The winter solstice marks one of the happiest times of year for most: cookie making, decorating, and the togetherness of friends and family. For others, it’s around this time that skin becomes cracked, flaky, and irritated. Between frigid outdoor air and dry indoor heat, our skin constantly struggles to maintain moisture. Oils, creams, and serums make hydration possible, but not all formulas pair well with every skin type, and there’s a method to applying those that do relieve the harsh effects of winter. This year, let us guide you through the climate change to radiant skin following these product recommendations and moisturizing tricks.
Swap Cleansers
If you begin your mornings with cleanser, opt for a formula that’s creamy. Unlike most foaming cleansers that are light and best for the summer, creamy cleansers include ingredients that deeply moisturize without the use of heavy butters. The Shiseido Benefiance Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam contains bio-hyaluronic acid, a moisture surge component that gently removes impurities and plumps skin. Despite its rich texture, it still foams to pair well with your Clarisonic or other face cleansing aid.
Moisturize with SPF
If your skincare routine consists solely of moisturizer, switch to an ultra-hydrating lotion with SPF. Although it may not feel like it, the sun can still damage your skin during the winter months, so you want to use products that offer broad-spectrum protection. We like MDSolarSciences Daily Anti-Aging Moisturizer with SPF 30. Its lightweight, non-comedogenic formula offers all-day hydration without leaving you feeling greasy, ideal for those with acne-prone skin. The ingredient niacinamide promotes an even skin tone, while a combination of antioxidants vitamin C, grape, rosemary, green tea extracts, and rose hips minimize fines lines and wrinkles and protects against free-radical damage.
Exchange Petroleum for Oil
For those of you who love to use Vaseline and other petroleum-based products throughout the day in the winter, you may want to rethink your choices. Ingredients like mineral oil, petrolatum, and paraffin clog pores, which may cause skin to flare up. Instead, stick to lip balms and moisturizers that nourish and hydrate skin with essential oils like sunflower seed and hemp seed oils. We like the Burt’s Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm with Kokum Butter and the Hempz Triple Moisture Herbal Body Crème.
Exfoliate Chemically
Exfoliating is crucial, especially during winter months when your skin may appear dull and flaky. During this time, it’s best to avoid mechanical exfoliants that often include grains of sugar, walnut shells, or coffee that could cause microscopic tears and further irritate skin. Instead, opt for milder chemical exfoliants that use small percentages of alpha-hydroxy and beta-hydroxy acids to gently remove dead cells. For best results, use chemical exfoliants consistently. Two to three times a week, use the European Wax Center Reveal Me Face Exfoliating Gel and Reveal Me Exfoliating Body Gel, both formulated with skin-loving ingredients to achieve velvet smooth results.
Nourish in the Tub
Hot baths and showers may keep you warm throughout cold climate, but they also contribute to skin that’s dry and itchy. Stick to water that’s lukewarm and a soap bar or wash with a nourishing formula. We like the Indigo Wild Zum Bar in “Tea Tree-Citrus.” A combination of tea tree, eucalyptus, and sweet orange deter blemishes and hydrate skin.
Cream-up After You Shower
After your bath or shower, it’s vital to pat yourself dry and follow with a rich moisturizer like the Ahava Dermud Nourishing Body Cream while your pores are still opened. The powerful ingredient Dead Sea mud quickly heals and vanishes all signs of irritation, leaving skin feeling as silky as the cream itself.
Hydrate Before Bed
If your daily moisturizer isn’t enough, try a nourishing facemask like the Montagne Jeunesse Creamy Coconut Masque once or twice a week before bedtime. Shea butter makes this formula ideal for dry-to-normal skin types.
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The Best Skincare Routine for Colder Weather: Featured photo courtesy of Frank Body
