How To Rehydrate Dry Skin

Cold, winter weather is not much fun for your skin. Low humidity levels and cold weather results in dry air, which can then steal moisture away from your skin and leave you desperately looking for ways that you can rehydrate your dry skin. Without proper care, dry skin can crack and bleed, with harsh weather conditions making it much worse.

Additional moisture can help, but you may need to do more to actually counteract these damaging effects and keep skin looking smooth and youthful. To reduce itching, redness and chapping, and to keep skin healthy this winter, here are some tips for how you can rehydrate dry skin and avoid any further damage.

Use Lukewarm Water

In the winter, you may be tempted to have a hot bath or shower but, as relaxing as it might sound, heat can be detrimental to your skin condition as hot water tends to strip oil away from the skin. If you’re looking to rehydrate dry skin, then keeping your water temperature warm rather than hot will help keep your skin in a good condition.

Change Your Cleanser

The wrong cleanser can be extremely drying for your skin, so it may be time to have a look into a new cleanser choice. Cleansers which contain salicylic or glycolic acid are more drying, so look into choosing a more hydrating version that contains moisturising ingredients.

After cleansing, try not to leave the skin bare for more than 30 seconds as this can dehydrate skin further. Apply a rehydrating toner and a good moisturiser to seal in moisture after cleansing to rehydrate dry skin.

Exfoliate

We often forget to help our skin protect itself and rehydrate in the winter, particularly when it comes to our hands and face. Moisture cannot get into your skin if there is a layer of dry skin, so finding a good quality exfoliator can help to re-energise and rehydrate dry skin.

Be careful not to over exfoliate, as this may irritate your skin further, but instead find a gentle exfoliator for your face and use weekly to help regenerate healthy skin cells. Follow immediately with a good moisturiser to lock in your skin’s hydration.

You Are What You Eat

Eating foods that are high in water content is another way that you can rehydrate your skin. Watermelon, cucumber and strawberries all have high water content, so adding these into your diet can help to boost hydration levels and keep skin looking and feeling its best. Eating a wide range of fruit and vegetables during the winter will not only keep you feeling healthy, but will help to nourish the skin.

Staying hydrated will also make you and your skin feel better during the winter months. Avoid caffeine-laden drinks such as coffee and tea and instead make sure that you are drinking plenty of water or natural teas. These will help rehydrate dry skin quicker and make it look smoother and healthier.

Give Your Skin A (Avo)Cuddle

Avocados are packed full of healthy fats, antioxidants and vitamins which all work with one another to boost skin hydration. Whether you mash it, drink it in a smoothie or slice it on top of salads, adding some avocado into your diet is a great overall health benefit.

As well as the health benefits, avocado also makes an amazing DIY face mask which works to rehydrate skin. Homemade skin masks can provide your skin with an extra boost of moisture during the winter and natural ingredients such as honey, yoghurt and olive and jojoba oils all work on dry skin. Mix your ingredients into a mix or paste and relax for 10-30 minutes for refreshed and revitalised skin.