5 winter skincare tips

Winter is coming, and if you can maintain a luminous glow during this moisture sucking season, kudos to you. Here are 5 tips to help you keep your skin well-hydrated and healthy during the cold winter months.

Don’t Forget the SPF

Sunscreen is important year round. UV damage doesn’t take a day off, and neither should your spf application. You are no less susceptible to sun damage in the winter versus the summer, plus snow reflects UV light, so you actually get hit with the same ray twice. 

Skip the Harsh Cleansers

Start your routine off right and reach for a hydrating cleanser like this one. A proper cleanse of the skin is required, but we don’t want to strip the skin of oils that are necessary for barrier function. Keep those taps in check too and don’t wash your skin with hot water, lukewarm is best to further prevent dry out. 

Don’t Forget to Exfoliate

When temperatures drop, our skin is more prone to holding onto dead skin cells. Our cells naturally turn over roughly every 28 days, but especially in the winter, they need a little help. A mix of chemical and physical exfoliation is key (one loosens the glue holding cells together, while the other works to lift those cells away), and although it sounds cliche, listen to your skin. It’s easy to go overboard on exfoliation, so find your skin’s sweet spot, make sure you are properly hydrating the skin, and if you overdo it, scale things back.

Consider Switching Your Moisturizer

Winter is the perfect time to amp up your moisturizer, and you have options. You can boost a more lightweight option by layering a hyaluronic acid serum such as this one underneath, or maybe you need to bring out the big guns and swap things out completely. Look for products rich in ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and if your skin needs some soothing benefits, colloidal oatmeal, allantoin and chamomile can be beneficial. It’s best to apply moisturizer while the skin is damp, so bust out that face mist and feel those hydration levels start to rise. 

Add a Hydrating Masque

Think of facial masques as a way to boost your skincare routine. Masques can pack a punch as they deliver higher concentrations of ingredients to the skin and can work a little faster than your regular products. Bust out that humidifier, pop this baby on and call it a night when your skin is feeling extra parched. Or, if your skin is feeling sensitive and needs some extra calming benefits, apply a layer of this masque and allow your skin to breathe a sigh of relief.