Winter Skin Care for the Whole Family, From Kids to Gogo

Good winter skin care for the family comes down to three habits: shorter, warmer (not hot) baths and showers, moisturising straight afterwards while skin is still damp, and a richer cream on the spots that crack first, like heels, hands, elbows and knees. A light body lotion covers everyone all over, and a glycerin cream takes care of the rough patches. Do this every day from May to August and most families get through winter with far less ashy, itchy, cracked skin.

Why does skin get so dry in winter?

Cold air holds very little moisture, and on the Highveld the winter air is famously dry. Add heaters running in the evening and hot baths to warm up, and your skin loses water faster than it can replace it. The top layer of skin starts to look dull and grey, feels tight and can crack where it is thickest.

The rest of the country is not off the hook. The Free State and Karoo get bitterly cold nights. Cape Town winters bring wind and rain, and wind strips moisture from exposed skin. Even in mild Durban, hands and feet get drier once the humidity drops.

For more on how your home city affects your skin, see our piece on how Joburg, Durban and Cape Town weather affects your skin.

What is a simple winter routine everyone can follow?

The base routine is the same for the whole household, which makes it easy to stick to.

First, keep baths and showers short and warm rather than steaming hot. Hot water feels lovely on a frosty morning, but it washes away the natural oils that help your skin hold moisture. Then pat dry with a towel instead of rubbing hard.

Next, moisturise within a few minutes, while the skin is still a little damp. This is the step that makes the biggest difference. A body lotion with glycerin is ideal for all-over use because it spreads easily and absorbs fast, so nobody has to stand around shivering.

GLYSOLID Body Lotion Classic is made for all skin types and contains vegetable glycerin, soothing chamomile extract, vitamin E and bisabolol. It absorbs quickly without feeling greasy, which matters when you are dressing kids for school at 6:30 in the dark. The 500ml bottle costs R210 and the 250ml costs R115, and the bigger size usually makes more sense for a family.

Finally, before bed, use a richer cream on the trouble spots. Heels, elbows, knees and the backs of hands need more than lotion in winter.

How do you look after children’s skin in winter?

Kids get dry skin quickly in winter, partly because they spend break time running around on cold, windy fields and partly because they hate standing still for lotion. Ashy legs and dry, red cheeks are very common in the cold school terms.

Keep their bath time short and use lukewarm water. Apply lotion straight after, legs and arms first, since those are often the driest. Make it routine, like brushing teeth.

Little hands that are washed often at school can get rough and chapped. A small amount of glycerin cream rubbed into their hands before bed helps them feel soft again. We have a full parent’s guide on dry skin and ashy legs in school kids if you want more ideas.

For babies and very young children, or if your child has eczema, a rash that will not settle, or skin that weeps or bleeds, speak to your clinic sister, pharmacist or doctor before trying new products.

What about Mom and Dad?

Adults usually notice winter first on their hands and feet. Hands get washed many times a day, work in the cold and get very little care. Feet live in closed shoes and socks all winter, and the heels dry out and start to crack.

This is where a concentrated cream earns its place. GLYSOLID Glycerin Cream combines a high glycerin content with allantoin and is made for rough, chapped, cracked and dry skin. It also forms a protective layer that helps shield skin from harsh cold and dry weather. Use it sparingly, a small amount goes a long way.

Keep a small tub at work or in your handbag for your hands. The 60ml tub costs R75 and fits easily in a bag. At night, rub some into your heels and pull on cotton socks. If your heels are already cracking, read why heels crack in winter for a closer look at what is going on.

How should you care for gogo’s skin in winter?

As we get older, skin becomes thinner and makes less of its own natural oil. That means older skin dries out faster and takes longer to feel comfortable again. Many grannies and grandpas feel the cold more too, so they sit closer to the heater or the fire, which dries the skin even more.

Help gogo with the same routine, just with a bit more care. Lukewarm baths, gentle patting dry, and lotion on the arms, legs and back straight afterwards. The back and lower legs are often the hardest to reach and the driest, so offering to help is a kind thing to do.

A glycerin cream on the hands, elbows and heels before bed helps keep those areas soft. Check feet regularly for cracks, sores or changes in colour.

If gogo has diabetes, poor circulation or any cracks on the feet that are deep, bleeding, red or warm, please take her to the clinic or a doctor. Foot problems in people with diabetes need professional care, not just a cream.

What other winter skin care habits help everyone?

Do not sit right up against the heater. Keep a little distance and, if you can, put a bowl of water near it to add a bit of moisture back to the air.

Choose soft, breathable fabrics close to the skin. Rough wool straight on dry skin can make it itchy, so a cotton layer underneath helps.

Gloves on very cold mornings protect hands from wind and help your cream stay where it is. Finally, keep going. The difference between a family with comfortable skin and a family with ashy, cracked skin in July is usually just doing the routine every single day, not only when it gets bad.

Common questions

What is the best moisturiser for the whole family in winter?

Most families do well with two products: a light body lotion for everyone all over after bathing, and a richer glycerin cream for dry hands, heels, elbows and knees. GLYSOLID Body Lotion Classic is suitable for all skin types, and GLYSOLID Glycerin Cream suits rough, cracked and dry areas.

How often should we moisturise in winter?

At least once a day after bathing, while skin is still slightly damp. Hands usually need more, so apply cream after washing them when you can. Heels benefit from a richer cream every night.

Why does my child have ashy legs in winter?

Ashy legs are a sign that the top layer of skin is dry and flaking, which shows up more on darker skin as a grey, chalky look. Cold, dry air and hot baths make it worse. Lotion straight after a short, lukewarm bath usually helps a lot.

Is it bad to bath in hot water in winter?

Very hot water strips the natural oils from your skin and leaves it drier. Warm or lukewarm water is kinder to skin, and keeping baths and showers short helps even more.

When should we see a doctor about dry skin?

See a clinic sister, pharmacist or doctor if skin is cracked and bleeding, red and painful, weeping, or itchy enough to disturb sleep. Anyone with diabetes should have foot cracks or sores checked by a professional.