During the holiday season, it’s easy to let your skin regime take a backseat. Busy schedules, cold weather, and traveling to and fro can make you want to curl up on the couch and fall asleep. Without washing your face at night. Seems harmless, I know.
Most articles about winter skin tend to focus only on hydrating and moisturizing, but it’s important to take into consideration a few other tips that you might not be thinking of. Within each section of this article, I’ve included a few proven, 5-star rated product options to try.
Happy Winter Everyone!
Up The Ante on Exfoliation
Exfoliation is not often associated with hydration yet several exfoliating acids have great abilities to attract moisture to the skin. Products that contain glycolic acid help to slough off excess layers of dead, flaky skin to reveal soft, new skin underneath.
Lactic acid is a great choice for sensitive skin and is particularly suited for increasing the skin’s hydration levels since it is a hydrophilic (water-attracting) ingredient.
I usually recommend these types of ingredients in the evening, after you have washed your face. Look for a leave-on product that can do all the work for you before heading to bed. If you need additional moisture, you can apply your night cream or face oil a minute or two afterward to ensure proper product absorption.
- Paula’s Choice Daily Smoothing Treatment with 5% AHA ($33) paulaschoice.com
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum ($90) drunkelephant.com
- The Inkey List Lactic Acid Serum ($12.99) sephora.com
Sun Protection
It is a common misconception that you need less sun protection during the winter. Although you think that since you haven’t seen the sun for months you don’t need to wear sunscreen. Rest assured my friend, the sun is still coming through all those grey skies and clouds.
If you’re driving to work the is sun coming through your car windshield, or while running errands you’re outside even if it’s only for a few minutes. all those minutes of sun exposure will add up to 80% of fine lines, wrinkles and sun damage in your later years.
Dry, cold weather can also impact your skin’s barrier, leaving it vulnerable during the humid summer months. Look for facial SPF products that contain antioxidants for additional protection; they are helpful with dodging UV-induced free radicals. Some of these ingredients include L-ascorbic acid (Vit C), tocopherol (Vit E), and milk thistle-derived silybin.
- Anthelios Clear Skin Dry-Touch Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 60 ($20) amazon.com
- Peter Thomas Roth Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 30 ($26) peterthomasroth.com
- EltaMD UV Physical SPF 41 ($27) eltamd.com
Real Hydration
Of course, a winter skin article would be missing something if it didn’t include tips on hydration, so here are the most important things to keep in mind.
If your skin leans to the drier side and you need to bump up your moisture in the winter, consider adding a hydrating serum that contains hyaluronic acid. This powerhouse ingredient is like a weightless drink of water for the skin that helps to increase moisture and plump fine lines and wrinkles.
Hydrating masks are also a great way to infuse some S.O.S hydration into your complexion. Use them at least once a week in your routine and take your pick from sheet masks to cream-based masks that can be tissued off instead of rinsing off.
- Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel Serum ($83) skinceuticals.com
- Clinique Even Better Brightening Moisture Mask ($37) clinique.com
- Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Sheet Mask ($12) sephora.com
Need more tips? Visit my website or you can connect with me here.
Biba is a New Jersey based esthetician, business owner and 15-year veteran of the skincare industry. After working as the lead skincare therapist at top spas in Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia, she founded her own private studio in 2015. Beauty by Biba, located in Southern New Jersey, is a unique wellness getaway where clients receive decadent, customized facials, the highest quality waxing services, as well as in-depth education and insider knowledge of how to achieve their best skin.