STAY HYDRATED

How to Keep Your Skin From Flaking Off In the Winter

Winter is a battlefield for retaining moisture, but you can, and should, fight back.

Jillian Lucas

Commerce Editorial Manager

Scouted

By The Beast

This morning, I bent over to put my shoes on and I felt like my skin was going to crack wide open. The mixture of the intense cold plus the blasting of the heat in my apartment had sucked all the moisture out of my body.

I know I'm not alone when it comes to flaky, stiff skin in the winter, but we don't have to suffer any longer. There are many actions we can take to make sure our entire body feels good to be in, and not like a snake unable to shed it's scales. Winter is a battlefield for retaining moisture, but you can, and should, fight back.

Moisturize

Masking

When my face is feeling extra tight, I grab the fresh Rose Face Mask. It's packed with rosewater, cucumber extract, aloe vera gel, and an algae called Porphyridium Cruentum which targets any dry patches you're suffering from. There are also real rose petals suspending in the gel and it smells like the most perfect flower shop in the world.

Other good moisturizing masks:

Daily Moisturizer

My go-to daily moisturizer, the belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb packs a huge punch of moisture for the warmer months, but sometimes I need something a bit heavier in the winter. At night, I slather on the Shisedo Ibuki Refining Moisurizer Enriched like it's my job. This thick moisturizer makes me feel like I just dunked my head into a cream pie a la Mrs. Doubtfire, but it eventually sinks into the skin and immediately plumps.

Other great moisturizers for the winter:

Body Cream

Like I said above, my entire body in the winter feels like it's going to completely flake off. Using a body cream is basically a necessity in the winter for me. When I use my exfoliating gloves (see below), I use the Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion immediately afterwards to keep my newly exfoliated skin from tightening up outside of the warmth and moistness of a steamy bathroom. On mornings where I'm drowning my head in dry shampoo and skipping the shower, I use the Hanami Body Lotion from Phlur, which is the same scent as my daily perfume, so I won't clash with too many different scent profiles.

Other body creams to keep scaly skin at bay:

Exfoliate

Physical Exfoliants

While I'm usually a proponent of chemical exfoliants over physical ones, sometimes you just need to scratch that itch. I keep a set of exfoliating gloves in my shower that I douse in body wash and go to town. The nylon fibers help slough any dead skin off your entire body. If your back needs some extra attention, a larger version will do the trick. Need something for days when you're not showering? Get a dry brush.

Other good physical exfoliators:

Hair Care

Normally I don't suffer from dandruff but in the winter, my scalp can get a bit flaky. Adding a salt scrub to my hair care routine helped dislodge any build up that can dry out scalp skin and get rid of any flakes. I also recently fell in love with silicone scalp brushes to help scratch my itchy, dry scalp without damaging any hair follicles. They also help lather up your shampoo too.

Other great hair exfoliating products for the winter:

Protect

Sunscreen

Why is it that people forget that the sun exists in the winter? Sure, it's not up before we leave for work and it sets before we get home, but still. Everyone skips sunscreen in the winter and it's time to stop. Adding a moisturizing sunscreen to your routine, like the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Sunscreen, means you're adding another layer of protection from the elements onto your thirsty epidermis, plus giving your skin a nice drink of hydration at the same time.

Other great sunscreens for the winter:

Serum

Another good way to make sure your skin survives the sub-zero temperatures is to invest in a moisturizing serum. It doesn't deliver the punch of hydration like a regular moisturizer does, but it'll help your skin from drying out in the long run, meaning you won't have to do all this prep come next winter. My personal favorites are the Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum and The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, because they're affordable and easy to add to any routine.

Other serums to keep your skin healthy:

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