As the cold season begins, we pile on layers of clothing to stay warm and protected from the cold conditions. But what about our skin? It is highly exposed to harsh weather, cold winds, and dry air. Without proper care, winter can leave skin dry, rough, and irritated. Even if you’re following a good winter skincare routine, your skin might still feel dry. Why does this happen? The answer often lies in simple skincare mistakes. Let's have a look at some of the common mistakes to avoid for dry skin to keep your skin soft and healthy this winter. 

Common Skincare Mistakes that Dry Out Your Skin in Winter

  • Mistake: Skipping or Not Adjusting Moisturizer

Moisturizer acts as a boon for dry skin, especially during winter. Skipping moisturizer or sticking to your summer formula can leave your skin dehydrated and vulnerable. Winter’s harsh cold conditions strip moisture from the skin, leading to dryness, flakiness, and irritation.

How to Rectify: Always apply a moisturizer within 2-3 minutes of cleansing to lock in hydration. Go for the rich, thick, cream-based moisturizers with humectants like hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and ceramides to nourish and lock in the moisture. 

  •  Mistake: Over-exfoliation or Avoiding Exfoliation

Exfoliation is done to remove dead skin cells, but if you’re over-exfoliating or rubbing your skin too much, then you should stop it right away. Why? Overdoing it can damage your skin’s protective barrier, leading to increased dryness and irritation. Now, this doesn’t mean you should stop exfoliating, as dead skin builds faster during the winter season because of the dryness, causing dull and flaky skin. 

How to Rectify: Limit exfoliation frequency to 1-2 times a week and go for gentle chemical exfoliants instead of opting for physical exfoliants like scrubs that may damage your skin.  

  • Mistake: Using Hot Water for Cleansing or Showering

Hot showers may be comforting in winter, but they are bad for your skin as they strip away the skin’s natural oils or moisture content, due to which your skin can feel dehydrated. 

How to Rectify : Try to shower with lukewarm water instead, for both cleansing or showering. Also, limit the time you’re spending in the shower to avoid dryness. 

  • Mistake: Saving Your Sunscreen for Summer

Are you aware of the fact that even in winter, UV rays can still cause harm to your skin? And you’re causing great trouble to your skin by avoiding it in winter. 

How to Rectify : Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every day, even during winter. Go for a sunscreen with added moisturizing properties for extra hydration. 

  • Mistake: Over-Cleansing or Using Harsh Cleansers

While cleansing is essential for removing dirt, oil, and impurities, doing it too often or using harsh cleansers can strip your skin of its natural oils. Your skin is more prone to dryness, irritation, and sensitivity during the winter months since the air is already harsh and dry.

How to Rectify: Choose a gentle, hydrating cleanser with soothing ingredients like glycerin, ceramides, or aloe vera. Wash your face twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, with lukewarm water, and moisturize afterwards. 

  • Mistake: Neglecting Lips, Hands, and Feet

While all the skincare spotlight goes to the face. Lips, feet, and hands often get neglected, and they continue to take the brunt of the chilly winds and dry air. Forgetting to take proper care of them may result in chapping, cracks, and tightness in the skin.  

How to Rectify: To prevent chapping of lips, use a nourishing lip balm enriched with SPF. Regularly apply a thick cream to your hands and feet immediately after showering to keep your hands and feet smooth and hydrated.

  • Mistake: Not Staying Hydrated

In winter, many of us don’t feel as thirsty and often forget to drink enough water throughout the day. When you neglect your daily water intake during winter, it can lead to dehydration not only internally but also externally, affecting your skin's moisture levels, leaving skin dry and dull. 

How to Rectify: Don’t compromise on your daily water intake; drink plenty of water to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Most importantly, limit your caffeine intake, as it can cause dehydration. 

These are some of the common mistakes that you should avoid during winter, especially if you have dry skin. If you’re making any of these mistakes, then you should take the proper corrective actions to undo it. 

Bonus Tips:

  • Use a humidifier to add moisture to indoor air and prevent dryness and irritation.
  • Indulge in a night skincare routine to repair your skin while you sleep.

Inveda’s Guide to Winter Skincare for Dry Skin

Elevate your winter skincare routine with Inveda to hydrate, brighten, and smoothen your skin. 

Start with cleansing : Kickstart your skincare routine with Inveda’s gentle rose & patchouli face cleanser to wash away the dirt and impurities while maintaining skin’s natural balance. 

Toning to refresh: To enhance the effectiveness of other products, use Inveda’s Vitamin E + Niacinamide Hydrating Toner, which contains all the essential ingredients to soothe and nourish your skin. 

Soothe with Serum - Use a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid to impart the proper hydration to your skin, leaving it brightened and plumped. Inveda’s 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid Serum with 2% Pentavitin provides intense hydration for an extended period while protecting skin against damage. 

Moisturizer Magic - Applying moisturizer is just like a golden rule, which you should never forget. Inveda’s Vitamin E + Niacinamide Moisturizing Cream deeply nourishes your dry skin without feeling sticky and greasy on skin. 

Shield with sunscreen: Inveda Sun Screen Cream Gel SPF 30 offers broad-spectrum sun protection.

For a more natural solution, you can also go with natural ingredients like aloe vera, shea butter and coconut oil  to moisturize and hydrate your dry skin in winter naturally and effectively.  

What Do You Take Away From Your Mistakes?

Mistakes are a part of life; what’s important is what we learn from them. Coming back to the topic, we understand winter skin can be a bit challenging to manage. But you can achieve healthy, hydrated skin simply by avoiding some of the common mistakes. To combat dry skin issues, look for products with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and vitamin E, as well as natural ingredients like aloe vera gel, jojoba oil, shea butter, and coconut oil to nourish, moisturize, and soothe your skin. Acknowledge the corrective measures and tips to avoid dry skin issues this winter. Moreover, use Inveda's winter skincare products, which have been specifically tailored to meet the dry skin concerns. 

Hope you find this blog helpful and achieve hydrated, bright, smoother skin with a good winter skincare regimen!