It is that time of year again: the temperature drops, the heaters come on and you notice your skin itching more than usual. Have a beard? You probably notice that man mane is feeling drier than you’d like. Why do our skin and beard dry out during the winter, and how can we stop that dry, flaky, itchy skin?
First, let’s explore why your skin and beard dry out during the colder months.
Most people assume the colder weather causes dry skin. It is actually a combination of factors — but the decrease in humidity, not temperature, is one of the main causes of winter dryness.
The outermost layer of your skin is called the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum is comprised of dead skin cells bound together forming a protective layer over the living skin cells below. This layer is normally the same surface area as the layer of living skin cells beneath, but when the dry winter air steals the stratum corneum’s moisture, it contracts. This shrinking of the stratum corneum causes the tight, dry skin we all know and despise. If enough moisture content is lost, the layer can crack and flake resulting in painful, irritated skin.
A similar situation happens with your beard. The visible whiskers we see are actually dead cells. Our body’s natural oils help to keep those hairs somewhat hydrated but when the humidity drops, so does your beard’s moisture content. Take away enough moisture and your once luxurious face fur morphs from cashmere to extra crispy.
Other beard and skin-drying factors:
Heaters – particularly space heaters – are notorious for drying out your skin and beard. Heaters come on, humidity goes down and you dry out.
Hot showers: There’s nothing better than a hot shower after a long day out in the cold. But beware, hot water also dries your skin and beard. Opt instead for a nice, warm shower.
So now that we know why our skin and beard dries out in the winter, how can we prevent it from happening?
Proper Beard Care - The Power of Properly formulated Moisturizers and Beard Oils
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should apply a facial moisturizer immediately after you shower. When it comes to selecting a men's facial moisturizer, they recommend looking for products that contain olive oil, jojoba oil, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone. Fortunately, our two-in-one daily facial and beard moisturizer contains not one, not two, but all of these recommended ingredients.
When selecting a daily facial moisturizer, they also say to avoid products that contain fragrances, which are known to dry the skin. While most beard care products and beard oils are loaded with fragrances, all of our products are fragrance-free.
If a dry beard and skin are cramping your style this winter, check out our flagship product HYDRATE it's a powerful daily facial moisturizer and beard conditioner. Need even more moisture? Layer our Premium Beard Oil on top. Care about sun protection? We created PROTECT the world's first broad-spectrum SPF 30 Daily Facial + Beard Moisturizer. We stand behind our products and offer a happiness guarantee.