How to Transition to Winter Skincare

During the summer we wear less clothes, bask in the sun, and sweat EVERYWHERE. These days we love to go ice skating or pick out a christmas tree, but all bundled up of course! If we dress differently for the weather, we should dress our skin differently too. 

The difference in humidity, temperature, sunlight, and amount of time we spend inside versus outside all have a huge impact on our skin.

As the temperature and humidity level drop outside, so does the skin’s natural moisture level. Harsh heaters, bone-chilling wind, and hot showers make the skin dry and dull because of their intense temperature differences. 

To lock in moisture, make sure your cleanser doesn’t strip your skin. Try cleansers with keywords like gentle or hydrating. After a good face washing, another winter staple is a heavy cream rather than the light or no moisturizer you use for the summer months (make sure to keep up with the SPF, the sun still exists in the winter!). If your skin tends to get extra dry, add an oil or serum. A vitamin C serum will help battle dryness and wrinkles, and boost cell regeneration which becomes slower in the winter. 

Moisture is the name of the game, and our #1 players are balms. Face balms, body balms, and lip balms all bring their A-game to keep us hydrated. This is because a balm is generally more dense than a cream or moisturizer, and has reparative powers for dry skin as well as hydration. They also usually come in convenient sizes for slipping into your bag for on-the-go moisture. 

Just because you’re no longer sweating out all the water you drink, doesn’t mean you can skimp in hydrating your body as well as your skin! Your skin can only benefit from skin products if you are hydrating from the inside out first. Keep drinking water, and your skin will thank you for it. More water means less dryness and more glow! By drinking enough water, your face won’t be as prone to cracking or becoming dry and flaky. It’s common sense people!! Since it’s freezing outside and plain water sounds a little boring, add some holiday cheer to your drink of choice by switching between hot water with lemon, to tea and honey, or hot cider. Yum!

Don’t forget about the rest of your body just because it’s hidden underneath all your cozy layers. Keep that skin moisturized by swapping your light moisturizer with your heavier one. It’s also a good idea to moisturize more often and right after a shower without toweling off completely. Take shorter, cooler showers to keep that hydration in rather than stripping your skin and promoting inflammation. 

At the end of the day, use your moisturizers, drink more water (more than you think), and minimize harsh temp swaps like going from 20° weather to a 110° shower. All of these simple tips and tricks will keep your skin glowing and dewy through the dark and harsh winter weather.