A few days ago on Instagram, I mentioned the cold weather and the impact it was having on my rosacea and asked if people were interested in me resharing my cold weather rosacea tips.
I posted a shorter version of this list on Instagram (you can find it HERE if you would like to share it), but I wanted a more in-depth version to live on the blog as well so I can easily refer to it in the future. If you have any great cold weather rosacea tips, I’d love it if you shared them in the comments below or over on instagram.
My Winter Rosacea Tips:
LOWER THE TEMPERATURE
Try to keep the temperature down. I know, I know, it’s flipping freezing. But dry central heating is a KILLER for rosacea. I recommend lowering your thermostat but doubling up on soft, light, and breathable clothing layers, fluffy socks, and blankets so you can control your temperature. Removing a light layer of clothing when you start to overheat is a lot easier than trying to cool down a whole room!
SHIELD YOUR SKIN
Use a scarf as a shield between your skin and the weather, by wrapping it around the bottom half of your face. But be careful not to wind the scarf too tightly as the heat from your breath can also overheat your skin.
CHOOSE DETERGENTS CAREFULLY
Scarfs, blankets, hats… this is the season of more things touching your skin, so make sure the detergents you use are appropriate for rosacea and sensitive skin.
- RECOMMENDATION: I love the Surcare range as it contains no perfumes, dyes, or acids.
WASH WITH CAUTION
Although hot baths and showers are tempting when the temperature drops, they are terrible for sensitive skin. Turn the heat down and try to keep your wash time as short as possible. I try not to get any water on my face while showering as even the ‘cool’ shower temperature is still too warm for my sensitive facial skin.
- TIP: Rose Gallagher recently shared a recommendation that applying a thick cream as a barrier (e.g. La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5) before showering can help minimise flare ups!
SPF IS ESSENTIAL
Don’t forget SPF. Sun exposure is the most common rosacea trigger and this doesn’t change just because it’s cold. Even when it’s cloudy the sun’s pesky rays can still reach you, so make sure you take precautions every day.
BEWARE HOT DRINKS
Hot drinks are tempting when it’s cold but are a common trigger for rosacea. TIP: I tend use hot drinks as a hand warmer until they’ve cooled down, then drink. Alternatively (if it’s steam rather than temperature of the drink that causes a flare up) you could try drinking from a lidded travel mug.
ROUTINE, ROUTINE, ROUTINE
Rosacea loves routine. It is tempting to skip parts of your evening routine because you just want to jump into a warm bed, but your skin will soon start to grumble. When the weather is unpredictable, try to keep everything else as predictable as possible.
HUMIDIFY
Last year I posted THIS blog post about my (very affordable and small) humidifier that really helped my dry skin during the winter. Unfortunately we have now moved to a house with a lot of damp, so I am surrounded by DEhumidifiers which is yet another thing for my skin to contend with!
SKINCARE BARRIER
Consider boosting your skincare routine with some protective barrier skincare products to protect from the cold weather effects. I posted a blog post with my winter dog-walking favourites which you can read HERE but my favourites are La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Anti-Itch Stick (comes in a twist up stick so it’s really easy to apply on the go), La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 SPF50 (my OG fave), and Avene Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream.
NEXT STEPS
- Follow me on INSTAGRAM for lots of rosacea updates.
- Get more information on rosacea and my journey so far in my ROSACEA FAQ POST.
- Join my private rosacea FACEBOOK GROUP for support and information.
- I’ve designed some FREE digital downloads to help you get to grips with your rosacea: grab the Rosacea Trigger Checklist and the Rosacea Flare Up Diary.
- If you’re a Pinterest user, I share all my rosacea posts (and some interesting posts by others) on this board: Rosacea Articles, Reviews, And Infographics.
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