Living in Colorado you deal with dry weather pretty much year round, but especially when the temperature drops in the fall and winter. And for someone who has had eczema their whole life, the winter brings flare-ups and overall drier skin. If you’ve ever dealt with eczema you know that it takes a little extra care compared to the rest of your skin. But there are some things you can do throughout the cold winter months to keep your skin from drying out.
Pump up the Moisture:
In my opinion enemy number one during the winter is hot showers and baths. Showers are great, not to mention necessary, but you are cleansing your body from head to toe with usually really warm/hot water and harsh soaps and cleansers. Showers cleanse all the dirt and grim from your body but they also strip away the natural oils which help to keep your skin moisturized.
So my first recommendation is to use baby oil right after your shower, it’s best if you apply the baby oil when your skin is still damp to really lock in moisture. You may need to hang out in your robe for a few minutes before putting on your clothes for the day, but your skin will thank you. I also apply some to my elbows, knees, any visible eczema spots and hands prior to bed every night! If you’re gonna use and trust baby oil to keep your baby’s skin supple and soft then why not use it yourself?
Other products to consider adding to your routine during winter are serums and heavier face moisturizers. Serums can penetrate the skin deeper than your moisturizer and often times contain the highest concentration of active ingredients for your skin. After the serum, add in a moisturizer that will provide needed hydration and works best with your skin type. And if adding new products to your routine isn’t in the budget or you just don’t want to, then do your best to use what you’ve already got more consistently.
Seasonal Product Changes:
Since I have oily skin, my normal facial cleansers are usually pretty 
harsh and contain salicylic acid and other ingredients to help combat my acne and oil production. But in the winter I’ll only use my harsh cleansers on days when I wear make up and I really need my skin to be clean afterwards. But day-to-day I’ll use a cleanser that is geared more towards skin calming, which still gets the job done, but won’t strip away all the natural oil from my skin.
Your body would also really benefit from a less intense body wash or soap too. Switching to a cleanser geared more toward moisture will really protect and maintain your skin’s moisture over all, even after a hot shower.
And if you wear makeup every day, to work, to school, or just because, try using less powder. In the summer I need all the powder I can get to combat natural oil from coming through. But in the winter months I can get away with a minimal amount of powder and still stay relatively shine free.
Moisturize your skin with food:
Fats, Fats and more healthy fats! This does not mean making butter a main ingredient in your diet, because you still need nutritional value too. Instead be sure to eat more fish, nuts, avocados, and olive oil. All of which will provide you with needed fatty acids and vitamins to help your skin stay hydrated. But you can also eat more sweet potatoes and cucumbers, both of which contain vitamin A, which is great for soothing skin and fighting damage.
And of course there are supplements you can try if you feel your skin still isn’t its normal self. Like KBA’s Radiance, which provides tons of vitamins and minerals your skin will drink up during the dry winter and year round, give it a try today!
By: Paige Peterson