Dry Skin Protection From Wind and Cold

Dear Skin Care Expert,

Every time I go skiing I end up dealing with extremely dry skin. Is there some way to protect my skin from the wind and cold to avoid dry facial skin?    

- Icy in Idaho

Dear Icy,

The wintertime can indeed be quite harsh on your skin, especially if you are involved in outdoor sports like skiing or snowboarding. If you plan on being out for any length of time on the slopes you may want to invest in a neoprene facemask. These masks are designed to prevent windburn and frostbite. However, a mask isn’t the only thing you’ll need.

Whether you are skiing or just going out to the store or work, your daily moisturizer is going to be important. Especially during the winter you need to moisturize twice a day by taking a dot of moisturizer and spreading over skin that is clean. Even though it is wintertime, you still may want to invest in a moisturizer that contains SPF 15 in it, since you can still get a sunburn during the winter months.

So, between a good moisturizer and a mask to protect your face when you’re on the slopes, you should be able to prevent that dry skin and enjoy your winter sports while maintaining great skin.