Winter Skincare 5-Step Guide for Dry & Eczema-Prone Skin Conditions

During the Canadian winter months, it is freezing cold outside and the heat is turned up indoors, which can wreak havoc on our skin.

Dry indoor air and heat can make your eczema worse because there is less moisture in the air. With this reduced amount of moisture, the skin will become very dry and sometimes even itchy.

If you suffer from eczema and your skin flares up in the winter like mine, don’t worry because I have some suggestions for you that have helped me in the past.

Winter Skincare 5-Step Guide for Dry & Eczema-Prone Skin

Step 1: Use a humidifier, or buy a nice little desktop one from Amazon, like the one I bought here. Humidifiers can help put pack moisture in the air and help your skin not feel so dry and itchy.

*Bonus Tip: Add in a few drops of your favourite essential oils to the water in your humidifier for a nice spa-like relaxation session. I added a few drops each of lavender, rose and geranium, and let me tell you, the scent is so heavenly and relaxing.

Step 2: Treatment. Get a proper prescription from your doctor or dermatologist for a medical ointment or cream that you can use to treat your eczema.

Be cautious of how much you use at a time because some perception creams/ointments for eczema contain steroids in them, which can sometimes cause adverse reactions. If you use this stuff sparingly, it may help heal your skin.

*Bonus Tip: My doctor recommended I apply my treatment creams and ointments onto my skin, especially the problem areas, right after bathing or showering. That way, I lock in moisture from the water while treating my skin at the same time.

Doing this can help restore moisture levels in the skin and prevent further dryness. Also, make sure you get a different skin treatment cream for your face than your body, as the face tends to have thinner skin.

Step 3: Do some research on what kinds of ingredients and products would work best for your dry and eczema-prone skin. Then, narrow down the ones you are most interested in.

Find a moisturizer at your local pharmacy or mass superstore that has those ingredients in them that you found interesting.

*Bonus Tip: You will also want to make sure that you read the labels and fine print of the products you are considering purchasing in order to rule out the bad stuff. What I mean by this is that you also want to ensure that the products you do choose don’t contain any harmful chemicals, fragrances or parabens.

These ingredients are not good for the skin and can actually be quite harmful for your skin condition if used regularly. some products may have a seal of approval from the eczema society, which means that they are specially formulated for your specific skin in mind.

Step 4: Showering and bathing. If you are going to be bathing or showering, you want to make sure that the water is lukewarm, not hot (as this has the potential to reduce moisture and make your skin worse). Use soaps and body washes that don’t contain any fragrances or colour dyes, which are unwanted harmful chemicals that can easily be avoided.

*Bonus Tip: If you are going to be bathing, also make sure that you don’t soak in the bath too long and try using products that contain colloidal oatmeal, like Aveeno’s Collodial Oatmeal Soothing Bath Soak.

Step 5: Find some soothing ways to reduce your stress levels, as skin is more prone to itchiness when it is under heavy stress. You can do this by engaging yourself in some relaxing activities at home like gentle yoga, meditations, positive visualizations and deep breathing exercises.

*Bonus Tip: Try finding a quiet space where you can relax without distractions. search Youtube for your favourite spa, relaxation and meditation music or soothing nature sounds.

Put the song on and listen to it as you sit quietly relaxing. You will notice your body does not feel as tense and you have stopped grinding your teeth.

I love listening to musical sounds like Native American flute music and Tibetan singing bowls because they sound so peaceful and calming to my soul.

Thank you so much for reading my post, I hope you enjoyed it and found the information useful. If you would like more tips on how to care for eczema-prone skin in the winter,

please send me an email at: rebeccawelchmua@hotmail.com