Winter Skincare Tips: How to Combat Cold-Weather Skin

What Winter Does to Your Skin

Cold air holds less moisture than warm air—meaning winter air is inherently drier. Combine that with indoor heating (which further strips humidity from interior spaces) and you have the perfect conditions for dry, tight, flaky, and reactive skin.

The good news: a few simple adjustments to your routine can keep your skin comfortable, hydrated, and healthy all winter long.

1. Switch to a Richer Moisturizer

If your summer moisturizer is a lightweight gel or fluid, winter calls for an upgrade. Look for:
- Ceramides — restore and reinforce the skin barrier
- Shea butter — deeply emollient
- Squalane — lightweight but highly moisturizing oil
- Hyaluronic acid — draws moisture into the skin

Apply immediately after cleansing while skin is still slightly damp to lock in hydration.

2. Add a Facial Oil

A facial oil used as the final step in your PM routine seals in moisture and protects the skin barrier overnight. Options include rosehip, squalane, jojoba, or marula oil.

3. Don't Abandon Exfoliation — Just Adjust

Harsh physical scrubs can disrupt a compromised winter barrier. Switch to a gentle chemical exfoliant (lactic acid is particularly good in winter — exfoliating and hydrating). Use 1–2 times per week rather than daily.

4. Keep Using SPF

UV rays don't take a winter break. Snow reflects up to 80% of UV radiation, and UVA rays (which cause aging) are year-round. SPF is non-negotiable in every season.

5. Add a Humidifier

Running a humidifier in your bedroom (especially while sleeping) adds moisture back into the air and reduces the rate at which your skin loses water overnight. This single change can make a noticeable difference in skin hydration.

6. Avoid Hot Showers

Hot water strips the skin's natural oils and disrupts the barrier. Switch to warm (not hot) water for cleansing and showering, and keep your shower time shorter in winter.

7. Don't Neglect Lips and Hands

Lips and hands are exposed to the cold and dry conditions and have fewer sebaceous glands than facial skin — they need extra care.

• Use a nourishing lip balm with occlusive ingredients (beeswax, shea butter, lanolin)
• Apply hand cream every time you wash your hands
• Wear gloves when outdoors in cold temperatures

Seasonal Skincare Transitions

Winter is also a good time to:
- Book a hydrating facial or microneedling treatment to jumpstart collagen production
- Start or optimize a retinoid regimen (winter sun is lower, so photosensitivity matters less)
- Consider a skincare consultation to review your routine for the season

Your skin's needs change with the seasons — and so should your routine.