My Winter Skin Care Routine

I never really took care of my skin until college. Having grown up in the south, I never needed to, really, but my first NYC winter did a number on my dry, sensitive, and eczema-prone skin. Through a lot of trial and error, I’ve found the following products keep my skin moisturized and minimally inflamed through the frigid and dry months. Especially if you’re like me and prefer to wear minimal makeup (i.e. no foundation, just concealer on trouble spots), taking care of your skin is a worthy investment as it saves you time in the mornings getting ready and $$ you’d spend on makeup! 

Step One — Cleanser

I barely wash my face anymore. Instead, I wipe off the day’s impurities with micellar water and a cotton pad. That’s it. No need to rinse with water. I love this brand of micellar water and switch between Sensibio, which is designed for sensitive skin, and Hydrobio, which is formulated for dry skin. The cotton pads I use are from Japan and luxuriously soft. I used to need two cotton pads per cleanse, but these pads are so thick and absorbent I only need one; I wipe half of my face with the front, apply micellar water to the back, and wipe the rest of my face. On special occasions when I put on a full face of makeup, I will supplement the micellar water with a regular cleanser to ensure my makeup is fully removed. I’ll use the micellar water first, then use the cleanser and rinse everything off. I don’t use a separate makeup remover, as I’ve found most makeup removers are extremely drying.

Step Two — Face Mask

Once a month, I apply a face mask after cleansing. I’ve linked my favorite masks below. After the mask, I’ll proceed with the rest of my routine.

Step Three — Toner

This essence is not cheap, but there is a reason why this brand, and this toner especially, has such a devoted following. Since I started using it one year ago, I have noticed a marked difference in the smoothness of my skin and the evenness of its tone. I use it every night and use this witch hazel toner instead in the mornings, because, again, this stuff ain’t cheap.

Step Four — Oil

Every night, I gently massage either tamanu or hemp seed oil into my face. Once every 1-2 weeks, I swap it out with this sleeping night oil x lactic acid combo. The oil contains retinol, so I recommend only applying at night and making sure you wear ample SPF the next day. When you see the price tag on the sleeping night oil combo, you’ll understand why I elect to only use it once every 1-2 weeks.

Step Five — A Dose of Antioxidants

I only discovered Niacinamide, and it has made such a difference in my hyperpigmentation, scarring, and dark spots since I started using it a year ago. This little antioxidant is an overachiever that can alleviate the many other skin concerns you may have, including overproduction of oil, uneven skin texture, oversized pores, the list goes on! I don’t apply it every day, just a few days a week as a spot treatment. When I already have the night oil combo on my face, I definitely skip this step. There’s no scientific reasoning behind why I do; I just don’t want to overload my skin. Finally, if you have sensitive skin like me, I would recommend doing a patch test to see how your skin reacts.

Step Six — Cream

I swap out my lotion with a thicker cream in the winter. I squeeze about a quarter-sized amount onto my hand, dot it around my face, and tap (don’t rub or pull!) the product gently into my face. I switch between it and this Aveeno lotion, which contains collodial oatmeal (does wonders for eczema flare-ups!). On extra dry days when my skin needs a little TLC, I apply a thin layer of of this EltaMD moisturizer on top of the cream. I top everything off with eye gel at night. I apply the gel all around the circumference of my eyes, not just under them.

Step seven — Humidifier

I can’t emphasize what a huge difference a humidifier makes in the winter. I have it running through the night on my nightstand and fill it with filtered or distilled water to minimize mineral buildup in the humidifier. Some mineral buildup in inevitable however, so I’ll scrub the inside of the humidifier once a month with a toothbrush dipped in undiluted white vinegar. If a humidifier is not something you can swing at the moment, you can always hang a moist towel by your bed. You want the towel to be damp but not so wet that it will drip overnight.

I hope these recommendations were helpful! As a friendly reminder, I am no skincare expert, and this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. All products mentioned above have worked wonders for my skin, but everyone’s skin is different! Actual results may vary.

All opinions are my own, and this post is not sponsored by any brands. It does contain affiliate links, which may give me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support as it helps me keep this blog going!