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As we enter the end of the winter, everyone is ready to go into summer glowing. While most people know the importance of sunscreen in the summer, winter skincare can get a little tricky. Especially with the extreme cold here in Hamilton, helping skin stay healthy and happy is tough. Here are some of our top tips and tricks to give your skin the boost it needs this winter, and to get a little self-care joy too. We have included suggestions over several price points and purposes so you can get what you need.
MOISTURIZE
You might think this goes without saying, but with extra cold temps and whipping winds, the best thing you can do for your skin is to moisturize. Different moisturizers are targeted for morning vs night, but anything is better than nothing. Some of our faves include:
- Face:
- Purpose Lotion: This lotion is my everyday go-to. It’s lightweight, doesn’t irritate my skin, and is cheap.
- Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight: For a little extra help overnight, this moisturizer mask is perfect. It provides intense hydration to help your skin recover from the elements of the day.
- The Inkey List Peptide Moisturizer: This moisturizer includes peptides that work to create a stronger skin barrier. It is nice and light to absorb quickly and as a bonus, it’s only $17!
- Body:
- Eos: If you haven’t seen it on TikTok yet, Eos body lotions are not only nourishing, but have tons of fragrance options that are to die for. I love the (trendy) Vanilla and Cashmere, but you really can’t go wrong.
- Cerave: I don’t know if I’ve ever had a body lotion that absorbs quicker. This lotion is perfect for sensitive skin, so soft and lightweight, making it easy to lather on whenever you need it.
- Cocokind Body Oil: If you don’t feel like going to the trouble of dispensing and rubbing in lotion, we have a solution for you! This oil stick can simply be run over your skin for maximum moisture and minimum effort.
- Hands:
- Kiehls: This hand cream is insanely thick and saves my hands frequently. Its intensity matches the Hamilton winters, so it’s super helpful to keep your hands from drying out or cracking from the cold.
- Trader Joe’s: Believe it or not, the hand cream from Trader Joe’s is just as good as the fancier brands and smells amazing too. With shea butter and coconut oil, it’s quite thick, but absorbs well and leaves your hands feeling great.
- L’occitane: For a small but powerful hand lotion that you can easily tuck into backpacks and coat pockets, I love L’occitane. It comes with a variety of fragrances and works wonders on dry hands. My personal favorite is the rose, but they all are great.
- Lips:
- Rose Vaseline: this one is simple but so good. It’s effective, easy to find, and has a great flavor.
- Burt’s Bees: Burt’s Bees is not only great for chapped lips, but many have add-ins designed to help your lips for the cold weather. This peppermint one gives all of the winter vibes, with Vitamin E for a little extra moisture (Beeswax Lip Balm | Burt’s Bees). My other favorite is Pomegranate, which has a little color and I think tastes amazing (Pomegranate Lip Balm | Burt’s Bees).
- Aquaphor: Everyone’s classic standby, don’t sleep on aquaphor. This will help insulate your lips and give long lasting moisture. In a pinch, it can also be used for other places you have dry skin, making it even more valuable. I also love this tube of it: AQUAPHOR® LIP REPAIR .
- Laneige: Lip masks are the ultimate way for me to feel on top of things, like I’m taking a little extra special care of myself, and to take a more intensive approach to my lipcare. Plus, as another trendy brand, Laneige is popular for a reason–it tastes so good and you wake up feeling totally refreshed and hydrated.
SUNSCREEN
Even when the sun’s rays aren’t making you tan, it is still important to get sunscreen on in the morning, since you are still being exposed to UV. Especially in a snowy environment where any sun that does come through reflects back up to your face, we want all of the protection possible to keep your skin going for ages. While some moisturizers have a little SPF, you ideally want at least SPF 30, which typically requires an actual sunscreen product. Some of our sunscreen faves are tinted, giving you that extra motivation to layer it into your routine:
- Super Goop: I love this sunscreen because it doesn’t make me breakout and has a very light feel, so it doesn’t feel like a lot to add to my skincare routine.
- Eucerin: This one isn’t a fancy brand or look, but I love it for a solid tinted sunscreen that I can trust to work on all skin types and not irritate my skin. This cream includes zinc which is perfect for extra sun protection and it works for all skin tones, which we love.
- Elf: This sunscreen provides the needed glow that I’m always looking for in the winter and I love layering it at the start of a makeup routine. This one is a little thicker but blends very well and provides a good base layer with solid sun protection. They have several shades, but the one I use is e.l.f. Cosmetics Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30.
BRIGHTENING
It’s easy for skin to get dull as the winter drags on and takes its toll. Lack of vitamin D, dryness, and cold temperatures can all decrease the skin’s bright appearance. These products tackle ways to increase brightness in a variety of ways:
- Watermelon Dew Drops: I love these drops so much. They provide a little dewy skin moment, smell amazing, and don’t irritate your skin. As a bonus, this is a serum that really helps to lock in moisture, making it perfect for the winter.
- Tower 28 Facial Spray: One of my friends has this and regularly hits me with a spritz when I need a little pick-me-up at any time of the day. For a refreshing moment in those winter days, a little facial spray can be the perfect way to look and feel revived.
- Drunk Elephant Vitamin C Serum: Vitamin C is the key to brightening your complexion and getting rid of any unevenness from dry skin or irritation. I love Drunk Elephant for providing an easy serum to add into your routine to gain that little extra glow, and Vitamin C provides extra protection from environmental factors such as air pollution. Just add this into your morning routine and you’re good to go.
- Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate: This last one is a splurge but a holy grail product. After putting it on at night, when your skin has had a particularly rough day, you wake up the next morning with skin feeling glowy and completely rejuvenated. My mom, my sister, and I all swear by this one and it’s fully worth the expense–plus, it smells so good and the little bottle lasts longer than you’d think.
Overall, whatever products you decide to use for your skin, make sure to take care of yourself as we wrap up this winter. A skincare routine is a great way to add a moment of calm and joy into your routine. As we edge into spring, making sure that you are well taken care of and ready to come out of hibernation is key, and this is just the way to do it. Hopefully, this helps you to find what works best for you and your skin so that you feel ready to take on the last days of winter.