From celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah to simply enjoying the snow, winter beats summer in so many ways. If you love the outdoors, winter brings about tons of activities, such as skiing, ice skating, and sledding. If you're more indoor-oriented, winter is the perfect excuse to stay inside with a good book or movie.

However, winter can also bring about the harsher cold climate and dry indoor air, which often leaves the skin less than ideal. Caring for your skin during winter takes a little extra time and effort, because the conditions are more extreme towards out tender protective barrier. The skin is constantly exposed by the elements, with cold air whipping wind across the face and the sun reflecting off the snow. Low humidity is also common in colder climates stealing the moisture from our skin every second of everyday.

Indoors your skin is blasted with dry heat. No wonder our skin ends up flaky, dry and itchy. Also, once dryness has started, it’s more difficult to treat, and in worst cases, can lead to cracks and even bleeding.

The following tips could be a skin-saver for winter, ensuring you keep your skin healthy, moisturised and looking good all season long. They will help to prevent uncomfortable, unsightly results and should keep your skin as healthy and happy as is during summer.

Keep the moisture you have

The natural oils that your skin produces can also help to protect and keep it healthy. It’s a good idea to avoid long baths and showers, unless you are using a product in the bath, meant to help with moisturisation. Also, when you do bath or shower, use warm and not hot water. Hot showers can dry out and irritate your skin. The hot water causes damage to the keratin cells that are located on the most outer layer of our skin — the epidermis. By disrupting these cells, it creates dry skin and actually prevents the cells from locking in moisture. When done, pat dry your skin as opposed to wiping, and use a great moisturiser on your damp skin.

BWG Botanics recommends the Lavender Purifying Bath Salts.

Add moisture to your home

To counter the drying effects of indoor heat, it is suggested that you run a humidifier. Just as the harsh elements outside remove the moisture from our skin, moisture in the air from humidifiers can easily be absorbed back into the skin. A diffuser is used to fill the air in a room with tiny, breathable particles of moisture and beneficial essential oils. The added bonus here is that you’ll not only be putting moisture back into the air, but you will enjoy the many scents that this handy unit has to offer.

BWG Botanics recommends the Happy Home Diffuser.

Moisturise from the inside out

The skin can just as easily be hydrated from the inside as from the outside. This can be done by eating foods which contain a high-water content. Such foods include celery, watermelon, cucumber, bell peppers, berries, peaches, and plums. Try to eat these throughout the day to maintain moisture levels. And of course, increasing your water intake will also help hydrate the skin.

Always remember the sunscreen

Just because it is cold outside, doesn’t mean the sun isn’t going to affect your skin. The sun reflecting off the snow means that UV rays are hitting you from all sorts of angles. Besides that, the sun can also damage your skin when it's cloudy. The clouds don't block the harmful UVA and UVB rays from penetrating your skin. While you may feel cooler on a cloudy day, your skin will still absorb a majority of the UVA and UVB rays, causing wrinkles and other signs of premature ageing. Ultimately, you want to protect yourself from sunburn and skin cancer, and therefore you should still be applying sunscreen, even in the winter months.

BWG Botanics recommends the Super Solo Sun Cream

Switch your cleanser

It’s a good idea to switch your summer body wash in winter. Swap it out for a more moisturising, hydrating cleanser, particularly is your usual choice contains drying ingredients such as glycolic or salicylic acid. A natural alternative will give you all the moisture you require, without stripping your body of it’s natural oils. And when it comes to your face, try to tone and moisturise within 30 seconds of finishing cleansing to avoid further dehydration.

BWG Botanics recommends The Eucalyptus Body Wash

Moisturise your skin thoroughly

Again, it may be wise to change your summer favourite for something more helpful to your skin in winter. Try an oil-based moisturiser, and you’ll feel the difference in your skin. Consider an overnight deep moisturiser treatment which could help in particularly dry areas like your hands, feet, elbows, knees and lips. Cover with cotton gloves and socks to hold in the moisture all night long.

BWG Botanics recommends the Vanilla Skin Refining Body Moisturiser.

Give your skin additional loving care

Winter skin is more fragile so if you have a skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis, you’ll need to avoid any irritants or allergens that may cause the skin to flare, as far as possible. You may find that eczema flare-ups occur more frequently or get worse in the winter months. Dry air combined with indoor heating systems can really dry out your skin. Eczema flares up because the skin can't stay moist on its own. This is why it is vitally important to give your skin the added time and love it needs, to avoid any potential flares ups along the road. Prevention is better than cure.

By following these handy tips and tricks during the winter months, you should be sure to have smooth, radiant skin all year long. By making a few changes when winter comes, your skin will thank you and you’ll not only feel great, but the people around you will notice the difference too.