It’s the heart of winter, and you are going through the menopausal phase, which means estrogen and progesterone are declining and one of the areas that’s noticeably affected is your skin. It’s dry, flaky, peeling or chapped. Sounds familiar? Well, lovelies, It’s time to winterize your skin care ritual. What worked in spring, summer and fall and before (Peri)menopause presented itself will not suffice during the frosty months and pause phase.

But don’t worry. It’s not all doom and gloom because there’s always something you can do to support your beautiful skin.

Here are 7 ways to winterize your skincare ritual

1. Limit hot showers 

Showers should be kept lukewarm and short. Hot showers are the main culprit for Itchy, dry and flaky skin. And if you have dry itchy skin due to declining hormones, prolonged hot water will make it worse. Also, you should switch to a cream and or oil-based body wash, which will nourish and moisturize your skin.

2. Moisturize 

Moisturizing is a must if you want to maintain healthy skin, especially during the menopausal phase. I’d go so far as to say, moisturize 365 days a year. It’s what I do. But you are you. So do what works best for you.

I can’t tell you how many people are puzzled as to why their skin is dry and flaky in the winter, and of course, during menopause, and when asked if they moisturize, the answer is sometimes, no or not really. Amp up your use of moisturizers that contain rich emollients like shea or cocoa butter, Argan oil and other oils, which retain moisture in the skin. Examples include jojoba, coconut and avocado oil. My fave butter by far is shea. It’s that Black girl magic butter that works on all skin. These are my faves: Karite Shea Butter, Karite Shea Hand Cream.

3. Hydrate

Don’t let your skin go thirsty. Hydrate. Drink as much water as you can. Water is the transport/vehicle that takes nutrients to all the cells of your body and supports the removal of waste. Among the many benefits is healthy, radiant skin. Aside from drinking water, you can consume foods that are high in water content and this will help with hydration.

4. Exfoliate

Find yourself an excellent exfoliating body scrub with some rich oils, and use them regularly. Fluffing away dead skin cells so healthier ones can flourish is a surefire way to have radiant and healthy skin during the dry winter months and the menopausal phase. I use a dry brush once per week and use the Best foaming scrubs and oils.

5. Care for your lips.

Lips is skin too. This one is a biggie for a lot of folks. The cold, dry winter air can leave lips lacking moisture. Avoid biting, pinching, picking and excessively licking your lips. I know that’s a lot, and as a lip licker myself, I’ve had to train myself to stop. Water evaporates from our lips much like it does the rest of our body. 

Excessive licking can also cause lips to become dehydrated, and as a result, cracked and chapped. Something else that you should know is that our lips are made up of very thin skin so, biting and picking may leave openings, which can lead to bacterial infection. 

Much like you exfoliate your body with sugar scrubs, exfoliate the lips a few times per week with a gentle sugar scrub. Also, drinking water will hydrate skin on your lips.

6. Use A Humidifier

Artificial heating can make the air dry, which can take a toll on the skin by breaking down the moisture barrier and causing peeling, cracking, and flaking. Humidifiers put moisture back into the air and hydrate the skin by moisturizing the outermost layer, which is also our first line of protection. I love the Canopy humidifier, which I place next to my bed. Note, I’m not getting any commission for this. It’s just a wonderful tool that helps with my skincare, so I don’t mind sharing.

7. Turn Down The Heat

Indoor heating releases dry air that sucks the moisture out of your skin, leaving it dry, chapped, flaky, and dehydrated. Hence the reason adding a humidifier to put moisture back into the air is a good idea. If you live in a home that has a radiator, put a pot or vase with water on it and that will work to add moisture back into the air.