Dry skin? Here’s how to cope with this winter disaster

As the cold winter approaches, so does the problem of dry and patchy skin. With falling humidity, biting winds, and drying indoor heaters, your skin may feel dry, irritated, and away from its natural glow. If you’re prone to tight, flaky or irritated skin during the colder months, you’re not alone, it’s a common challenge that many people face this time of year.

It’s frustrating to have winter skin, but it doesn’t have to be. HUM offers a holistic approach that targets the root causes of dryness and heals it from the inside out. By combining targeted supplements with simple skin care and lifestyle adjustments, you can achieve a total hydration reset, restore your skin’s barrier, and maintain a healthy glow all winter long. Are you ready to say goodbye to winter skin woes? Let’s dive in!

Why winter can wreak havoc on your skin

Winter brings harsh environmental changes to the body, which can easily destroy the delicate balance of the skin. During this time, both outdoor and indoor humidity levels drop. It’s also important to note that cold air naturally contains less moisture, making the environment drier and making skin susceptible to dehydration. When there is less moisture in the air, the skin’s moisture evaporates faster, leading to dryness, flaking, and an uncomfortable, dry, patchy texture. Unfortunately, staying indoors isn’t much better – central heating, while necessary for warmth, only further dries out the humidity in the air. This combination of drying and heating systems creates the perfect environment for your skin to lose moisture.

If humidity isn’t a problem enough, cold temperatures and brisk winds can also weaken your skin’s natural barrier. This barrier locks in moisture and protects against external irritations, but exposure to cold conditions can damage the barrier, causing tiny cracks in the skin that allow moisture to escape and irritants to penetrate. As the barrier deteriorates, your skin becomes more sensitive, making you more prone to redness and unable to retain essential nutrients.

Essential HUM nutritional supplement 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 product works:

arctic restoration

Arctic Repair is your winter skincare savior with a powerful combination of bilberry seed oil and vitamin A. Bilberries are rich in essential fatty acids, including Omega 3, 6 and 9, which are essential for maintaining and restoring the skin’s natural moisture barrier. By strengthening the barrier, this supplement helps your skin retain moisture while protecting against the harsh effects of cold weather. The antioxidant properties of bilberries and vitamin A also prevent free radical damage, promote skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Together, these ingredients moisturize and increase skin density and elasticity, ensuring your skin stays plump, soft and healthy all winter long.

skin team

Skin Squad is a must-have for anyone experiencing redness, inflammation or dryness during the winter months. Its unique formula contains nine strains of probiotics that balance the gut microbiome and promote 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 moisture. As a result, you’ll have clearer, calmer skin.

Daily cleansing

Daily cleansing is a go-to for detoxification and is designed to remove impurities that cause skin dryness and irritation. It’s blended with detoxifying ingredients like chlorella and spirulina to support the body’s natural detoxification process, eliminating toxins that may cause breakouts or dryness. As you flush toxins and other impurities out of your body, your skin becomes clear and smooth. Skin is smooth and transparent from the inside out.

Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies

Apple cider vinegar is an ingredient known to support gut and skin health, and HUM’s ACV gummies give the supplement a nutritional upgrade while making it a convenient, on-the-go option. These gummies are rich in probiotics and balance your gut microbiome, which plays a key role in reducing skin redness and improving overall hydration. It also contains a healthy dose of vitamin B12, which provides energy to cells and supports digestion and the body’s natural detoxification process.

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

Promote healthy skin through diet and hydration habits

“Staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as it is in the summer,” explains Kopelman. “But it’s easy to overlook because we don’t feel thirsty when it’s cold. Dry, hot indoor air and cold drafts deplete moisture from our skin, so drinking water consistently can help maintain your skin’s hydration levels from within.”

Moisturizing and omega-rich foods help skin retain moisture

In addition to drinking water, the food you eat plays an important role in maintaining your skin’s hydration and barrier function. Including hydrating foods and omega-rich foods in your diet can enhance your skin’s ability to retain moisture and fight dryness. Additionally, adding a supplement like Arctic Repair to a diet rich in omega-3 and moisture-rich foods will only strengthen the skin’s barrier for maximum hydration.

Hydrating foods:

• cucumber (Supports skin elasticity and intensely moisturizes)
• watermelon (Fights Free Radicals and Boosts Moisture)
• orange (Moisturizes skin and supports collagen production)
• Green leafy vegetables (i.e. spinach, kale) (Promotes skin hydration and repair)

Omega Foods:

• Walnut (reduces inflammation and supports skin barrier, retaining moisture)
• Fat fish (Reduces redness and inflammation while supporting skin health)
• chia seeds (Helps strengthen skin’s protective barrier and retain moisture)
• avocado (Promotes skin elasticity and helps retain moisture)
• flaxseed (Helps keep skin hydrated and smooth)

Tips for your winter skin care routine

Adjusting your skin care routine during the winter is crucial to combating dry, patchy skin caused by cold weather and low humidity. Making simple adjustments to your routine can help lock in moisture, protect your skin barrier, and restore your natural glow.

Upgrade your moisturizer

The light moisturizer you use in your daily routine is usually enough, but when the cold weather hits, it may not be enough. Koppelman recommends switching to a thicker 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 lock in moisture. After cleansing, apply immediately while skin is still slightly damp to maximize moisture absorption.

Use a humidifier

Indoor heaters have very low humidity and can easily dry out the moisture content of the air and skin. Adding a humidifier to your sleeping space can restore lost humidity and prevent skin from becoming tight and flaky.

Avoid using harsh detergents

Certain ingredients in cleansers, such as sulfates and alcohol, can irritate the skin, strip it of its natural oils, and cause damage to the skin’s barrier. If your skin is red, inflamed, or dry, try switching to a cleanser with soothing ingredients like glycerin, aloe vera, or oat extract that cleanse your skin without stripping it of essential moisture.

Use with HUM Nutrition’s Skin Squad and Arctic Repair

While topical care is essential for hydrating your skin, nourishing it from within is just as important. HUM’s Skin Squad supplement contains probiotics that balance the gut microbiome and reduce inflammation and dryness while promoting smoother, more hydrated skin. Pair with Arctic Restoration (Rich in Omega Fatty Acids and Vitamin A) Enhances skin’s barrier strength and hydration. Combining these tips with HUM supplements will enhance the results of your topical skin care routine.

Other lifestyle tips to avoid dry skin and patches

Avoid hot showers

Although taking a steaming hot shower on a cold day feels great, it can do more harm than good to your skin. Hot water strips the skin of its natural oils, which are essential for retaining moisture and maintaining a strong barrier. This can make your skin more prone to dryness and irritation. Instead, opt for lukewarm showers when possible and limit shower time to avoid further dehydration. Immediately after showering, apply moisturizer to lock in moisture.

Protect your skin outdoors

“Wearing scarves, gloves and hats is not only important for warmth, but it’s also critical for your skin,” Kopelman says. “Cold wind can strip your skin of its natural oils, causing dryness and irritation. Wearing protective clothing can act as a barrier and protect your skin from the elements. I always recommend using a lip balm with SPF before going out, And apply a rich moisturizer to exposed areas like hands and face.”

Manage stress to support skin health

Stress can have a negative impact on your skin, causing redness, dryness, and breakouts due to disrupted hormonal balance. To avoid this, try using mindfulness techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to manage stress as much as possible. Additionally, supporting your body with a healthy diet and HUM supplements can improve other aspects of your health, such as digestion and inflammation—two factors that contribute to skin health:

• Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies: These gummies contain probiotics to promote gut health, which is essential for regulating skin inflammation. By balancing the gut-skin axis, it helps minimize stress-related flare-ups.
• Daily cleansing: This supplement helps support the body’s natural detoxification process, flushing out toxins that may cause dullness or breakouts.

Important points about dry skin

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you’ll suffer from dry, irritated, patchy skin all season long. Assessing where you may be dehydrated, whether you need to drink more water, upgrade your moisturizer, or add a supplement (or two) to your diet can have a big impact on your skin health. Not to mention, combining HUM’s supplements with simple lifestyle adjustments will enhance the hydration and recovery benefits. Products like Arctic Repair, Skin Squad, Daily Cleanse and ACV Gummies are all great options for working from the inside out. Don’t let winter dryness take over. Create your personal winter skin care plan for long-lasting comfort and glow. Your skin will thank you!