body and draw it to the surface of the skin. This process is important because it provides long lasting skin moisturization well after the moisturizer has been applied.
Emollients are ingredients which restore and repair the skin from within. Dry, cracked, and damaged skin will naturally form “gaps” beneath the surface which can lead to the skin becoming weak and may even lead to bleeding. Emollients work to fill those gaps, which completes the trifecta of moisturization!
HEFF Relief for Men is a Once Daily Moisturizer for All Seasons
HEFF cream for hands, elbows and feet has been specifically formulated for working men. Harnessing the power of amino acids, our lotion is ideal for even the most dry, cracked skin. Think of once-daily HEFF as routine maintenance for your body. Shower, shave, apply daily moisturizing cream, and you are all set for a day of hard work or hard play. When the air dries and the temperatures drop this winter, HEFF will be there to keep your skin healthy and strong.
For every tube of HEFF sold, we are proud to donate a tube to Operation Gratitude. This is a small way of giving back to the men and women who keep our country safe.To find HEFF, shop on Amazon, find us at any of these national retailers, or contact us directly for more information today!