Winter Skincare Routine: 8 Steps and Products for Hydrated Skin
Winter weather can really wreak havoc on your skin, making it go from glowy and hydrated to dry and dull as soon as the temperature drops.
In general, my skin needs a lot more love this time of year, so I tend to switch up my daily and nightly routine, to combat the changes in my skin.
These are the products and steps that I’m currently using to help heal my dry winter skin!
xx, Heather
1. Wash with a gentle cleanser
While I’d always recommend a mild cleanser, it’s even more important in the winter when your skin is already dehydrated. You don’t want to strip away the natural oils with a harsh cleanser. Lately, I’ve been loving the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. It actually makes my skin feel more hydrated and moisturized after I use it, instead of the opposite. You do not need a “squeaky clean” feeling from a cleanser for it to be working!
Also, If you haven’t read my post on why you should stop using makeup wipes and the affordable alternative to use instead, you can read that here.
Get it now: Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
2. Apply a vitamin C serum
A good Vitamin C serum should always be part of your skincare routine, regardless of the time of year. I like SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic or the C.E.O. Vitamin C Brightening from Sunday Riley. Unlike most serums that can feel more like an oil or liquid, the C.E.O serum has a consistency closer to a moisturizer, which I like in the winter.
Get it now: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic; Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Brightening
3. Nourish skin with a daily moisturizer
Skipping moisturizer isn’t an option in the winter, especially when your skin is as dry as mine. Immediately after cleansing and applying a vitamin C serum, I massage Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream onto the skin. I’m obsessed with this cream at the moment and have been using it daily. It’s been saving my skin this winter.
Get it now: Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream
4. Finish with a hydrating oil
As the last step in my winter skincare routine, I add an extra dose of hydration on top of my moisturizer with the Lancer Omega Hydrating Oil. I love this oil because it is lightweight and leaves my skin with the glowy, dewy look that I love. I apply a few drops to my palms, rub them together gently to warm it up and then pat it onto my face and neck. Another good option is the Biossance Squalane +Vitamin C Rose Oil. I love that one too.
Get it now: Lancer Omega Hydrating Oil; Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil
5. Use a rich nighttime cream
“Cream” is the keyword here. Leaving behind the lightweight moisturizers of the summer, invest in a cream moisturizer that is really going to lock in the hydration while you sleep. Find a rich moisturizer without fragrance or other irritating ingredients. I love the Ultra Repair Cream from First Aid Beauty because it is fast-absorbing and is highly moisturizing without feeling greasy. Depending on how my skin is feeling that day, I will use the Ultra Repair Cream or the Elemis Marine Cream overnight.
Get it now: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
6. Alternate night creams with an overnight mask
I love an overnight mask. It always feels like I’m getting the most possible benefits by leaving a mask on overnight, instead of 10 minutes ( as long as it’s a moisturizing treatment, not something that needs to be rinsed off!). Formulated with squalane, vitamin C, and antioxidants, the Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask is perfect for this time of year.
Get it now: Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask
7. Buff skin with a gentle exfoliant
With dry skin comes flaky skin, so exfoliating should be a staple part of your winter skincare routine. I’ve completely stopped using physical exfoliators (like apricot or walnut scrubs and microbeads) because of the damage they can cause to your skin. Instead, I love a gentle chemical exfoliant. My two current favorites are AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder and Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder.
Get it now: AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder; Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder
8. Hydrate!
It’s easy to forget about drinking loads of water when you’re not in the heat of summer, but all of these skincare steps and products will have a limited impact if you don’t also hydrate from the inside!
