When your skin feels or looks tight, flaky, red, or irritated during the winter, the common response is to add to your skincare routine.
But buying more products and adding yet another active ingredient may not help your winter skin. In fact, it may make it worse.
What you really need is less irritation and more barrier support.
Let’s look at what that means for your at-home skincare routine and products!
What is my skin barrier?
Your skin barrier is your skin's first line of defense.
Think of it like a protective wall that helps keep moisture in and environmental irritants out. When that barrier isn't functioning properly, skin can become dry, sensitive, and reactive.
So many of our patients at The Look remark on how shiny our team’s skin is. This “glass skin” effect is a result of a healthy, supported skin barrier.
Healthy skin reflects light. But when your skin barrier is weak or unhealthy, your entire face will look dull and can feel tight, flaky, or itchy.
Look for these signs to determine if your skin barrier needs some support:
· Tightness (especially after cleansing)·
· Flaking
· Redness
· Stinging when applying products
· Dullness
When you see these symptoms, it’s a sign your skin barrier is struggling.
Why do I have such dry, itchy skin in the winter?
Winter creates the perfect conditions for moisture loss. Cold outdoor air, lower humidity, indoor heating, and hot showers can all leave skin feeling drier than usual.
And if your routine is filled with exfoliating acids, retinoids, and other corrective products, you’re probably asking too much of your skin at once.
You don’t typically need an entirely new skincare routine every time the weather changes.
Small adjustments can make a big difference. Sometimes less really is more when it comes to your skin barrier!
3 levels of the best skincare routine for dry, itchy skin in the winter
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to build an effective skincare routine at home.
There are so many TikToks and Instagram reels of 20-step skincare routines that cost thousands of dollars and involve dozens of products.
At The Look, we’re serious about our conservative approach to skincare. We don’t overinject, and we don’t recommend an at-home skincare routine that requires too much of your time and money.
The key is to find a routine that meets your needs and works with your schedule and budget so you can be consistent.
Level 1: The Winter Swap
What to do: Change your nighttime moisturizer. (And don’t forget SPF!)
This simple swap is effective for anyone whose skin feels tight after cleansing or whose skin is flaking more than usual.
A lightweight summer moisturizer may not be enough for overnight during the colder months. Look for a richer cream with moisturizing and protective ingredients, such as ceramides, glycerin, or dimethicone.
These ingredients help reduce transepidermal water loss (the moisture escaping through your skin!).
Recommended nighttime moisturizers our team loves for winter months:
· Hydrinity Celthera Advanced Overnight Repair Cream
This is a 360° cellular repair system that works overnight to transform your skin from within. Peptides signal regeneration, NAD+ Boost Technology resets energy at the cellular level, and advanced hydrators and ceramides seal and strengthen your skin barrier.
· Epionce Renewal Facial Cream
This rich moisturizing cream helps reduce the visible appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and other signs of skin aging. It’s expertly formulated for improved clarity and radiance.
Pro application tip: Mist your face and neck with ZO Soothing Hydro Mist first, then apply your nighttime moisturizer while skin is slightly damp. This locks in more moisture!
Don’t forget to apply SPF even on grey, gloomy days. Our favorites include Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50 and Pavise Dynamic Age Defense SPF
Level 2: Hydration Support
What to do: Add a targeted product
This is ideal for anyone whose skin still feels dehydrated after swapping out your evening moisturizer.
More products don’t automatically mean healthier skin. We recommend using a few appropriate products consistently rather than layer multiple actives onto skin that's already irritated.
Keep your upgraded nighttime moisturizer and replace your morning moisturizer with Hydrinity Restorative HA Serum. (Yes, this is a serum that replaces your AM moisturizer.)
Follow our advice from Level 1 and start by misting your face and neck with ZO Soothing Hydro Mist before applying your morning serum.
Experiencing extra-dry, flaky skin? Add in a Hydrinity Restorative HA + Masque to drench your skin barrier with the moisture it desperately needs.
Level 3: Professional Reset
What to do: Add an in-office treatment
You don't have to jump straight into a laser or more intensive procedure to take better care of your skin, especially if you’re new to aesthetics.
For winter skin, the best place to start is with a customized HydraFacial. It’s a great way for your aesthetician to get to know your skin and help you experience the benefits of intentional skincare.
Once skin is healthy and comfortable, we can talk about light and laser treatments, and winter is the ideal season for them.
What products are hurting my skin barrier in winter?
Everyone’s skin is different, so it’s best to work directly with your aesthetician or skincare provider to understand what you need to pause and where you need to make changes to your at-home winter skincare routine.
The usual dry, itchy skin culprits we see include active ingredients like:
· Acids
· Retinoids
· Corrective products
Share your full at-home skincare routine with your provider so you can figure out how to adjust your products to your skin’s needs and the season.
What’s next?
Once your skin is healthy and comfortable, you’re ready to focus on light and laser treatments. Winter is the ideal season for these!
Healthy skin starts with healthy habits.
At The Look Aesthetics, we’re here to learn more about your skin, goals, and needs so we can customize a treatment plan that gives you the natural, beautiful results you want.
Click here to book a consultation so we can learn more about your skin, goals, and needs.