Dry Skin? Here’s How to Combat this Winter Woe

As the chill of winter approaches, so does the struggle with dry and patchy skin. Between the drop in humidity, icy winds, and dry indoor heating, your skin can be left feeling parched, irritated, and far from its natural radiance. If you’re prone to tight, flaky, or inflamed skin during the colder months, you’re not alone—it’s a common challenge many face this time of year.

Winter skin struggles are frustrating, but they don’t have to be. HUM provides a holistic approach that targets the root causes of dryness and heals from the inside out. By combining targeted supplements with simple skincare and lifestyle adjustments, you can achieve a total rehydration reset, restore your skin barrier, and maintain a healthy glow all winter. Ready to say goodbye to winter skin struggles? Let’s dive in!

Why Winter Wreaks Havoc on Your Skin

Winter is notorious for bringing harsh environmental changes to the body, easily disrupting the skin’s delicate balance. During this time, humidity levels dip, both outdoors and indoors. It’s also important to note that cold air naturally holds less moisture, making the environment drier and leaving your skin prone to dehydration. When there’s less moisture in the air, the skin’s water content evaporates more quickly, leading to dryness, flakiness, and that uncomfortable, dry, patchy texture. Unfortunately, spending time indoors isn’t much better—central heating systems, though necessary for warmth, only further dry the air’s humidity. This combination of dryness and heating system creates the perfect environment for your skin to lose hydration.

If the humidity issues weren’t consequential enough, the addition of cold temperatures and crisp winds can also weaken the skin’s natural barrier. The barrier locks in moisture and protects against external irritants, but exposure to cold conditions can disrupt the barrier, causing tiny cracks in the skin, allowing water to escape and irritants to penetrate. As the barrier deteriorates, your skin becomes more sensitive, making you more prone to redness and less equipped to retain essential nutrients.

Essential HUM Nutrition Supplements to Combat Dry, Patchy Skin

When winter wreaks havoc on your skin, taking a holistic approach that addresses both external and internal factors is the best way to go. HUM offers a range of supplements that target dry, dehydrated skin from the inside out. Here are the best products to support hydration, repair, and overall skin health and how each works to do so:

Arctic Repair

Arctic Repair is a winter skincare savior, thanks to its potent combination of Lingonberry seed oil and Vitamin A. Lingonberry is packed with essential fatty acids, including omegas 3, 6, and 9, which are crucial for maintaining and restoring the skin’s natural moisture barrier. By strengthening the barrier, the supplement helps your skin retain moisture while resisting the harsh effects of cold weather. The antioxidant properties of Lingonberry and Vitamin A also protect against free radical damage, promoting skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Together, these ingredients hydrate and improve skin density and resilience, ensuring your skin stays plump, soft, and healthy throughout winter.

Skin Squad

Skin Squad is a must-have for anyone experiencing redness, inflammation, or dryness during winter. Its unique formula contains nine strains of probiotic bacteria that balance the gut microbiome, promoting a healthier connection between digestion and skin health. By reducing inflammation and feeding good bacteria with konjac root extract, Skin Squad helps minimize skin irritation and restore hydration. As a result, you have clearer, calmer skin.

Daily Cleanse

Daily Cleanse is a top choice for detoxification, designed to flush out impurities that cause skin dryness and irritation. Its blend of detoxifying ingredients, including chlorella and spirulina, supports the body’s natural detoxification processes, eliminating toxins that may otherwise lead to breakouts or cause dryness. When you flush toxins and other impurities out of the body, your skin clears up and smoothes. smooth, clear skin from within. 

ACV Gummies

Apple cider vinegar is a well-known ingredient for gut and skin health, and HUM’s ACV Gummies nutritionally upgrade the supplement while making it a convenient grab-and-go option. The gummies are packed with probiotics to balance your gut microbiome, which plays a critical role in reducing skin flare-ups and improving overall hydration. It also has a healthy dose of B12 for cellular energy, supporting digestion and the body’s natural detoxification process.

It’s important to know that while supplements are fantastic in combination with other hydration techniques, they’re not a quick fix. Dermatologist Hannah Kopelman notes that it typically takes about 4-8 weeks to see noticeable results, so consistency is key. “While supplements help, they should complement a solid skincare routine and a healthy diet, not replace them,” she says.

Fueling Healthy Skin with Diet and Hydration Habits

“Staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as in the summer,” explains Kopelman. “but it’s easy to overlook because we don’t feel as thirsty when it’s cold. Dry, heated indoor air and chilly winds can sap moisture from our skin, so drinking water consistently helps maintain our skin’s hydration levels from within.”

Hydrating and Omega-Rich Foods to Help Skin Retain Moisture

In addition to drinking water, the foods you eat also play a significant role in maintaining your skin’s hydration and barrier function. Incorporating hydrating foods and omega-rich options into your diet can support your skin’s ability to retain moisture and combat dryness. Additionally, incorporating a supplement like Arctic Repair into a diet packed with omega and water-rich foods only amplifies the strength of your skin’s barrier for maximum hydration. 

Hydrating Foods:

• Cucumber (supports skin elasticity and intensely hydrates)
• Watermelon (fights free radicals and boosts hydration)
• Oranges (hydrates the skin and supports collagen production)
• Leafy Greens (i.e., spinach, kale) (promotes skin hydration and repair)

Omega Foods:

• Walnuts (reduces inflammation and supports the skin barrier, maintaining hydration)
• Fatty Fish (reduces redness and inflammation while supporting skin health)
• Chia Seeds (helps strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and retain hydration)
• Avocado (promotes skin elasticity and helps maintain moisture)
• Flax Seeds (helps maintain hydrated and smooth skin)

Winter Skincare Routine Tips

Adjusting your skincare routine during winter is essential to combat dry, patchy skin caused by cold weather and low humidity. Simple tweaks to your daily regimen can help lock in moisture, protect your skin barrier, and restore your natural glow.

Upgrade Your Moisturizer

The lightweight moisturizer you use in your daily routine is typically enough, but when the cold weather hits, it may not be enough. Kopelman recommends switching to a heavier moisturizer—”Look for ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter to lock in moisture.” These ingredients will help replenish moisture and strengthen the skin’s barrier to keep hydration locked in. Apply it immediately after cleansing while your skin is still slightly damp to maximize its absorption.

Use a Humidifier

Indoor heating has very low humidity and can easily dry out the air along with your skin’s moisture levels. Adding a humidifier to your sleeping space can restore lost humidity, preventing your skin from becoming tight and flaky. 

Avoid Harsh Cleansers

Certain ingredients in cleansers, like sulfates and alcohols, can be harsh on the skin, stripping the skin of natural oils and causing damage to the skin’s barrier. If your skin is red, irritated, or dry, try switching to a cleanser with soothing ingredients like glycerin, aloe vera, or oat extract that will cleanse without stripping away essential moisture.

Pair with HUM Nutrition’s Skin Squad and Arctic Repair

While topical care is crucial to the skin’s hydration, nourishing your skin from within is just as important. HUM’s Skin Squad supplement contains probiotics that balance your gut microbiome, reducing inflammation and dryness while promoting smoother, more hydrated skin. Pairing it with Arctic Repair (rich in omega fatty acids and Vitamin A) enhances your skin’s barrier strength and hydration. Combining these tips with HUM’s supplement will enhance the results of your topical skincare routine.

Other Lifestyle Tips to Avoid Dry and Patchy Skin

Avoid Hot Showers

Although a steaming hot shower feels amazing on chilly days, it’s doing more harm than good for your skin. The hot water strips away your skin’s natural oils, which is essential for retaining moisture and maintaining a strong barrier. This leaves your skin more vulnerable to dryness and irritation. Instead, opt for lukewarm showers as much as possible and limit the time you spend in there to avoid further dehydration. After you get out of the shower, immediately apply moisturizer to lock in hydration.

Protect Your Skin Outdoors

“Bundling up with scarves, gloves, and hats isn’t just about staying warm—it’s also vital for your skin,” says Kopelman. “Cold winds can strip your skin of its natural oils, leading to chapping and irritation. Wearing protective clothing acts as a barrier, shielding your skin from the elements. I always suggest using a lip balm with SPF and applying a rich moisturizer to exposed areas like your hands and face before heading outside.” 

Manage Stress to Support Skin Health

Stress can negatively impact your skin, resulting in flare-ups, dryness, and breakouts due to a disruption in the hormonal balance. To avoid this, try and manage stress as much as possible using mindful techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing. Additionally, supporting your body with a healthy diet and HUM supplements can improve other aspects of your health, like digestion and inflammation-two influences of skin health:

• ACV Gummies: These gummies contain probiotics to promote gut health, which is crucial in regulating skin inflammation. By balancing the gut-skin axis, it helps minimize stress-related flare-ups.
• Daily Cleanse: The supplement works to support your body’s natural detoxification process, flushing out toxins that can lead to dullness or breakouts.

The Takeaway on Dry Skin

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you should have to suffer through dry, irritated, patchy skin all season. Evaluating where you may be dehydrated, whether you need to drink more water, upgrade your moisturizer, or incorporate a supplement (or two) into your diet can make all of the difference in your skin’s health. Not to mention, combining HUM’s supplements with simple lifestyle adjustments will amplify the benefits of hydration and resilience. Products like Arctic Repair, Skin Squad, Daily Cleanse, and ACV Gummies are all suitable choices that work from the inside out. Don’t let winter dryness take over. Build your personal winter skin care plan for lasting comfort and radiance. Your skin will thank you!