With dropping temperatures, less humidity, and snow and ice, the winter season can be damaging and drying to the skin. It’s important to take steps to improve your skin’s health and prevent winter skin damage. In this blog, we’ll outline a beneficial skincare routine for winter weather with specific product recommendations to keep skin looking and feeling healthy and hydrated throughout the winter months.

Step 1 – Cleanse

When skin feels dry, even something as innocuous as cleansing can lead to irritation and inflammation. It’s important to find a gentle everyday cleanser for your morning and evening skincare routines. Some of our top recommended cleansers for the winter include:

• ALASTIN Skincare Gentle Cleanser – This lightweight, gentle, self-foaming cleanser removes oils, grime, and impurities without drying or irritating. Additionally, it’s formulated with ingredients that moisturize and soothe while cleansing.
• SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser – It’s important to exfoliate regularly to remove dead skin cells and promote healthy skin cell turnover. This can be especially important when skin is dry and chapped. More traditional exfoliants can further irritate the skin, but the SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser uses gentle ingredients to remove dead skin without causing inflammation and irritation.
• EltaMD Foaming Facial Cleanser – This blend of amino acids and enzymes gently loosens stuck on cosmetic products, oils, and other impurities to thoroughly cleanse skin without irritation. Additionally, the self-foaming cleanser penetrates deep into pores, preventing them from becoming clogged with dry, flaky dead skin cells.

Step 2 – Deep Hydration Serums

Moisturizers are essential during dryer winter months, so you may need to infuse more moisture into your skin throughout your skincare routine. One great way to enhance skin hydration during the winter is to utilize deep hydrating serums. Some of our favorite options include:

• SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier – Hyaluronic acid (HA) is essential for skin hydration. Not only does it offer immediate moisturizing benefits it also continues to attract water for long-term hydration. This serum not only delivers HA to the skin. It also increases the skin’s natural HA levels.
• Revision Skincare Hydrating Serum – This oil-free product is easy to absorb and safe and effective for all skin types, even oily and acne-prone skin. The formula includes two forms of hyaluronic acid as well as a blend of antioxidants and peptides to improve the overall health of the skin.

Step 3 – Moisturize

Between the lower environmental humidity and the moisture-stripping heaters that your skin is exposed to all winter long, it’s essential to apply adequate moisture to keep skin hydrated and counteract the drying effects of winter. In fact, you may need to make a special effort to ensure all skin areas are hydrated. Some of our top moisturizer recommendations for winter include:

Face Creams

The right face cream can make a big difference. The face and neck are usually not fully covered like the rest of our skin during the cold winter months, so they take the brunt of the drying damage of cold, dry weather. Choose a deep-hydrating moisturizer for the morning and evening that is recommended for your skin type. Some of our top moisturizers for each skin type include:

• SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 – for aging and sensitive skin
• ALASTIN Skincare Ultra Nourishing Moisturizer – for all skin types
• Revision Skincare D.E.J. Face Cream – for aging and sensitive skin
• Revision Skincare D.E.J. Night Face Cream – for all skin types

Whole Body Hydration

Avene Xeracalm AD Lipid Replenishing Cream is our top recommendation for dry skin on all body areas, not just the face. It’s safe and effective for all skin types and for use over the whole body. Avene Xeracalm AD Lipid Replenishing Cream works to restore the natural skin barrier and soothes and hydrates skin for up to 48 hours.

Eye Creams

Because the skin around the eyes is thinner and more sensitive, it’s important to use specialized products to ensure this area retains hydration. Some of our most recommended eye creams include:

• Revision D.E.J. Eye Cream – safe for all skin types but formulated for aging skin
• ALASTIN Skincare Restorative Eye Treatment with TriHex Technology – useful for all skin types, including damaged and discolored skin
• EltaMD Renew Eye Gel – for combination, dry, hyperpigmented, oily, aging, and sensitive skin

Lip Moisturizers

Like the skin around the eyes, the lips are also more sensitive and require different types of moisturizers. That’s not to mention the fact that you might ingest some of these ingredients, so it’s important that lip moisturizers are formulated with safe ingredients. Some of our top recommendations for deep lip hydration include:

• SkinCeuticals Antioxidant Lip Repair – Perfect for improving general lip hydration, especially for those who have tight, itchy skin. It also provides relief from lip dryness caused by certain medications.
• Revision Youthful Lip Replenisher – Recommended for aging skin to restore youthful fullness and smoothness to the skin on and around the mouth.
• EltaMD UV Lip Balm Broad-Spectrum SPF 36 – A water-resistant, creamy lip moisturizer with antioxidants and deep-hydrating ingredients. Free of fragrance and parabens and noncomedogenic, this lip balm is safe for all skin types even acneic and sensitive skin.

Step 4 – Sunscreen

Even though the winter months are cooler and less sunny, it’s still important to wear sunscreen every day. You’re less likely to experience sunburns and other immediate effects of the sun’s UVA/UVB rays, but the long-term effects like premature aging and risk of skin cancer are still present. During the dry winter months, it’s important to choose a sunscreen that’s hydrating as well as offers broad-spectrum protection. Some of our top recommended products include:

• ALASTIN Hydratint Pro Mineral Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 36 – This unique formulation offers protection against the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. It also includes antioxidants that prevent pollutants and sun damage. Additionally, the formula includes ingredients to deeply hydrate the skin.
• EltaMD UV Restore Broad-Spectrum SPF 40 – A sunscreen that also restores damaged skin may seem impossible, but that’s just what you get with this sunscreen. It offers broad-spectrum sun protection as well as helps to improve skin’s complexion by smoothing, tightening, and brightening skin.
• ISDIN Photo Eryfotona Actinica – Another restorative sunscreen product, this one is lightweight, easily absorbed, and water-resistant for up to 40 minutes. Ideal for aging skin and most other skin types, this sunscreen protects from sun damage while simultaneously reversing existing damage.
• Revision Skincare Intellishade TruPhysical – A pure mineral, physical sunscreen, this product offers a 5-in-1 solution for skin correcting, protecting, concealing, brightening, and hydrating. It’s the ideal solution for daily use by people with all skin types.

Learn More About Skincare

If you want to explore more dermatologist-recommended skincare products, we hope you’ll explore the rest of the DermSkincare site. You’ll find products for specific skin health needs, skin types, and more. Want to jump-start your skincare routine? Check out some of our skincare bundles and kits.