As temperatures drop, winter weather can wreak havoc on your skin – leaving it dry, itchy or even irritated. Blustery outdoor conditions can leave skin feeling thirsty while the warm air blowing indoors can decrease moisture in the air – and your skin.

Winter doesn’t have to be synonymous with dry, flaky skin, however. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Sheila Farhang recommends incorporating these tips into your daily body care routine so you can fearlessly brave the winter elements.

Decrease shower length. While a hot shower may sound fantastic in the morning or after a long, chilly day, hot water actually strips away the skin’s natural oils and disrupts surface lipids and proteins. This damage can result in dry, irritated skin.

“I advise my patients to decrease shower length and use tepid water temperature instead of hot, especially in the winter,” Farhang said.

Use a moisturizing body cleanser. Most traditional soaps strip away the skin’s natural oils, but an option like Olay’s Premium Body Wash Collection is made with the No. 1 dermatologist recommended moisturizer, petrolatum and supercharged ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, collagen, vitamin C and vitamin B3 (niacinamide). These formulas infuse moisture 10 layers deep without leaving a coated feeling on the skin, and  they’re approved by the Skin Health Alliance, an organization of independent dermatologists and skin scientists who have verified the products so you can trust they are safe and effective.

“It’s important for those who spend their days and nights outside in low temperatures to protect their skin with not only warm clothing but also products that are formulated with ingredients that moisturize to improve the skin barrier,” Farhang said. “I always recommend Olay’s Premium Body Wash to my patients during the winter because it improves skin three times better than the leading competitor, boosts the skin’s moisture barrier and improves skin dryness.”

Look beyond lotion. If your skin sounds squeaky or feels tight, it’s likely been stripped of its natural moisture. For an extra dose of moisture, instead of lotion, consider adding an in-shower moisturizer, such as Olay’s Rinse-Off Body Conditioner, to your daily body care routine so you won’t need to apply moisturizer when you get out of the shower. Many lotions only provide temporary relief and need to be reapplied during the day, but a rinse-off body conditioner with ingredients such as vitamin B3, shea butter, coconut oil or vitamin E can fight dryness all day and provide concentrated moisture to help stop dry skin before it starts.

Find more information at Olay.com.

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