Natural Remedies for Dry Winter Skin

Winter weather mounts an annual assault on your skin — with bitter cold and harsh winds causing blotches, blemishes, flakes, chapped lips, and more.

“With colder weather, skin tends to become drier and more inflamed,” naturopathic doctor Trevor Cates tells Newsmax Health. “People may have worsening of their skin problems, such as eczema, or they may feel their skin looks more aged.”

Staying inside doesn’t help because heating systems tend to dry out the air in your home and leach even more moisture from your skin. And some skin lotions, creams, and soaps can make matters worse by drying out or irritating your skin more.

But Cates, a Park City, Utah-based practitioner also known as “The Spa Doctor,” says you need look no further than your own kitchen for some natural winter skincare salves.

Here are some of her suggestions:

Papaya: The sweet tropical fruit is not only loaded with healthy antioxidants but also contains the enzyme papain, which acts as an exfoliant to help slough off layers of dead skin. Aim to lightly exfoliate once a week

Aloe: No matter what the season, Cates says that aloe is fantastic for dry, irritated skin. Just cut or break open a leaf and squeeze the gooey sap onto your skin. You can even grow aloe in your own home.

Honey: Good things sometimes come in sweet packages. Cates lauds honey as “healing, hydrating, clarifying, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and pH balancing.”

Yogurt: Some of the same things that make eating yogurt good for your gut flora also make it good for your complexion. The probiotics and enzymes it contains help reduce inflammation and balance the skin’s pH.

Pomegranate: This fruit is seasonal for fall and winter months. Its seeds have high antioxidant and skin-soothing benefits.

Avocado: Forget the guacamole for now. Avocados are rich in vitamins A and E, which help to nourish and hydrate skin. Cates uses it as the primary ingredient in a homemade “Nourishing Winter Face Mask” recipe made by combining one tablespoon of avocado, one teaspoon each of raw honey and pomegranate seeds in blender or food processor. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

Along with her kitchen remedies, Cates, and other experts, offer the following tips on how to help keep that summer glow in your skin throughout the winter:

• Stay hydrated: Drink at least eight glasses of water a day, including one of coconut water for extra hydration. “In addition to fluids,” Cates says, “it’s important to hydrate with good fats such as coconut oil, avocado oil and olive oil rather than trans-fats found in processed and fried foods.
• Switch moisturizes: Experts say to use oil-based moisturizers during the winter because they’re better at sealing in moisture than water-based face creams. For the rest of the body, Cates suggests another kitchen staple: coconut oil.
• Use sunblock: Even though there’s not as much sunshine as summer, sun exposure in winter can still damage skin, warns Cates. She says mineral sun blocks with either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are the best options.
• Soothe chapped lips: “You literally end up eating your Chapstick, so it’s important to choose a natural product,” says Cates. “Try coco butter, shea butter and vitamin E.”
• Drink bone broth: Compounds in bone broth help to nourish collagen, a protein that keeps skin firm and wrinkle-free.
• Use a humidifier: Since indoor heating can dry out the air, and your skin along with it, invest in a humidifier for your home.
• Avoid chemical-laden products: Antibacterial products, fragranced soaps, and skincare products with alcohol, and other toxins can strip the natural oils from your skin.
• Take shorter showers: It may feel great to a chilled body, but hot water also depletes your skin’s natural oils. So turn down the heat and don’t dawdle when bathing.