There's no one-size-fits all for skincare routines. Each type of skin--dry skin, acne prone skin, sensitive skin--they all require different approaches. The only thing that is universal is protecting one's skin barrier, they how, however, varies greatly.
What is a skin barrier?
It's a protective barrier, the outermost layer of your skin or epidermis, that acts as your body's first line of defense against environmental threats. You want to keep your skin hydrated not just because plump skin is a vibe, but because it means your skin barrier is healthy and germs and irritants are less likely to, quite literally, slip through the cracks.
Dry skin is normal, especially during winter weather, but there are ways to go about skincare during the winter months that won't leave you susceptible to cracked skin or impaired barrier function.
Why is winter hard on our skin?
If you take into account things like chapped lips, indoor heating, cold weather, harsh winter winds and dry winter air you can probably understand why switching up your skincare routine in the winter months makes perfect sense. Winter skin care products exist for a reason and there's no need to try and make your "year-round" routine work in a situation that doesn't fit.
How to create a winter skin care routine:
First, we're going to want to assess what's working and what our current. needs are. What are your skin care goals? Are you dealing with skin sensitivity, skin texture, aging skin, dry lips, dry skin?
Then, I'd start checking the ingredients in your current skin care arsenal. You'll want to focus on hydrating ingredients that directly address your skin care concerns. There's no need to toss all your go-to products, but you may want to avoid synthetic fragrances and extremely hot water as that will only contribute to the dry skin. You want to seal moisture in the colder months.
Lastly, please don't forget sun protection. This is necessary for all skin types. UV rays don't go on holiday from November to February, so make sure you're including sunscreen during the winter months.
The best oils for Skin in Winter:
A few drops should do the trick, but the order of applying your products does actually make a difference. The best time to apply oil to your face is immediately after moisturizing if your goal is to retain moisture.
Shea Butter is great for dry skin and sensitive skin because it absorbs quickly and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Jojoba oil helps dry winter skin because it's a natural carrier oil with no harsh ingredients compared to say, a commercial hydrating cream. Jojoba seed oil is often used to reduce flare-ups for people with eczema, acne and sensitive skin types.
Vitamin E oil helps the skin to retain moisture which is exactly the goal for our winter skin. It's often found in lip balms as an active ingredient to prevent cracked lips. Because of it's think consistency, vitamin E works best as an overnight treatment. Just make sure you apply it long enough before bed so it doesn't all rub off on your pillowcases!
Oils to avoid in winter if you have sensitive skin:
I'm speaking more from personal experience here, but I've found that skin covered in coconut oil, products over-saturated with mineral oil and even grapeseed oil lead me to breakouts. Again, it all depends on your skin type, so you're welcome to give it a go!
PS I have an entire article on the best oils for natural hair if that's something you're interested in!
Sensitive skin winter routine:
A Gentle cleanser or some type of hydrating cleansers to start. I use CeraVe. If you wear makeup, I'd still recommend double cleansing your skin. There are ways to go about it that won't require you to lose your natural moisture such as a micellar water versus two different cleansers. I use Avène Cleanance! It leaves my skin feeling clean, but not stripped dry.
Then I go in with some sort of hydrating serum. I normally use hyaluronic acid in the Spring months, but I switch to the Ordinary Amino acids + B5 which is 100% fragrance free and helps hydrate my skin. B5 helps turnover dead skin cells, keeps your skin elastic and is great for aging skin as it repairs, hydrates and protects your skin.
Lastly, no winter skincare is complete without some type of rich cream. My go-to is Weleda Skin Food. I also use the Ordinary's Borage Seed Oil.
In terms of exfoliation, I tend to stik to chemical versus physical so that means I use Paula's Choice AHA/BHA toner and do a chemical peel twice a week. I find that physical exfoliation doesn't work well for dry skin as it upsets the barrier.
Then, of course, lip balm. I use Aquaphor! Or any lip balm with shea butter.
The idea is to build on the natural oils your skin already produces, eliminate dead skin and protect your skin from irritants and uv rays.
Please, please: never forget sunscreen.