As the mercury drops and the heaters crank up, many of us start to notice our skin feeling tight, flaky, and downright uncomfortable.
If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone—dry skin is one of the most common winter woes for Australians.
But what’s really going on beneath the surface, and is there a simple, affordable fix?
We’ve gone straight to the experts to find out—and the answer might already be sitting in your bathroom cabinet.
Why does winter turn our skin into the Sahara?
Let’s start with the basics.
According to Dr Michele Squire, PhD scientist and former registered nurse, the culprit is the drop in humidity that comes with cooler weather.
‘The stratum corneum, or the skin barrier, gets disturbed, and what happens is that the skin loses more water,’ Dr Squire explains.
That’s why your skin feels dry, chapped, and sometimes even itchy or cracked.
But it’s not just the weather working against us. Our winter habits can make things worse. Love a long, hot shower? Guilty as charged!
But those steamy soaks, along with sitting in front of heaters and overusing exfoliants, can strip your skin of its natural moisture.
Dr Squire’s advice? ‘It’s not just about adding moisture to the skin. You also need to look at the behaviours that are drying it out and try to minimise those.’
What should you actually use on your skin?
Here’s where things get interesting—and refreshingly budget-friendly.
Dr Squire says you don’t need to splash out on fancy creams.
‘We never recommend expensive moisturisers, because you just don’t need them. There’s nothing magical about them,’ she says.
Instead, look for products containing humectants like glycerin, which help hold water near the skin.
She suggests opting for brands such as Avene, La Roche-Posay, CeraVe, DermaVeen and Aveeno, which all contain glycerin.
But the real hero of the story? Good old Vaseline.
Yes, the humble tub of petroleum jelly you can pick up for around $6.30 at your local chemist or supermarket.
‘Most of the scientific studies that look at moisturisers use Vaseline as the control, which means they’re measuring everything against pure petroleum jelly—because it’s the best,’ Dr Squire reveals.
Vaseline is non-allergenic, free of toxins, and incredibly effective at locking in moisture.
And no, you don’t have to slather it on like you’re icing a cake. ‘It’s not like wrapping your face in Gladwrap,’ Dr Squire laughs.
‘You can just put it on certain dry spots, like the top of your cheekbones and the top of your nose—the bits that are really exposed. You can pop it on over the top of your moisturiser if you want to.’
What about those pesky chapped lips?
If your lips are feeling the brunt of winter, you’re not imagining it.
The skin barrier on your lips is thinner and dries out more easily than the rest of your face.
When your lips get dehydrated, the uppermost skin cells start to flake off, leaving you with that dreaded chapped feeling.
Tempted to exfoliate? Don’t! Instead, reach for your trusty Vaseline and apply liberally.
Dr Squire warns, ‘It’s like taking a scrubbing brush to a gravel rash if you scrub them… your skin is dry, cracking and flaking because it needs help, it doesn’t need you to attack it. It’s already under attack.’
The bottom line
You don’t need to spend a fortune to keep your skin soft and comfortable through winter.
Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best—and Vaseline is proof that you can fight dry skin for less than the price of a coffee.
Have you noticed a change in your skin now that the weather’s cooler? What’s your go-to remedy for dry or flaky skin during winter? Do you swear by a tried-and-true product, or are you open to simpler, budget-friendly options like Vaseline? We’d love to hear your experiences and tips—feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Also read: Dry mouth, bad breath and tooth damage: the effects Ozempic and Wegovy can have on your mouth
