The winter skin survival guide

After spending the day in temperamental air conditioning and icy winds, there’s nothing as quite comforting as coming home on a cold night to a hot, steamy shower and snuggling up in front of the heater.
On the inside, you probably feel a zillion times better, but your skin may not feel the same way. During winter, all the cold air, hot showers and heating can suck the moisture out of your skin, leaving it dry, rough and flaky. So, it’s prime time to step up the skincare TLC.
Not sure where to start? Read on to find out how to keep your skin healthy in winter.
THE BEST WINTER SKIN CARE ROUTINE FOR YOUR FACE
Cleanser
Repeat after me: hydration, hydration, hydration. The cleanser you used to target oiliness in summer might actually dry out your skin now, so swap to a creamy, hydrating cleanser like the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. It’ll still get rid of dirt and oil, but the difference is that it’ll also protect your skin’s natural moisture for a fresh, hydrated complexion.
Exfoliator
To help your skin to shed dead skin cells, step up your exfoliating sessions from one to two per week. A regular scrub using an exfoliator like the Indio Facial Scrub will whisk away dry skin, taking rough, flaky and dull patches with it.
Facial oil
To give parched skin a boost of hydrating goodness, add a facial oil to your winter skin care routine. I’m obsessed with Alpha-H Age Delay Facial Oil. Its concentrated formula is packed with plant oils to deliver loads of nourishment to your complexion, all while giving it a healthy glow.
Moisturiser
It’s vital to follow your cleanser and oil with a rich hydrating and nourishing moisturiser, such as Avene Rich Compensating Cream. You can use it as both a day and night cream to restore lost hydration and protect skin.
HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR BODY IN WINTER
Hydrating body wash
Sure, your bod may be all covered up and out of sight, but it doesn’t deserve to be neglected! Starting the day by lathering up with a rich body wash like the Johnson’s Extra Rich Moisturising Cream Body Wash will not only refresh your skin, but it’ll also help condition and soften your bod. Just remember to ignore the temptation to shower in scalding hot water – warm is best!
Body exfoliator
Like your face, your bod sheds a hell of a lot of dead skin cells each day, so give it a good scrub twice a week from your neck all the way down to your feet. Pop some of your body exfoliator (we love the Ahava Deadsea Water Mineral Body Exfoliator) on an exfoliating mitt, and using circular motions, gently massage it over your entire body, focusing on particularly dry areas like the elbows, knees and heels. You’ll be amazed at how revived and refreshed your skin looks afterwards!
Rich body moisturiser
Now that your bod’s oh-so-clean and flake-free, up its moisture levels with a super-rich moisturiser, like the Nutrimetics Nutri-Rich Body Creme. It’s non-greasy but very nourishing, and won’t irritate sensitive winter skin. For the best results, give your skin a chance to soak up the moisturiser before getting dressed.
Hand cream
If there’s one body part that cops a beating during winter, it’s the hands. Exposed to all the elements, as well as air conditioning and hand washing, your hands and cuticles can end up becoming very dry and cracked. Prevent parched mitts by keeping a nourishing hand cream within arm’s reach all day, every day, Our pick? Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Hand Cream.
What’s your winter skin care routine?
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56 Member Comments
In winter it’s hard not have a nice hot shower but yes skin pay the price
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Good to have a richer cream for face and body when it is so very cold
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great article as dry skin is a problem in winter especially with indoor heating and cold winds, I will try heaps of these tips
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I'm already doing a couple of these basically this is nothing new to me here another article just the same as the rest.
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Poor hands and feet just feel so dry
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I follow the above winter skincare routine for my face.
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I change up my moisturiser, I need one that is a little more nourishing in winter to combat dry and chapped skin caused from the cold weather.
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What you've listed is my routine in winter, I'd add making sure you use a good lip balm on a regular basis as they can get very irritated in the cold weather
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Love having a a bath and exfoliating and applying a mask
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My skin does not change with seasons at all, so always the same...scrub occasionally, moisturize when needed
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My skin does not change with seasons at all, so always the same...scrub occasionally, moisturize when needed
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My skin is dry and it doesn't change with the seasons.
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I always apply body lotion after my shower
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My holy grail product for winter is Sukin Moisture Restoring Night Cream and my love coconut oil all year around.
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I love my hot water shower and been too lazy with hydration -both face and body
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Im guilty of over hot baths and neglecting the body hydration. Thanks for the reminder
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The one product I am guaranteed to use more is hand cream!! I find they become so dry, rough and sensitive. Still on the lookout for the perfect hand cream which is moisturising but not greasy.
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With the heaters on, your skin becomes drier and less hydrated, so you need to hydrate with moisturisers on the outside, and lots of water to hydrate internally.
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Great article. I just placed a large order through People for Plants to have all I need to get into a routine with cleansing, exfoliating, toning, and moisturising. Winter can really dry my skin out. Plus being pregnant its great these products are organic and safe, plus gentle on the environment.
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My hands and cuticles have been super dry lately so I've just started using Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream which smells divine! and has made such a difference to my nails and cuticles but still need to find a better hand cream for winter. Something with intense hydration!
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I have yet to find an oil cleanser or oil based "serum" that agrees with my skin. I find that they make my skin feel drier than it was before using the oil. I think this is because oil is a great solvent for oil and some oils are worse than others. I am going to try the Botani Liquid Velvet, hopefully this one will work.
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In winter I make sure I keep my skin hydrated and exfoliate regularly. I switch to an oil cleanser too to make sure my skin retains its hydration levels.
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I'm in a search for a new face moisturizer, maybe Alpha-H Age Delay Facial Oil since is affordable? Still have some of my left (very pricey to repurchase and only from spas...)
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