top winter
skin care tips

Snehal Phadtare Nov 27, 2021

In This Article

  • How Winter Affects Skin?
  • Common Winter Skin Problems
  • Top Winter Skincare Tips
  • Winter Skincare Routine As Per Skin Type

As the season changes, changes our fashion and clothes then why not our skincare routine! Due to transition in weather and temperature, our skin may become too much dry, and dry skin can bring along many other challenges like cracked lips, flaking, skin dryness, etc. Therefore, the skin needs nourishment so that it can retain the moisture better. With a drop in the humidity and temperature, our skin tends to get dry, and if it is not moisturized, then it can lead to flaky skin.

How Winter Affects Skin?

Your skin interacts with the environment every day. This includes daily weather, climate conditions, pollution, environmental toxins, and even man-made environments like air-conditioning and central heating. So when the seasons change from fall to winter, your skin notices since it’s the organ that interacts directly with the elements.

During winter, the moisture barrier, also known as the Stratum Corneum or skin barrier, is extremely fragile and likely to become compromised. This is due to the lack of moisture in the air. When humidity levels are low, the skin is at risk of becoming dehydrated because there’s no water available in the atmosphere for the skin to grab onto.Dryness and dehydration are some of the top concerns when it comes to winter skin, which makes sense since low humidity dries out the skin. Coupled with the cold temperatures, that nip away at the skin’s surface, and winter skin becomes an issue.

Common Winter Skin Problems

Similar to how you may find your skin oilier in the summer, you may notice winter skin flare-ups that arise as the weather becomes colder and drier. It includes Dryness, Dehydration, Cracking, Inflammation, Itchiness, Redness, Sensitivity, and Tightness. These are some of the main winter skin problems that arise when the season changes. While you may experience some of these issues throughout the year, these issues are especially troubling during the harsh winter months.When you’re outside in the harsh winter conditions, your skin is exposed to chilling temperatures with virtually no moisture available to replenish the lost moisture. To make matters worse, pollution is worse during winter, increasing the chance of free radical damage causing premature aging.

Top Winter Skincare Tips

Stay Hydrated

This may seem obvious, but when it’s not blazing hot outside, many of us don’t drink enough water. Yes, it’s hugely important to moisturize the skin with creams, oils or serums, but water – which makes up 64% of our skin, is the key to proper hydration. Water plumps the skin, encourages collagen production and flushes toxins (including acne-causing ones) from our bodies. If you’re not drinking the recommended 2 liters of water (or 6-8 glasses) every day, your skin will appear dull. You’re also likely to increase the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Use Soap Free Non-Foaming Cleansers

During the winter time you want to switch to cleansers containing neutral pH so they don’t disturb the acidic pH of your skin and cause breakouts. Non lathering soap is actually a very good idea not just during the winter but all year around. You may add Skinluv Purifying Cleanser to your skincare routine. This cleanser is soap free mild cleanser that cleanses your skin without any irritation.  

Wear A Sunscreen Every Day

You will be surprised to know that the winter sun is actually more harmful for your skin. In summer you feel hot and take cover, limiting your UV exposure. But in winter you love to sit out all day in the sun. Not only can this aggravate pigmentation, but also prematurely age your skin. 

Eat Right

Your skin reflects what you eat. Winters tend to make you hungry. Reach out for dried fruit and nuts when you feel like snacking. Do not forget to include the green leafy vegetables, fruits and millets which will keep your body warm and healthy through winter.

Use Mild Exfoliator

Your winter skincare routine would not be complete without regular exfoliation. It’s important to use a mild exfoliator to remove dead and dry cells from the skin’s surface and enable serums and creams to be absorbed more deeply into the skin this is your most effective tool to combat dullness and blackheads. 

Add Extra Hydration With Face Oils

Using serums or oils before your cream is a great way to pack in extra moisture and key ingredients, and your skin will take all that it can get in the winter. If you have naturally dry skin or fear you’re on the brink of dehydrated skin, you can upgrade your serum to facial oil (Carrier Oils or Essential Oils). Plus, serums and oils are usually high in vitamins, antioxidants, botanicals, and other skin-nourishing and -hydrating ingredients that will boost your winter skin care routine.

Protect your lips

Winters and harsh cold winds can leave our lips dry and chapped and hiding them under our masks can do more harm than we know. For smooth and supple lips, it is essential to use a good lip balm. The best way to choose the right lip balm is to look for one infused with the goodness of herbs.

Winter Skincare Routine As Per Skin Type

Winter Skin Care For Dry Skin

Having dry skin in the winter is like being allergic to dogs and going to a dog show. It’s just months of discomfort, itchiness, dryness, and all-around frustration. The best way to combat this is by keeping your skin as moisturized and as hydrated as you possibly can. Get a hold of a really good moisturizer that will not only add moisture, but help lock it into your skin. And don’t worry about overdoing it as long as you’re putting it on clean skin, a few extra applications is fine, so keep it with you when you’re out and about!

Winter Skin Care For Oily Skin

Even oily skin might experience some dryness in the winter (in fact, you might feel as if your skin is closer to combination skin for a few months out of the year), so don’t worry about adding some extra moisturizer to your skin. Just make sure you’re using one that’s made for all skin types. And remember, if your skin is acting like it’s really combination skin, you can treat it as such and just add extra moisturizer (and hydrating serum) in the spots that are extra dry.

Winter Skin Care For Combination Skin

Chances are, in the winter your skin probably acts more like dry skin so make sure you’re hydrating as much as possible with both moisturizer and eye cream. If you’re like most combination skins, you probably don’t use as much moisturizer on your nose and forehead ordinarily, but if you feel like you need it in the winter, go ahead.

Winter Skin Care For Sensitive Skin

Strangely enough, sensitive skin acts in very similar ways during both summer and winter in that they usually become even more sensitive in extreme weather. If you have sensitive skin, make sure you don’t do anything to exacerbate the conditions like physical exfoliation (which literally involves rubbing the skin) or introducing products with harsh chemicals. People with sensitive skin should really watch their shower temperature to make sure they’re not drying out their skin more than necessary.