Winter Skincare 101: Tips, Advice & More

Winter can be incredibly tough on your skin, and many people struggle with dryness and irritation during the colder months. Fortunately, having the proper winter skincare routine can help you achieve a smooth, glowing complexion even when the weather outside is cold and stormy. Here are 15 tips to help you create an effective winter skincare routine this season:

Switch to gentle cleansers.

Cleansing is a necessary first step in your skincare routine, but it can also be one of the most drawing and stripping. Even in the wintertime, your facial cleanser should leave your face feeling clean and free of residue but not dry or tight. If you feel like your current cleanser is too drying, then switch to a cream or milk cleanser, which will be more gentle than a gel or foaming cleanser. You might also want to choose a more emollient makeup remover, such as a cleansing oil or cleansing bomb, to use before your face wash.

Try skipping your morning face wash.

If you are already using a cream or milk cleanser, and still feel like your face is dry and tight after washing it, then you might consider skipping your morning face wash. Cleansing at night is very important because you want to remove sunscreen, makeup, dirt, sweat, and other impurities from your skin before going to sleep. However, you can get away with just splashing your face with cold water in the morning if you find that using a cleanser twice a day is too much for your skin. The water will help rinse away any remaining residue without drying your skin out too much so you can start with a clean canvas in the morning.

Avoid alcohol-based products.

Many skincare products, especially those targeted toward oily skin, are formulated with alcohol, so they will quickly dry up and set down. Unfortunately, alcohol can be extremely drying to your skin, especially in the wintertime. If you are struggling with a lot of dryness, we recommend carefully reading the ingredient labels of all of your skincare products to see if any of them contain alcohol. You might be surprised to discover how many skin care products alcohol is in! Swap these out for alcohol-free alternatives to see if that helps your skin during the colder weather.

Re-evaluate your retinol.

Besides sunscreen, retinol is one of the most effective skincare products for anti-aging. Retinols and retinoids encourage the production of collagen and elastin, acting as a dark spot remover and helping to prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. However, retinol is known to be very drying to the skin, so you may need to reevaluate your use in the wintertime. You may wish to reduce the frequency to only a couple times per week. You might also want to switch from a prescription retinol or stronger retinol to a more gentle retinoid derivative if you feel like your current product is too powerful.

Consider exfoliating less often.

When your skin is scaly and peeling, you might be tempted to exfoliate it more frequently to try to achieve a smooth complexion and even skin tone. While this may seem logical, exfoliating is very drying to your skin and can often backfire, making it more dry and irritated. Instead, we recommend reducing exfoliation to only one or two times a week if your skin has been dry lately. You should also be careful with powerful leave-in exfoliants, which will be even more intense if they are layered underneath a thick moisturizer. For more information, see our guide that explains how to exfoliate the face.

Try a thicker moisturizer.

Switching to a thicker quality facial moisturizer is one of the most important changes that you can make to your skincare routine during the wintertime. If you are currently using a lightweight lotion or a water gel cream, it’s time to switch to a thicker moisturizer that will help to nourish your skin. Look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and high-quality fruit oils, which will create an inclusive barrier on the skin and promote a healthy balance of natural oils. If you don’t like to wear a heavy moisturizer during the day, then prioritize using a thicker balm at night when you sleep.

Experiment with using face oil at night.

If you find that even a thick moisturizer or face balm isn’t cutting it, then you might want to try a facial oil at night. These ultra-nourishing oils can be mixed directly into your moisturizer or applied as the final layer in your nighttime skincare routine. The oils helped to form an occlusive barrier on your face to slow down the rate of water evaporation. They also contribute to a healthy balance of natural oils, which can be tough to achieve during the wintertime.

Keep using sunscreen.

Sunscreen isn’t just for the summer; you should keep wearing it in the wintertime. While you might not be getting as much sun compared to other seasons, UV rays do penetrate through windows, which can contribute to premature aging like fine lines and wrinkles and also increase your risk of developing skin cancer later on. Find a moisturizing, non-drying, anti-aging sunscreen and apply it to all exposed skin — not just your face, but also your ears, neck, and chest — every single day. And if you’re recreating outside, then you need to be reapplying the sunscreen every two hours.

Incorporate a face mask into your routine.

Like eyelash serums, face masks are an optional part of any skincare routine, but they can be a great solution for dry and irritated skin. In the winter, we recommend avoiding exfoliating and brightening masks, which can dry the skin out further. Instead, prioritize soothing and hydrating masks that will give your skin the nourishment that it needs when temperatures are low and the air is dry. You can use face masks as much or as little as you want; aiming for at least once per week is a good place to start.

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Take care of your lips and hands.

If most of your skincare routine focuses on your face, then definitely don’t forget to take care of your lips and hands as well during the winter. The skin on your lips is very delicate, and it’s also exposed to a lot of irritants in the form of food and drink, which is why your lips often peel and crack in the wintertime. You are probably also washing your hands more often since it’s cold and flu season, which dries out your hands as well. To counteract this, wear lip care products and hand lotion throughout the day, and then apply a thicker lip mask and hand cream at night while you sleep to help the skin repair itself.

Get a humidifier.

Running the heat during the winter reduces the humidity in the air, which dries your face out even more. To help counteract this, consider getting a humidifier to put some moisture back into the air. We recommend running the humidifier at night, at the very least, and you can also get one for your workspace to run during the day if you have extremely dry skin. 

We also suggest choosing a cool mist humidifier, which will help reduce the formation of mildew and mold. You should use filtered or distilled water in your humidifier to prevent mineral deposits and debris from clogging the device. It will need to be cleaned often but can make a significant difference for dry skin and sinus passages in the wintertime.

Stay hydrated from the inside out.

On the subject of water, it’s really important to keep your body hydrated from the inside out during the winter time even if you’re not sweating that much. We know that it can be difficult to motivate yourself to drink a bunch of ice water when the temperature is low, so we recommend finding some caffeine-free herbal teas in flavors that you enjoy so you can have a hot beverage while staying hydrated. Also try to limit your intake of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, which have a dehydrating effect on your body.

Use lukewarm water to bathe.

A hot shower during the winter can feel amazing, but it dries out your skin. It’s better to use lukewarm water that is neither too cold nor too hot for bathing, showering, and washing your face. We also recommend limiting baths or showers to no more than 5 to 10 minutes since prolonged exposure to water will also dry out your skin, no matter what the temperature of the water is. If you are struggling with dry skin on your body, apply lotion to still-damp skin while you are in the shower to lock in that moisture.

Limit your time outside when possible.

Cold temperatures, harsh wind, and precipitation are tough on your skin. For that reason, we recommend limiting your time outside during the winter, especially if there’s inclement weather or the temperatures are very cold. If you know that you will be going outside that day, then you might want to use thicker moisturizers and lip balms to ensure that your skin gets the protection and nourishment that it needs so that the elements don’t irritate it too much.

Protect your skin from the elements.

When you do go outside, protecting your skin from the elements is essential. Wear jackets and weather-resistant pants, and be sure to cover any exposed skin with hats, gloves, and scarves. You may want to wear a breathable base layer made from cotton or Merino wool next to your skin if you find synthetic fabrics like polyester touching your skin irritating it. Layering clothes will also allow you to take off the outer layers if you find yourself getting overheated or sweaty, particularly if you are going from inside to outside and back again.

We hope this ultimate guide helped you feel more informed and confident about putting together a winter skincare routine that works for your skin type and skin concerns. If you’re looking for new winter skincare products, we’ve put together a convenient selection of all the winter skincare essentials we offer here at Lancer Skincare. Whether you’re looking for a nourishing moisturizer, hydrating facial oil, or gentle exfoliator, we’ve got you covered with our wide range of skincare products.

All of our skincare products are created by celebrity dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer and his team of experts, so you can trust the formulations. But don’t take our word for it: All of our products come with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try them out and return or exchange them if they don’t work for your face. All of our products also ship for free in the United States, no order minimum is needed, so don’t hesitate to place your order today!

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