Winter weather is notorious for drying out skin. As a lifelong Midwesterner, I understand this incredibly well. (In fact, as I’m typing this article, I’m excited to see our temperature has reached the double digits for the first time in a few days!) From the brutally cold winds in winter to the dry heat produced from furnaces, winter is certainly not great for skin.

For IC patients who have overlapping pain conditions, such as IBS, fibromyalgia and vulvodynia (IC Subtype Five: Central Sensitization), managing dry skin can be a bit more challenging. Often an overly sensitive nervous system leads to very sensitive skin.(1) Fortunately, there are ways to take care of sensitive skin to keep it from getting dry and miserable.

Does skincare affect your bladder?

Before we delve into the best winter skincare options for sensitive skin, we must discuss whether skincare products affect the bladder. In recent years, there’s been an unproven statistic going around online that 60% of skincare products are absorbed into your bloodstream.(2) As people who need to be very careful what we put into our bodies to avoid irritating already sensitive bladders, we can be alarmed at this kind of information.

However, the science-based reality says this number is high and inaccurate. The vast majority of skincare products work only on the skin’s surface and do not penetrate through your skin’s three layers to make it into your blood stream. Most products are simply absorbed by the top layer or two of your skin.(2)

If you take a look at the ingredients on moisturizing products, you’ll find many of them have water as one of the main ingredients. While water is best at dissolving and diluting active agents, it does not penetrate through multiple layers of skin. As a result, many cosmetics have penetration enhancers added to them to help the cosmetic go beneath the topmost layer of your skin. Things like linoleic and oleic acid make products more penetrable.(2)

Serums are also more likely to penetrate your skin, in part because they have a smaller molecular size that allows them to penetrate easier. By contrast, creams are less likely to penetrate your skin’s multiple layers because their molecules are too large to do so.(2)

In general, the majority of beauty and skincare products do not penetrate through all three layers of your skin to get absorbed into the bloodstream. However, if a product has both a water (hydrophilic) and oil (hydrophobic) component to it, then it is absorbed into the bloodstream.(2) So, there are some ingredients that are a good idea to avoid. For example, parabens and phthalates are chemicals that mimic the body’s hormones and should probably be avoided.(3)(4)

Above all, though, listen to your body. IC bladders are sensitive — often to things we didn’t even think about. If you suspect a certain skincare product might be causing symptoms, then treat it as you would a suspicious food item. Stop using the product for a couple of weeks, track your symptoms and then slowly add it back in. If your symptoms get worse as you add it back into your routine, find a different product instead.

Facial Skincare Products for Sensitive Skin

When it comes to sensitive skin, the most likely area to be affected is your face. This is due to a few factors. One, we tend to use more products on our face than elsewhere. Two, our facial skin has a thinner barrier than any other part of our body. And, three, our faces have a higher density of nerve endings.(5) So, if you feel like your face is the most sensitive skin you have, you’re correct!

Facial Cleanser

Facial skincare starts with cleaning. Finding the right cleanser for sensitive skin can be challenging. You want to look for products that have mild, gentle formulas to clean your skin without being too harsh and irritating. Products labeled gentle or hypoallergenic are your starting point.

Good ingredients to look for include chamomile, calendula wax, aloe vera, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan and green tea. Ingredients to avoid include synthetic fragrances, alcohol, harsh chemicals and other preservatives. Products with high levels of alpha hydroxy acids, like glycolic acid and lactic acid, are also more irritating for sensitive skin.(6)

Some top picks for cleansers for sensitive skin include the following:

Facial Exfoliator

Using a facial exfoliator has some good benefits, especially during winter. Exfoliating removes dead skin cells and increases blood circulation. This gives your skin a brighter appearance.(7) Exfoliating sensitive skin only needs to be done once or twice a week.(8)

You can exfoliate with either a mechanical or chemical method. Mechanically, the options include a brush, sponge, glove and scrub. Chemical exfoliators come in three types: alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs). BHAs, which include beta hydroxyl and salicylic acid, are usually best for acne-prone skin.(7)(9)

AHAs break apart the bonds holding dead and dull skin cells, which encourages your skin to naturally shed dead particles. These include glycolic, lactic, tartaric and citric acids.(7) PHAs have the largest molecular size, so they don’t penetrate quite as much as BHAs and AHAs. As a result, they are often best suited to people with sensitive skin.(9)

For extra sensitive skin, chemical exfoliators work best. Mechanical methods are rougher and more likely to irritate or inflame sensitive skin. Look for mild chemical exfoliators such as the following:

Facial Moisturizer

Along with just feeling nice, moisturizing your face is beneficial in a few ways. To start with, as we get older, the oil glands in our faces produce less oil. By moisturizing daily, your glands don’t have to work as hard to keep your skin healthy. Facial skin that is adequately moisturized is healthier and has a reduces chance of developing issues.(10)

While our skin is constantly shedding and regenerating cells all over, that process is more rapid for face and neck skin. Keeping those areas well moisturized keeps that skin healthier.(11) The skin in these areas is also more sensitive to environmental factors, so having extra protection from a layer of moisturizer is beneficial.(10)

How often to moisturize depends on your skin type — dry, oily or combination — along with other factors. In general, you want to moisturize after bathing, shaving or exfoliating your skin. Hot water in a shower or bath will remove the oils and moisture from your skin, so replenishing moisture is important.(11)

Both daytime and nighttime facial moisturizers can work well for your skin in different ways. For a day face cream, look for something lighter with a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and vitamin C, which boosts collagen production, brightens skin and protects against sun damage.(12)

Some of the most recommended daytime facial moisturizers for sensitive skin include the following:

Nighttime moisturizers should be thicker with the goal of penetrating deeper into your skin as you sleep. Ingredients to look for in a nighttime cream are AHAs, BHAs, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and resveratrol. One ingredient found in some nighttime creams is retinol because it has anti-aging properties. However, it can be irritating to sensitive skin, so avoiding it is a good idea. Other ingredients to avoid in facial moisturizers for those of us with sensitive skin are fragrances, retinoic acid, methylparabens/parabens and salicylic acid.(12)

The following nighttime moisturizers are some of the most recommended for sensitive skin:

Body Skincare for Sensitive Skin

Though our faces have the most sensitive skin, we can’t overlook the rest of our skin either. Especially during cold months, dry skin is rampant. Using the right products to keep your skin moisturized without irritating it is important.

Body Cleanser

Obviously we need to clean our bodies, but we also want to be good to our skin. After all, skin is the largest organ you have! Harsh soaps are not only likely to be more irritating to your skin, but they are also more likely to dry it out. Just like with facial cleansers, some ingredients are best left alone.

Avoid sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in your body wash. It cleans effectively but it can be irritating to sensitive skin and cause skin to dry out. Avoiding added fragrances, alcohol and synthetic dyes are also a good idea.(13)

The next debate for cleaning your body is whether to use bar soap or body wash. Both options have their pros and cons. Generally speaking, body washes are gentler and more hydrating than bar soaps, so they are often a great option for people with sensitive skin. However, bar soaps are less expensive and more environmentally friendly, so they may be the best option for you.(14) Your own personal preference also factors into your decision.

Check out these most recommended bar soaps for sensitive skin:

If you prefer a body wash to a bar soap, these are some of the most recommended body washes for sensitive skin:

Body Moisturizer

Besides being uncomfortable and itchy, dry skin can cause cracks or fissures in your skin which are good places for bacteria to grow or inflammation to set in. Yikes! Moisturizers and lotions are designed to supply water to your skin with a greasy substance of some sort to help hold in that moisture. And they really do make a difference in your skin health.(15)

With such an array of body lotions and moisturizers on the market, knowing what to avoid for sensitive skin is important. The main six ingredients to avoid are polyethylene glycols (PEGs), methyl and propyl parabens, aluminum, formaldehyde, phthalates and oxybenozone. These ingredients are most likely to be irritating to your skin or just plain bad for you.(16)

More natural and gentle ingredients to look for include tea tree oil, glycerin, coconut oil, elderberry extract and willow bark extract.(16) Aloe vera, bakuchiol, ceramides, niacinamide, oatmeal, petrolatum, shea butter and urea are also great ingredients to moisturize sensitive skin.(17)

For all-over body moisture, these products are some of the most recommended for sensitive skin:

Tips for Avoiding Dry Skin

While products and skincare routines play a large role in preventing or managing dry skin, there are some other ways to help keep your sensitive skin in check this winter as well. Most of these are simple strategies to help keep your skin from drying out to begin with.

  • Lower the temperature in your house. Hot air is drier than cooler air. You want your house to be comfortable, but the more your furnace is running, the dryer the air will be, and the dryer your skin will be as a result.(15)
  • Moisturize right after washing. Any time you wash your skin, you strip it of its oils that help keep it hydrated. While we may think to moisturize just out of the shower or bath, try doing so occasionally after washing your hands as well.(18)
  • Bathe the right way. A few changes to your bathing routine can make a difference in the winter. Keep the bathroom door closed to keep the humidity inside the room, use warm rather than hot water, limit your bath or shower to only five or 10 minutes and gently blot — rather than vigorously rub — your skin to dry it.(19)
  • Bundle up. Aside from just keeping yourself warm, bundling up helps keep harsh, cold air from drying out your skin. Be sure to put on a pair of gloves or mittens to protect your hands as well, which can dry out quickly in the winter.(15)
  • Stay hydrated. Keeping your skin hydrated starts from the inside out. Be sure you are drinking enough water. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine is a good idea for your skin hydration — and best for your IC bladder as well!(20)
  • Use sunscreen. Sunscreen not only protects against skin cancer, it also protects your skin from damage done by UV rays which can make your skin dry. Even in the winter with shorter days and colder weather, your skin still needs protection from the sun.(18)
  • Wear lip balm. Our lips are part of our skin as well and need to be treated for dryness in the winter. Apply a lip balm regularly that doesn’t tingle or hurt and glides on smoothly for protection.(19)
  • Wear loose clothes. Loose clothes can help prevent your skin from drying out. Tighter, more binding clothes rub your skin and can dry it out.(15)

References:

  1. Osborne J. IC and Skin Sensitivity — Clothing, Laundry and Soaps. IC Network. July 28, 2021.
  2. Smock J. Where Does Skincare Go After You Apply It? Real Simple. Dec. 16, 2022.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biomonitoring Summary: Parabens. CDC National Biomonitoring Program. April 7, 2017.
  4. Praveena SM, et. al. Recent Updates on Phthalate Exposure and Human Health: A Special Focus on Liver Toxicity and Stem Cell Regeneration. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. Vol. 25, March 15, 2018.
  5. Farage M. The Prevalence of Sensitive Skin. Sec. Dermatology. Vol. 6, May 17, 2019.
  6. Curcio J. Have Dry, Irritated Skin? Here are the 11 Best Face Washes for Sensitive Skin. CNN Underscored Jan. 8, 2024.
  7. Chertoff J. Everything You Need to Know About Exfoliating Your Skin Safely. Healthline. Nov. 13, 2018.
  8. Sharkey L. How Often Should You Actually Exfoliate Your Face?. Healthline. May 30, 2023.
  9. Maylis. Everything You Need to Know About PHAs. Typology. March 6, 2023.
  10. Complete Family Dermatology Team. Why Moisturizing is So Important. Complete Family Dermatology. Feb. 11, 2020.
  11. Health Tips. The Importance of Moisturizing. UT Medical Center. Jan. 1, 2022.
  12. Health Essentials. What to Look for in Daytime and Nighttime Facial Creams. Cleveland Clinic. Jan. 8, 2024.
  13. Higuera V. Top Soaps for Dry Skin. Healthline. Oct. 14, 2019.
  14. Hartle M. The Bar Soap Vs. Body Wash Debate. Curology. July 21, 2023.
  15. Harvard Health Publishing. Moisturizers: Do They Work?. May 29, 2019.
  16. Mayer, BA. The ‘Dirty’ Half Dozen: 6 Ingredients to Avoid for Stress-Free Skin Care. Healthline. Sept. 1, 2022.
  17. Herzig A, et. al. Top 10 Safe Ingredients for Sensitive Skin. Learnskin.
  18. Spahn C. 11 Tips to Prevent Dry Winter Skin. Healthline. Jan. 20, 2021.
  19. American Academy of Dermatology. Dermatologists’ Top Tips for Relieving Dry Skin.
  20. McCallum K. 8 Tips for Preventing Dry Skin in Winter. Houston Methodist. Dec. 15, 2022.