Skincare in winter is an entirely different process from skincare in summer. The harsh conditions (everything from rain and freezing winds to cold, dry air and snowfall) mean that the skin on your face, which is the most likely to be exposed to the elements, will need a lot of extra help to maintain its suppleness and glow. Since your skin does its best repair and maintenance work while you sleep, a good evening skincare routine in winter is essential if you want to keep your complexion healthy and flourishing.
What The Cold Does to Your Skin
Dr Nazanin Kalani Williams of Elevation Dermatology tells us that we can expect a number of unpleasant experiences to come our way if we don’t look after our skin daily in — and leading up to — winter. When winter comes around, the decreased levels of moisture in the air and frequent exposure to open fires and heaters suck the moisture from your skin by the process of evaporation. If you already have a dry or sensitive skin type, things will be even more uncomfortable for you if you aren’t prepared. You may end up with winter rashes that bring flushed, flaky, swollen, and extra sensitive skin, resulting in bumps or blisters. If you already have skin conditions like eczema or chilblains, you may need to consider some extra medicated skincare.
When winter comes around, changes take place in our skin at the molecular level. The skin protects itself by thickening its top layer to minimize water loss, but it needs a lot of help. The colder the weather gets, the more help your skin needs.
Looking After Winter Skin
This is a skincare routine that the Gisou blog assures will prepare your skin for the coming cold and keep it healthy through winter. You should maintain the same routine until the cold weather dissipates in spring. Here’s how:
1. Cleanse Gently
Every evening, begin your routine by cleansing with a gentle cleanser. This will remove all the day’s impurities and any excess sebum that your skin may create to try to balance out the cold with its own hydration. A sulfate-free formula is always important, but in winter, you should choose one that comes in a milky, creamy formula.
2. Hydrating Serum
The kinds of serums you need to use will vary greatly according to your skin type and any conditions or concerns you have. That said, in the winter, you can’t go wrong with a repairing and hydrating formula that will sink in quickly. Using this light product before your moisturizer allows the product to penetrate to the necessary depth. Serums usually have more active ingredients, so choose yours carefully.
3. Moisturizing Cream
Your face cream is the primary moisturizer of your entire routine. Not only does a moisturizing cream soften skin, but it also locks in all the hydration that already occurs in your skin, the hydration delivered by itself and the serum, and prevents this from escaping into the cold air.
For winter and especially evening skincare, you should select a thicker cream than you would use during the day or in the summer, as the level of protection, moisture retention, and skin nourishment is often increased by doing this. These heavier formulas are geared for protection and rehabilitation, so read the labels of all your options to see which one best suits your needs.
4. Face Oil
Since you’re getting ready for bed, it doesn’t matter if you look a little like a glazed donut! Adding face oil after your moisturizer has had time to sink in a little bit will create another barrier between your delicate skin and the cold air and add an extra boost of hydration and support. You can use skin oils whether you have oily, dry, or normal skin; you just need to ensure that you select the correct product for your skin type. If you use essential oils on your face, always ensure you have a carrier oil, i.e., tea tree essential oil will evaporate off your skin if you use it on its own, so add a few drops to a dab of coconut oil or shea butter so the effects of both oils improve your skin.
5. Optional — Overnight Masques
Some products go beyond the level of regular moisturizing cream or oil and fall into the masque category. If you feel like a little extra pampering or are really struggling with the effects of winter on your skin, invest in overnight masque products for your lips or skin. Don’t forget that your lips take a beating in winter, too, and that they need extra care.
6. Optional, But Recommended — Masks
Adding a mask to your weekly evening skincare routine — for moisturizing, repairing, or deep cleansing — can help maintain healthy skin in extreme situations. It’s not necessarily reserved for evening skincare, but using a mask as a prelude to all your other skincare steps can give you a feeling of luxury.
More Tips
Sarah Jacoby, a Today Show writer, has these extra skincare tips.
- Ease up on any retinol and exfoliation product, as even the gentle products you usually use may be too abrasive for the cold weather.
- Combat the cold with a humidifier while you’re indoors. This may be helpful not only for your skin but also for your eyes, sinus passages, and throat.
- Try not to take extra long or hot showers. Extensive exposure to very hot water can further dry out your skin.
- Be patient. If your skin is irritated, it may take some days or even weeks to calm down after you’ve implemented a new product or routine to help it. Just stay consistent, and you’ll get there.
With these skin tips and a winter evening skincare routine, you’ll be ready to face the cold weather and keep your skin healthy, happy, and hydrated when you do.