Does your skin get dry in the winter? Mine is dry year round! Here are my winter skincare must-haves from head to toe.
Winter Skincare Must Haves
While my skin tends to be on the drier side year-round, I definitely notice changes to my skin in the cold, winter months. I turn into one of those alligator skin commercials if I don’t proactively add winter moisturizers!
It doesn’t help that we’re indoors more than ever this season and having the heat on constantly can make our skin feel parched (Especially because I tend to sit on the floor next to the fire – literally burning the moisture off!!).
With winter, we are often met with cooler, dryer temperatures, leaving our skin thirsty for moisture and hydration.
I try to drink more water, electrolytes, and tea, not take super hot showers (which I love), eat hydrating foods, and spend time in the sauna. And on top of all of that – I add all the layers of skincare, creams, moisturizers, oils, and barrier protectors to my skincare routine that I can!
Here is my list of must-haves and favorites I use most in winter, but add for hydration all year long.
Cleansing Balms
Instead of using a purifying cleanser, in the winter I tend to use more oils and balms that leave a little more moisture in my skin. These balms are designed to take off makeup and gently cleanse without stripping your skin, meaning more hydration stays behind. The two I have are the Crunchi I Am The Balm and Colleen Rothschild’s Cleansing Balm. The Crunchi balm is thicker, a bit more oily, and is powered by turmeric and plant-based squalane, and the Colleen balm is more easy to spread and smells delicious. I’d go with the Colleen and get 20% off! Use code KATHEATS20 for 20% off your entire CR order!
Face Moisturizers
I use these creams year-round, but they are especially important to use consistently in the winter. I will often use a night cream in the day in the wintertime. My favorite is the Oliveda Regeneration Intense Face Cream. It’s thick and spreads similar to the Beautycounter Supreme Cream. If you prefer a lighter night cream, the Dime Restorative Night Cream is a bit lighter and also less expensive. It’s also EWG Verified. Get 20% off of Dime with the code KATHEATS. I also love adding this hyaluronic serum in the winter months because it’s specifically formulated for the driest skin with a combination of low and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid. Lastly, the Colleen Rothschild Intense Hydrating Mask is a hydration mask (obvi) but you can also just leave it on instead of rinsing it off. I use it a few times a week.
Face Oils
Another way to lock in moisture is to layer on a face oil after moisturizing. My favorite to top off my night cream is the Colleen Rothschild Retinol Supreme Night Oil. It helps to seal in all the layers before it. If you want an oil without retinol, try the Face Oil No. 9. I also got hooked on using a gua sha in the sauna as influenced by my friend Jen! Now about 10 of us all have them and use them while we chat in the sauna. I apply the Oliveda Jasmine Face Oil prior to getting in the sauna and use it to help the gua sha glide over my face (You can of course do this at home too). It really presses the oil in! When I get out, I just rinse my face rather than a deeper cleanse so the oils stay in.
Body Scrub with Oil
We are OBSESSED with the Beautycounter Lemongrass Body Scrub in our house. Sadly, you can’t buy it right now, but when you can – Stock. Up. It’s a scrub with an oil that stays on your skin, and it is THE BEST in the winter. Also, the lemongrass scent is just out of this world good. TBD when it will be available again (summer 2025 I hear?).
Body Moisturizers
I don’t always use a body moisturizer when I get out of the shower because often I just forget! A few that I love include the Dime Biome Body Butter, which has shea butter, vitamins A and E, and probiotics to restore balance to the skin barrier. It’s like a night cream for your whole body. They sent me a sample and it’s amazing! Kind of like lotion meets balm. It smooths on like a lotion but has the staying power of a balm. Get 20% off with the code katheats and my link.
I also love Oliveda’s Cell Active Body Serum which is a bit lighter, full of olive leaf cell elixir, and smells like vanilla. And the Grapefruit Rose Body Balm is more of a traditional body lotion and smells floral. Both are great!
Lips
I am seriously addicted to the Beautycounter Lip Jellies, but you can’t buy them any more! The Colleen Rothschild Vitamin E Lip Moisturizer has a similar vibe. It’s more of a “jelly” texture and has a similar applicator. It is a great substitute and tastes like brown sugar! I also LOVE the Butter Lip Mask and put it on at bedtime every night since it lives on my nightstand. The Oliveda Lip Balm is also great for winter. It has a bit more of a thick/sticky texture (kind of like Aquaphor?) but it’s herbal-y and very good for chapped lips.
Inside
The Oliveda drinkable elixirs are also a great way to boost skincare in the winter. Each elixir combines hydroxytyrosol with other natural ingredients like camu camu (rich in vitamin C), bioactive collagen peptides and hyaluronic acid to enhance skin hydration, elasticity, boost collagen and overall health. Here’s my blog post all about them.
Also, check out these blog posts about eating a diet that supports skin: real food for your skin and 10 foods that hydrate skin.
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