Winter Skincare Routine
Personally, I feel my skin is the best in the summer. The sun giving it a slight tan, the ocean water cleansing my pores––and not to mention––how hydrated it feels. Yet, when winter approaches, I find my skin to behave the opposite. Here’s a list of products to use in order to combat dry skin:
+ Day and Night Moisturizers
While many just stick to one moisturizer, I find that having one for day and night use is better. The reason why is usually the ‘day’ moisturizer contains some form of SPF protection, which most people forget is a huge concern for their skin, and the night one is thicker (allowing it to stay on the skin for a prolonged period). Recently I have been using a simple set of day & night moisturizers from Burt’s Bee’s––which I purchased at CVS.
Some other good companies with these types of moisturizer’s are Kiehl’s, Clinique, and Aesop. Usually some companies carry better lines for more specific skin types, particularly acne-prone and/or combination/oily skin.
+ Hydrating Serums
A few winters ago, I walked into Sephora asking one of the makeup artists to help me get ready for a new years’ eve party. However, before she could apply any form of foundation and/or concealer––she told me I needed to invest in some sort of serum. My skin was cracking, making it hard for the foundation to appear more evenly dispersed along my face. She told me about this ‘hydrating water bomb’ serum by Belief. Honestly, it was the best purchase ever––the moment I would apply this, my skin felt cool, smooth, and like water had been infused in my pores.
I apply this also usually before bed or after I exfoliate my face. It helps maintain the moisture in my skin, without making it oily or ‘over’ hydrated.
+ Chapsticks
A no-brainer. Personally, I avoid going for the ‘high-end’ chapstick brands, and stick to the basics. Burt’s Bees, Blistex, and even just a drug-store brand are cheap, medicinally sound, and work the best. Of course there’s also makeup brands such as Tarte that provide more ‘chic’ and multicolored options––but I find they don’t provide as much healing power as the pharmacy ones do.
+ Body Lotions
Finding the perfect lotion is also an essential to having hydrated skin throughout the winter. I stick with pretty basic brands––such as Aveeno, Cetaphil, or Dove. I find that I can buy these brands in bulk for less expensive prices, and they get the job done. Of course there are many ‘higher-end’ brands on the market, but I find they are in smaller bottles and cost more––making them run out quickly, only lasting me a week or so.
It’s important to look for brands that have very few ingredients in their products, because your skin is extremely pores. You don’t want to be adding a lotion which will cause hives, or pimples, to form.
+ Lip Exfoliators
The best lip exfoliators I found on the market were from Lush. They’re made with simple ingredients (sugar, oils––and you can even eat them!), and come in a range of cool flavors. You can even make your own, since it requires such a simple range of ingredients. I find that mixing brown sugar and honey make the perfect combination for adding hydration while removing dead skin.
+ Face Oils/Peel-off Masks
Depending on your preference, some people prefer to stick to oils and face-masks to add hydration. I find that these are more convenient to bring when traveling instead of a large tube of serum –– since you can pack them in your suitcase or place the oil in a smaller tube.
For those that are steering clear of added chemicals, oils are a great way to add hydration with minimally processed ingredients. I find that even using tea-tree oil (which smells a bit funny, but is 100 percent natural and effective) does the trick. It works as an anti-acne agent, and makes your skin hydrated without that ‘greasy’ effect.
+ Hand Cream
Personally, it is extremely hard for me to have ‘smooth’ hands throughout the winter weather. I find my hands get chapped instantly. Luckily, there are plenty of hand-creams on the market. I carry smaller bottled ones from drug store brands, that way I can always have one hand-y (haha) in my bag or coat pocket. Additionally, at night, if I find that my hands are especially suffering, I put them in a hand mask, or coat them in lotion before bed. This way I can keep them moisturized, without having to worry about having greasy fingers during the day.
Last but not least, in order to really get hydrating skin is to drink lots of liquids! Water will help replenish your cells––making you feel less groggy and overall more refreshed.
Article by Zoë
Photo by Rosanna Jones