Winter-Proof Your Skin: Why Your Hands and Lips Suffer in Cold Weather (and What to Do About It)

You know winter is on its way when the mornings suddenly feel darker, the heating goes back on and getting out of the car at the climbing wall requires a little more motivation than it did a few weeks ago.

Then your skin starts joining in. Your hands feel tighter. Your knuckles start drying out. That tiny split on your fingertip that wasn't really bothering you suddenly decides it wants your full attention.

And your lips? One cold, windy day and they can go from completely fine to feeling like you've spent the afternoon chewing sandpaper. Winter is tough on our skin and for climbers, it's even worse.

We already put our hands through chalk, friction, rough holds, rock, repeated washing and the occasional session where we probably should have stopped three climbs earlier. Add cold weather into the mix and your skin has a lot to deal with.

But here's the good news: winter skin care doesn't need to be complicated. A few simple habits can make a huge difference.

Why Does Skin Get So Dry in Winter?

It would be easy to blame everything on the cold. But cold weather is only part of the problem. During winter, we're constantly moving between two completely different environments. Outside you've got cold air, wind and lower humidity. Then you walk indoors and you're hit by central heating and warm, dry air.

Your skin spends months bouncing between the two. The outermost layer of your skin acts as a barrier. One of its jobs is helping keep water inside your skin while protecting it from what's going on outside.

When that barrier is working well, your skin feels comfortable and flexible. When it becomes dry or disrupted, water escapes more easily. There's actually a term for this: transepidermal water loss, usually shortened to TEWL. Sounds very scientific, but the principle isn't.

Basically, water naturally moves from deeper layers of your skin towards the surface, where some of it evaporates. Cold air, low humidity, wind, frequent washing and dry indoor environments can all make it harder for your skin to retain moisture.

The result? Dryness, tightness, rough patches and, eventually, cracks. And then there's one of winter's greatest temptations: a ridiculously hot shower. It feels amazing after coming in from the cold, but very hot water can strip away some of the oils that help protect your skin.

So while you're standing there thinking you've just discovered the meaning of life, your skin might not be quite as impressed.

Why Your Hands Take Such a Beating

Your hands are particularly vulnerable because they're constantly exposed. Think about how many times they get washed, dried, sanitised, exposed to wind or shoved into cold pockets during an average day.

The palms of your hands also don't have sebaceous glands – the glands responsible for producing the natural oil known as sebum. That makes maintaining the skin's protective barrier particularly important.

Now add climbing into the equation.

Chalk dries the skin. 

Climbing chalk is brilliant at its job. We use it because magnesium carbonate helps deal with moisture on our hands and improves friction. Unfortunately, chalk doesn't suddenly decide to stop absorbing moisture when your session ends. Leave your hands covered in chalk for hours afterwards and they can become increasingly dry.

Friction removes skin

Every crimp, sloper and textured gym hold creates friction. That's obviously part of climbing. But repeated friction gradually wears down the surface of your skin. If you're climbing several times a week, your skin is constantly trying to rebuild itself before you attack it again.

Rock and holds create small areas of damage

Sometimes it's obvious – a split, flapper or bleeding fingertip. Other times it's tiny areas of wear you barely notice. Combine those weakened areas with dry winter skin and suddenly that innocent-looking crack beside your nail becomes annoyingly painful.

Cold skin can feel less flexible

Anyone who has climbed outside in winter will recognise this. Your hands feel stiff. Your fingertips don't quite feel right. And the rock somehow feels approximately minus 400 degrees. When skin is already dry, reduced flexibility can make existing rough or cracked areas particularly noticeable.

For climbers, the goal isn't baby-soft hands. We need tough skin. But there's a difference between tough skin and brittle skin. Healthy climbing skin should have enough resilience to cope with friction without becoming so dry and rigid that it constantly splits.

That's the balance we're looking for.

How to Look After Your Hands Through Winter

The biggest mistake is waiting until your hands are destroyed before doing anything about them. Skin care works much better as maintenance than emergency repair.

Apply balm after climbing

Once you've finished your session, wash the chalk and grime from your hands and dry them properly. Then apply a small amount of balm. This is one of the best times to do it because you're not worried about compromising your grip.

Give them another dose before bed

Night-time is perfect for slightly more generous application. Focus particularly on:

• Fingertips
• Knuckles
• Cuticles
• Dry patches
• Areas where splits normally develop

You don't need to cover your hands in half a tin. A little goes a long way.

Ease off the boiling-hot water

Warm water is absolutely fine. Water that makes your bathroom resemble a Finnish sauna probably isn't necessary every time you wash your hands.

Wear gloves when not climbing

Not very exciting advice, admittedly. But if you're standing around outside, belaying outdoors or walking around in freezing wind, covering your hands makes sense. Prevention normally beats trying to fix cracked skin later.

Pay attention after washing

If your hands regularly feel tight immediately after washing, that's usually a good sign they're becoming dry. A small amount of balm afterwards can help replace some of that lost protection.

Where Our Hand Balm Fits In

This is exactly why I originally wanted ClimbCare to be a balm rather than a conventional hand cream. Our Tallow Balm is water-free and made from oils, butters and waxes.

Rather than adding water to the skin and disappearing quickly, these ingredients help soften the skin and form a protective layer that slows moisture loss. And during winter, that becomes particularly useful. The formula includes:

Tallow – rich in fatty acids and gives the balm its nourishing, substantial feel.

Shea butter – a rich plant butter that helps soften dry, rough skin.

Jojoba oil – technically a liquid wax rather than a traditional oil, with a light skin feel that works brilliantly in balm formulations.

Hemp seed oil – a lightweight oil containing a naturally occurring mixture of fatty acids.

Beeswax – gives the balm structure while helping create that protective layer over the skin.

The aim isn't to make climbing hands ridiculously soft. It's to help keep them conditioned, flexible and ready for the next session.

And if tallow or beeswax aren't your thing, we also make a Vegan Hand Balm, using plant-based oils, butters and candelilla wax instead. Same principle. Look after the skin before it gives you a reason to regret not doing it.

Why Do Your Lips Get So Dry in Winter?

Hands aren't the only casualty. Your lips are particularly vulnerable during cold weather because they're different from most of the skin covering your body.

They don't have the same protective oil-producing system, which means they're naturally less equipped to defend themselves against dry conditions.

Then winter arrives. Cold wind. Low humidity. Central heating. Outdoor training. Standing at the crag breathing through your mouth because you've just walked uphill carrying three pads. All of it contributes.

Dehydration can also make dry lips feel worse, although simply drinking an extra litre of water isn't going to magically repair a damaged skin barrier.

Then there's the classic response to dry lips. You lick them. It feels better for approximately three seconds. Then the saliva evaporates and your lips feel even drier. So you lick them again. Congratulations; You've invented a very efficient chapped-lip production system.

How to Stop Chapped Lips Before They Start

Like your hands, prevention is much easier than trying to rescue badly cracked lips.

Use lip balm before you need it

Don't wait until your lips are sore. If you know you're heading outside into cold or windy conditions, apply balm first.

Reapply during long periods outside

If you're spending several hours outdoors, one application at 8am probably isn't going to carry you through until dinner. Reapply when your lips start feeling dry.

Use it before bed

Night-time application gives the balm time to sit on your lips without constantly eating, drinking or wiping it away.

Stop licking them

Easier said than done. But the more you lick dry lips, the more likely you are to keep the cycle going.

Stay hydrated

Hydration matters for your whole body, including your skin. Just remember that drinking water is one part of the picture rather than the entire solution to dry skin.

Our Performance Lip Balm

When we developed the ClimbCare Performance Lip Balm, I wanted to take the same approach we use with our other products. Keep it simple. Use concentrated ingredients. Don't add things just to make the ingredient list look impressive.

Our Vegan lip balm combines:

• Shea butter for richness and softness.
• Castor oil for its thick, conditioning texture.
• Jojoba oil for a lighter-feeling oil that helps balance the formula.
• Candelilla wax to give the balm structure while creating a protective layer over the lips.

That's basically what I want from a vegan lip balm. Something I can put on before heading outside, chuck in my climbing bag and actually use regularly. No 12-step routine required.

The 2-Minute Winter Skin Routine

You genuinely don't need to spend half an hour every evening doing skincare. For most people – and particularly climbers – something this simple can make a big difference.

Morning

Apply lip balm before heading outside. Especially if it's cold or windy.

After climbing or training

Wash the chalk and grime from your hands. Dry them properly. Apply a small amount of hand balm, concentrating on fingertips and any particularly dry areas.

Before bed

Another small application of hand balm. Pay extra attention to knuckles, fingertips, cuticles and anywhere that feels rough. Finish with some lip balm. That's it. Probably less than two minutes in total. The important bit is doing it consistently.

Looking after your skin for 60 seconds every day will generally beat ignoring it for three weeks and then attacking a massive fingertip split with half a tin of balm on Sunday night.

Winter Skin Mistakes Most People Make

A few bad habits can undo a lot of good work.

Waiting until your skin cracks

If your fingertips have already split, you're playing catch-up. Start looking after your hands when they begin feeling dry rather than waiting for damage.

Taking extremely hot showers

I know. They're brilliant. But regularly exposing dry skin to very hot water isn't particularly helpful when you're already trying to protect its natural oils.

Constantly licking dry lips

Temporary relief. Long-term annoyance. Keep a lip balm somewhere you'll actually remember to use it.

Leaving chalk on your hands after climbing

You've finished climbing. The chalk has completed its mission. Wash it off.

Applying loads of balm immediately before climbing

More isn't always better. A heavy layer of balm five minutes before trying your project probably isn't doing your grip any favours. Use it after climbing or give it plenty of time to absorb beforehand.

Assuming drinking more water fixes everything

Hydration matters. But dry winter skin is largely about what's happening to the skin barrier and the environment around you. You need to protect it from the outside too.

Winter Skin FAQs

Why do my hands get so dry in winter?

Cold air and lower humidity can increase moisture loss from your skin. Indoor central heating, frequent hand washing, wind and hot water can add to the problem by disrupting the skin's protective barrier.

Why do climbers' hands crack more in winter?

Climbers already expose their hands to chalk and repeated friction. Combine that with colder, drier winter conditions and skin can become more brittle and prone to splitting.

Does climbing chalk dry your hands out?

Yes – that's essentially part of its job.

Chalk absorbs moisture, which helps improve grip while climbing. Unfortunately, excessive chalk use or leaving chalk on your hands afterwards can contribute to dryness.

Wash your hands after climbing and look after the skin between sessions.

Why do my lips keep cracking in winter?

Lips have less natural oil protection than most areas of skin. Cold weather, wind, low humidity, central heating and repeatedly licking your lips can all contribute to dryness and cracking.

Should I put hand balm on before or after climbing?

For most climbers, after climbing is best.

Wash and dry your hands first, then apply balm.

You can use balm before climbing, but ideally leave plenty of time for it to absorb. Applying a thick layer immediately before grabbing a sloper probably won't improve your chances.

How often should I use lip balm in winter?

There isn't a fixed number.

Apply it whenever your lips begin feeling dry and particularly before prolonged exposure to cold or windy weather.

Before bed is another good opportunity.

Is tallow balm good for dry skin?

Tallow is rich in fatty acids and works particularly well in an anhydrous – or water-free – balm.

In our hand balm, it's combined with shea butter, jojoba oil, hemp seed oil and beeswax to create a rich protective balm designed to condition dry climbing skin.

Final Thoughts From Me

Winter skin care really doesn't need to become complicated. You don't need a bathroom cupboard containing 27 different products. Protect your hands from the worst of the cold. Wash the chalk off after climbing. Use hand balm consistently. Keep a lip balm somewhere you'll actually use it. And don't wait until everything is cracked before you start looking after it.

For climbers especially, your skin is part of your equipment. You can have the finger strength, technique and fitness to keep climbing, but if your fingertips split halfway through a session, none of that matters very much. A couple of minutes of regular skin care through winter can save a lot of frustration later.

Because ideally, your session should end when you're tired – not because your skin has given up first.