Winter is a hard time for your skin. Extreme cold temperatures, harsh winds, and low environmental moisture can stress your skin. As a result, our skin loses hydration, becomes drier and flaky. Therefore, our skin requires special care during the colder months of the year.

Though you might have curated a good skincare regime to take care of your skin’s health, it won’t work effectively during the winter season. Instead, your winter skincare routine should be more focused on moisturizing the skin to prevent it from drying, taking care of the enlarged pores, broken and chapped skin, and dullness. Also, winter skincare needs to be different for men and women, primarily because of their different skin structures. We have curated a comprehensive guide for men to help them take care of their skin during the winters.

Do Men Need Different Skincare Products?

Men and women have different skin pH levels, sweat production rate, sebum synthesis rate, and hair growth. The skin characteristics also differ depending upon the male and female hormone levels. Increased testosterone levels in males make their skin thicker by about 20% than females. Men have thicker hair growth and produce more sebum. Men’s skin produces more collagen making it firmer and more resilient. Higher collagen content also enables their skin to age differently than females.

The pH level of male skin is lower than women. It makes their skin more prone to develop acne. Men also have more active sebaceous glands than women, making their skin shinier. Shaving daily also damages the skin causing skin irritation. Therefore, men do need different skincare products for their skin.

Common Skin Issues Experienced During Cold Times

1. Dry Skin

Loss of humidity during the winter season can dehydrate your skin and make it appear dry and flaky. As a result, the skin might crack or itch and even lead to skin conditions like eczema. Exposure to radiator heat inside the room and frequent hot showers can damage the skin’s natural moisture barrier and make it dry.

2. Increased Breakouts and Acne

Due to the dry climate in winter, our sebaceous glands get over-activated and produce more sebum to make our skin more oily. Also, increased dryness causes the superficial skin layer to flake off. The enlarged pores of the skin get clogged with the excess sebum and dead cells, causing acne and breakouts.

3. Dullness and Wrinkles

Extreme cold weather can cause your superficial skin layers to dry up and appear duller. As a consequence, your skin might appear lifeless and lose its youthfulness. In addition, loss of hydration in the skin cells can also accelerate the aging of the skin. Thereby, you might find more wrinkles and fine lines during the winter season.

5. Dark Circles Under Eyes

Research shows that Vitamin D and K in our body get reduced during the colder months as our skin does not get exposed to sunlight adequately. This causes the skin to appear paler and makes the dark patches under your eyes appear more prominent.

6. Spider Lines and Broken Veins

In places where the temperature drops to the extreme, the minute veins of your skin might rupture due to rapid contraction. Due to this, spidery lines or dark red patches might appear on your skin.

7. Chapped Lips and Cracked Lips

Frosty winds and cold climate can influence the oil glands in the skin of your lips to produce less oil. Thus, your lips get chapped and flaky. In addition, your elbows and feet can get cracked due to a loss of hydration.

Tips to Take Care Of Your Skin During Winter:

1. Exfoliate Your Skin

The dried and dead skin cells can clog your skin pores and aggravate acne and breakout. Exfoliating, either using a physical exfoliant or chemical peels, will help to remove the dull, dried-up superficial skin cells to reveal the healthy, newer skin cells underneath.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) are excellent chemical peels that help slough off the dull skin layer and significantly reduce the incidence of breakouts. Hence, your skin will appear more youthful, and the skin texture will get smoother.

2. Cleanse Gently

Cleansing your skin with regular soap and water can strip off the natural moisture from your skin and make your skin appear drier and flakier. Instead, we recommend using a mild cleanser according to your skin (oily, dry, or combination). Cleanser infused with activated Carbon or PHA can help pull out the dirt and grime from the skin pores and deep-cleanse your skin.

3. Don’t Forget to Detoxify

Every day your skin goes through a lot. It gets exposed to dirt, microbes, etc. Detoxification of your skin is vital to get rid of the toxins which might otherwise cause several skin ailments. Look for face masks with ingredients like charcoal and French green clay. Also, try incorporating essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus oil.

4. Use a Proper Toner

Toning your skin can help to minimize your enlarged skin pores and reduce the risk of clogging up pores. In addition, they act as an astringent and help to reduce skin inflammation and rashes. Toners can also help remove excess oil and dirt from the skin layers and give you smoother, brighter, and healthy skin.

5. Explore Facial Serums

Facial serums have become popular among skincare enthusiasts. You can explore facial serums like hyaluronic acid and lanolin acid, which act as highly potent moisturizers. It will keep your skin hydrated and enable you to withstand the harsh cold weather.

Beat the Cold With A Proper Skincare Regime

Skincare is not a one-size-fits-all concept. The texture and sensitivity of every skin are unique, and one needs to take care of it accordingly. However, preparing a proper skincare regime can help keep your skin healthy and flaunt-worthy. If your existing skin condition aggravates during the winter, you should consult your doctor to find a suitable solution for your unique skin.