I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather dips below sixty, I am suddenly absolutely obsessed with chapstick. I seriously don’t think I could live without my Aquaphor. With winter weather comes chapped and dry lips, but what about the rest of your skin? If your lips are drying out, I promise you that the rest of your skin is too. Here’s how I adjust my skincare routine for those colder months.
Cleanser
The first step of any skincare routine is using a good cleanser. Cleansers remove makeup, excess oil, and any grime that’s built up on your face throughout the day. But with this, you’re stripping your face of all those healthy oils that keep your skin naturally moisturized. Therefore, in the winter I suggest only cleansing your face once a day in the evening. This helps the skin preserve some of those natural oils that keep you looking glowy instead of dull. I would also suggest skipping the foaming cleansers and opting for a cream or balm. These will cause less stripping and allow your skin to keep some of that natural hydration.
Exfoliator
Winter is the time of year you want to really tone it down on the exfoliating. I know that you love how soft your skin feels after (me too), but exfoliating during the winter can cause your skin to become more irritated, rather than less. If you’re exfoliating daily, I would scale it back to weekly at most. Give your skin a rest and restore itself in between those sugar scrubs and exfoliating masks.
Toner
Toning is a great way to remove the last bit of grime from your face and provide that first bit of hydration. If you already use a toner, that’s perfect! If you don’t, winter is definitely the time to invest in one and try it out. Toner is the first step in taking your skin from dull to glowing.
Serums
I love a good serum. I seriously have an unhealthy obsession with Ordinary brand. Serums are a great way to get really deep hydration and help prep your skin for your moisturizer. If you’re a first time serum user and don’t know what to try, I suggest hyaluronic acid + B5. This will provide that next level hydration that your skin is begging for in the winter.
Moisturizer
And the most important step of them all: moisturizing. While these other steps help boost hydration, there’s nothing like a good moisturizer. And in the winter, it’s not only one of the most important steps, it’s imperative. Moisturizer helps rehydrate your winter skin by trapping the water in your skin rather than letting it escape into the dry winter air. I would recommend swapping your normal moisturizer out with a thicker one. This will provide even more hydration and your skin will thank you.
Sunscreen
Last but certainly not least is sunscreen. So many people stop using sunscreen in the winter because of the cloud cover and lack of that hot sun beating down on you. But just because the heat is gone, doesn’t mean the UV rays damaging your skin are too. Dr. Sheila Farhang, a dermatologist, says, “You’re still getting some sun exposure in the winter months even if it’s cloudy outside”. Therefore, it is super important to keep using your sunscreen (at least SPF 30) throughout the winter months, regardless of the weather.
If after all that, you still find your skin looking dry and dull, here are a few last tips and tricks. Limit your shower time and temperature. Long, hot showers dry out your skin and can leave it feeling tight. Try taking shorter, lukewarm showers and you may start to see a difference. Also, don’t forget to drink water! Your skin can’t keep in water it doesn’t have. Up your water intake during the wintertime to help your skin stay hydrated. Finally, be patient. The skin barrier can take weeks to heal, it doesn’t happen overnight. If your skin is still dry and dull after a couple days, don’t give up! Your skin is working on repairing itself little by little, you wanna give it all the help it can get. You’ll eventually start to see the results you’re aiming for!