In the same way you transition to your favourite sweater, mittens and puffer once frost hits the air, your winter skincare routine also requires some tweaking. With the drop in temperature, the humidity is all but gone both outdoors and indoors, where forced heat keeps you warm but also steals the moisture from you. This loss of water often results in tight, irritated and dry skin.
What to change:
First things first: You want to boost your hydration to keep your skin barrier strong, enabling it to retain as much water as possible. Most of the light textures (gels, fluids) that were great for summer can now take a seat in your medicine cabinet. Skincare for dry skin, including moisturizers with glycerin and shea butter like La Roche-Posay Hydraphase HA Rich Face Cream, are essential to your winter skincare routine. That said, a hyaluronic acid serum should not be overlooked, as the ingredient can hold 1,000 times its weight in water. It can be found in La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Anti-Aging Serum. Layer it under your moisturizer for an added boost.
Though we can easily skip body lotion in summer, your skin will tell you otherwise in winter, either quietly with flakes or loudly in the form of intense itching. The best way to remedy this is to apply one immediately after bathing to seal in that water. Look for a hydrating body cream like La Roche-Posay Lipikar Body Lotion. It contains shea butter and niacinamide; both ingredients soothe and restore the skin barrier.
What to do about sensitive, itchy skin:
When you already have sensitive skin, winter can be even more challenging—and a whole lot itchier! Again, this is simply the result of the low humidity levels pulling moisture away, leaving you with dry skin. Sometimes the irritation is so bad that the skin becomes inflamed. Use a gentle milky cleanser like La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser, which is soap-, alcohol- and fragrance-free. Follow that with an equally soothing moisturizer such as Toleriane Sensitive Fluide. In terms of a calming eye cream, try Toleriane Dermallergo Eyes; this product helps restore the thin barrier around the eyes.
Additional winter skin tips:
- The lips, which have no oil glands, are under even more assault, often getting flaky or cracked. That’s why lip balms are mandatory in winter—keep one in every pocket if possible.
- A humidifier is your friend at this time of year. Keep one in your bedroom to quietly pump moisture into the air while you sleep.
- As enticing as it seems, a hot bath or shower will not do your dry skin any favours—it will strip it of moisture even further. Stick to lukewarm temperatures.
- Another thing to avoid? Harsh soaps. They commit the same crime as hot water, so steer clear.
