Each winter, we commiserate with those around us who are also suffering from red, chapped skin on our hands and feet. It ails us every year but was especially pronounced last year because of all the extra time we were spending outdoors hiking and riding bikes. The additional hand-washing didn’t help, either. That’s why we developed our micro-oxygen hand and foot salve. It’s one of many ingredients in the recipe for soft and healthy, pain-free skin throughout the winter months.

You can prevent chapped skin

If you are like us, you spent time outdoors all year long. Sometimes we remember to wear gloves in colder weather and sometimes we don’t. Often, we don’t moisturize nearly enough, especially after washing our hands. We are committed to doing things differently this year and hope you will join us. Here’s what we all can do to prevent chapped skin:

How to prevent chapped skin

1. Moisturize 2x daily. During the morning rush and bedtime routines, it’s body care that often gets left out. We remember our face moisturizer and coffee, but applying super-hydrating hand salve or body lotion? We just forget. But not this year. It’s supremely important to prep your hands and feet for the day by applying hand salve during your skincare routine. It’s just as important to apply at night before bed, when your body is at rest and has ample opportunity to benefit from all the good, natural, healing ingredients (like oxygen) that we formulate with.
2. Drink water. We mentioned coffee above. Coffee is a diuretic and diuretics are dehydrating. We should all drink water throughout the day anyway, but coffee and caffeine lovers should take special care to drink a little extra. Like our internal organs, our skin -- the organ that acts as our first line of defense against the world -- really needs water to stay healthy. When skin is dehydrated, it becomes dry, dull, lacks elasticity, and fine lines become more noticeable. Dehydrated skin cracks more easily and cracked skin can make you vulnerable to infection. Can’t seem to remember? There’s an apple watch app for that.
3. Wear gloves. Don't leave your skin to the elements. When you start feeling that dry, chilly air, just start wearing gloves. Doing so will help keep the moisture in and the dry air out! We get it -- gloves are easy to use and they often look a little blah but they really make a huge difference when trying to keep hands healthy throughout the year. Not a glove person? Make sure to use a thick healing salve like ours before you head out to add a layer of healing protection.
4. Do more at night. We’ve been talking a lot about hands, but faces get chapped, too. Take your skincare routine a step further in the evening. After applying your daily moisturizer (or in place of) use something like our micro-oxygen hydrating night cream. It pulls more than its weight when it comes to prepping your skin for cold, dry air. And it’s a great remedy if you are already starting to see the effects of cooler weather. If you have rosacea, you have probably noticed your symptoms become more pronounced when your skin is cold and chapped. Do everything you can by using the right products as well as following the other recommendations in this list.
5. Eat well. Nutrition matters, folks. Yes, we love the buttery waffles and pasta and sweets. But our skin is desperate for nutrients! Healthline offers lots of tips on symptoms of dry and dehydrated skin. Eating nutrient-rich fruits, veggies, and legumes is just one of many recommendations. Here’s a list they created specifically for healthy skin food recommendations. It’s no surprise that things like fatty fish and avocado make it to the list.

There is so much you can do to have a healthy-skin winter and prevent chapped skin. Our advice is to moisturize often, drink water, eat healthy, wear gloves, and give your skin a little extra TLC at night.

Interested in taking a fresh look at your whole body health? Trusted acupuncturist and customer, Livia Hall, wrote an entire article, Beautiful Skin From the Inside Out, and featured Truly O2 skincare as a key element of a holistic wellness approach.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, consider checking out these others …

• Why oxygen is good for your skin
• 10 Skincare ingredients to avoid
• 8 Benefits of a daily skincare routine
• Oxygen Salve: The secret to smooth hands and feet

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