Winter routine

Your skin changes in winter — and you're not imagining it. Cold air, wind and central heating change the environment your skin lives in every day. Understanding what's going on helps you look after it with fewer products and better choices.

Why your skin changes in winter

The outermost layer of your skin works like a wall: the cells are the bricks and the lipids (ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids) are the mortar holding them together. This skin barrier keeps water in and irritants out.

In winter, several things put pressure on that wall at the same time:

  • Cold, dry air — cold air holds little moisture. The drier the air, the more easily water leaves your skin.
  • Central heating — it warms the air without adding moisture. Hours in a heated room feel, to your skin, like a very dry climate.
  • Wind — speeds up evaporation and irritates exposed skin, especially on the cheeks, nose and lips.
  • Hot water — dissolves some of the barrier's lipids. A long, hot shower feels lovely, but leaves your skin less protected.
  • Temperature swings — going from cold to warm makes the tiny blood vessels in the skin narrow and widen, which can make redness more noticeable in reactive skin.

Dry skin or dehydrated skin?

They sound the same, but they're not:

  • Dry skin is a skin type: it produces few lipids. It feels rough and tight all year round, and worse in winter.
  • Dehydrated skin is a condition: it lacks water. It can happen to any skin type, including oily skin — which is why some skin looks shiny and feels tight at the same time.

Signs your skin needs help: it feels tight after cleansing, it flakes in small patches, make-up clings to dry areas, redness or itching appears, and fine lines show more by the end of the day.

Hydrating isn't the same as nourishing

Skincare works in three ways, and in winter you need all three:

  • Humectants (such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid) — attract and hold water. They work best on still-damp skin.
  • Emollients (such as plant oils) — fill the gaps between cells and leave skin softer.
  • Lipids and occlusives (such as ceramides and butters) — strengthen the barrier's "mortar" and reduce water loss.

A light serum on its own is rarely enough in January. A cream with lipids on top makes the difference.

Your winter routine, step by step

Morning

  1. Cleanse gently. Lukewarm water and a cleanser that doesn't leave skin tight — milks, gentle gels or foams without harsh sulphates. If your skin is very dry, water alone is enough in the morning.
  2. Layer hydration. On still-damp skin, a serum or gel with humectants.
  3. Nourish. A richer cream than in summer, combining hydration and lipids.
  4. Protect. Sunscreen every morning. On snowy days or in the mountains, light reflects and exposure is higher.

Evening

  1. Double cleanse, if you wore make-up or sunscreen. First something that dissolves (biphasic remover, milk or oil), then your usual cleanser.
  2. Alcohol-free toner, to restore comfort after water.
  3. Repair the barrier. Skin renews itself at night: a cream with ceramides helps reinforce the "mortar".
  4. Seal it in, on the driest nights. Two or three drops of facial oil over your cream reduce water loss while you sleep.

Adapt it to your skin type

  • Dry — follow the full routine and don't shy away from richer textures and an oil at night.
  • Combination or oily — it gets dehydrated in winter too. Keep a light moisturiser without heavy oils, and use richer textures only where it feels tight. Don't fight shine by washing more often: it only weakens the barrier.
  • Sensitive — fewer steps and simple formulas, with no added fragrance. Introduce one new product at a time.
  • Mature — skin produces fewer lipids with age, so it feels winter more. Prioritise ceramides and nourishing creams at night.

Not sure what your skin type is? The skin diagnosis takes 2 minutes.

Habits that matter as much as creams

  • Lukewarm, not hot, water, and shorter showers.
  • Pat your skin dry instead of rubbing with the towel.
  • Apply your creams within a few minutes of showering or cleansing, while skin is still damp.
  • Exfoliate less — once a week is enough. Exfoliating more doesn't remove dry skin: it weakens the barrier.
  • Humidity at home — a humidifier in the bedroom, especially with the heating on, helps your skin (and your breathing).
  • Lips and hands — the first to crack. Don't lick your lips (saliva evaporates and dries them more) and reapply hand cream after washing.
  • Wool and rough fabrics — can irritate the neck and face on sensitive skin; a cotton scarf underneath helps.

Winter myths

  • "I don't need sunscreen in winter." Myth. UVA rays pass through clouds and are present all year.
  • "Oily skin doesn't need moisturiser." Myth. When it gets dehydrated, it may even produce more sebum to compensate.
  • "Drinking lots of water fixes dry skin." Only partly. Staying hydrated matters for your whole body, but for dry skin what counts most is protecting the barrier from the outside.

When to see a dermatologist

If you get cracks that bleed, red itchy patches that won't go away, or if you already have eczema or psoriasis and notice it getting worse, see a dermatologist. A good routine helps, but it doesn't replace a diagnosis.

Learn more

If you'd like to know what we use in this routine: Cleansing Milk, Hyaluronic Acid Moisturising Gel, Nourishing Cream, Night Cream with Ceramides, Nourishing Facial Oil and Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50.