Winter is in full force (srsly, have you seen the temps lately?), which means your skin is practically begging for hydration. Between peeling makeup and chapped lips, this is *so* not the szn for a smooth complexion. That’s why we rouded up the best ways to show some extra TLC to your face when it’s freezing.
Put your skin barrier first
Your skin barrier is what keeps moisture in and irritation out—but the cold winter weather, combined with the forced heat indoors, causes dryness, redness and random breakouts.
The best way to beat this? By using a gentle cleanser (try the CeraVe Hydrating Cream-To-Foam Cleanser), moisturizing on slightly damp skin and being consistent with the products you put on your face (use an ultra-hydrating cream like the Prequel Barrier Therapy Skin Protectant every night). Cut down on exfoliation during the winter and be careful about scrubbing too vigorously when you wash (that can disrupt your barrier).
Turn down the water temp
A hot shower is the absolute *best* during the winter, but it’s actually not ideal for your face. Using hot water to wash your face will strip your natural oils, increase dryness and sensitivity and mess with your skin barrier even more (yikes). Cleanse your face with lukewarm water rather than hot—you’ll notice that your makeup sits smoother, and your moisturizer absorbs more evenly. Remember: You don’t have to go ice cold, just not steaming!
Treat your lips like you would your skincare
POV: You’re walking to school in the cold, your lips are dry and cracking and you just ran out of your favorite Burt’s Bees lip balm. Ugh.
Lip care is just as important as skincare, but oftentimes, people don’t prioritize it. Consider this your official wake-up call to cut the lip balm and go for something more heavy-duty. Instead, think of your lips like facial skin. Use a thick lip salve or lip mask before bed so your lips can repair overnight. (Try the Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment or a Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask!) During the day, for fun lip combos, try using a hydrating lip balm instead of a lip gloss, like the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm.
Schedule skin rest days
We know, you can’t go without your bronzing drops or cold-girl blush. But hear us out: If your skin’s super dry, you might want to take a break from using makeup Every. Single. Day.
A skin rest day is a day where you skip makeup or heavy products—and just stick to the basics like cleanser, moisturizer and SPF. Try to have a rest day 1-2 times a week, especially after a breakout or full-glam day.
Change how you apply makeup
Do you feel like your makeup is turning out patchy, cakey or clinging to dry spots? DW, it’s probably not you or your makeup—it’s just freezing outside. Winter skin reacts better to pressing and tapping makeup (hiii, Beauty Blender) instead of dragging or buffing. Make sure you are applying makeup over well-moisturized skin, and try to reach for cream products instead of powder-based ones.
Check out these articles for more beauty tips:
💋 Spa day! Here are five beauty treatments you can do at home
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Slider Image: @ryleearnold1
Top Image: @embreighcourtlyn
Body Images: @lola__winters, @iampresleefaith, @spencer.barbosa, @_xochitl.gomez, @nayveegracenelson
