Winter Skin Survival Guide: 11 Essential Ways to Combat Dryness and Keep Your Glow

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to protect your skin’s hydration is by moisturizing immediately after washing. Water disrupts the skin’s natural oils, which are essential for locking in moisture. Moisturizing right after washing is especially effective because your pores are more open when the skin is warm and damp. Warm water gently dilates pores, allowing moisturizing ingredients to absorb more deeply and effectively. This timing both replenishes the protective oils that washing can strip away and locks in moisture and hydration-enhancing ingredients when your pores are most receptive—helping your skin stay supple, resilient, and radiant.

Pro Tip : After bathing, gently pat your skin dry instead of rubbing. This helps retain some of the water on your skin, which can be sealed in with a moisturizer.

The winter sun can be deceiving; while it may feel mild, UV rays can still damage your skin and break down its moisture barrier. Applying a layer of sunscreen each morning helps shield your skin from these effects, preserving both its hydration and its overall health.

Expert Tip: The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and many dermatologists recommend using SPF even if you are staying inside.

While a hot shower might feel soothing on a cold day, it can actually damage your skin by stripping away its protective oils. Lukewarm water (about 98.6°F) is kinder to your skin’s natural moisture barrier, helping to prevent tightness and dryness.

Expert Tip: Keep your shower time to 10 minutes or less and finish with a cool rinse. Limiting exposure to water and ending with a cooler temperature helps maintain your skin’s natural oils, leaving it better protected from winter dryness.

Indoor heating may feel comforting, but it drastically reduces air moisture levels, contributing to dry skin. A humidifier can help counterbalance this by adding moisture back into the air, which your skin can then absorb.

Expert Tip: Set your humidifier to around 60% humidity for optimal moisture balance, particularly while you sleep. This keeps your skin from drying out overnight, especially if you run the heater.

Exfoliating dead skin cells can keep your complexion bright, but overdoing it can lead to more dryness and irritation, especially in winter. Choose a gentle chemical exfoliant if you need to exfoliate, as physical scrubs may be too abrasive on sensitive, winter-dry skin.

Expert Tip: Avoid exfoliating cracked or inflamed skin, as this can delay healing. Stick to once or twice a week to keep your skin smooth without compromising its moisture.

Overnight creams and emollients are ideal for intensive hydration while you sleep. Since emollients are thicker, they need more time to absorb fully—making nighttime the perfect opportunity. A good overnight moisturizer can soothe skin and restore its moisture barrier, allowing it to recover from daily environmental stress. All Dragon Hemp’s liniments are rich in emollients, like shea butter in our cremes and lotions to fractionated coconut oil and pomegranate oil in our oils.

Expert Tip: For extra-dry areas like hands and feet, apply a thick layer of emollient and cover with gloves or socks to lock in the moisture.

Your skin’s outer appearance is often a reflection of your hydration levels. Drinking enough water throughout the day helps maintain skin moisture and resilience. Additionally, consuming foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, such as leafy greens and fish, can support your skin’s health from the inside out.

Expert Tip: Add a handful of chia seeds or ground flaxseeds to your morning smoothie, oatmeal, or yogurt. These plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids are easy to incorporate into daily meals and provide a boost for skin hydration and elasticity from within.

Rough fabrics can further irritate dry skin, so choose soft, breathable materials like cotton and silk. Winter layers can sometimes trap moisture against the skin, so consider fabrics that allow air to circulate while still offering warmth. 

Expert Tip: Although warm, wool can be coarse and cause itching or irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin, so it should be lined with a softer material. Similarly, synthetics like polyester and nylon are less breathable and can trap heat or cause friction leading to skin irritation.

To protect sensitive winter skin, switch to a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic detergent for washing clothes and linens. Many detergents contain fragrances, dyes, and harsh chemicals that can linger on fabrics, irritating dry or sensitive skin. Hypoallergenic detergents are formulated to be gentle, minimizing potential allergens and irritants.

Additionally, consider using a double rinse cycle to ensure all detergent residues are washed away. This simple change can create a more soothing environment for your skin, reducing the risk of contact irritation and helping you stay comfortable in your winter layers.

Expert Tip: Even Tide’s “Free and Gentle” line of hypoallergenic detergent contains chemicals, not to mention the plastic waste in their PODS. For a chemical-free and fragrance-free detergent, we love Leblanc’s Laundry Wash and Linen Wash.