The Best Winter Skincare Tips From our Experts

It’s that time of year again. One of the first signs that temperatures have begun to plummet (other than the sudden reappearance of your cold-weather clothes, of course) is that your skin might look and feel a little different.

For example, have you started to notice that it’s to feel tight and flaky? That’ll be the cool, dry air. Or that it seems to lose all moisture by the time you wake up in the morning? You can thank central heating for that.

The good news is that a few good winter skincare tips and product switches will get your skin back to normal in no time.

So, let's get into the best winter skincare routine and some handy beauty hacks to help you cope with the cold weather – all recommended by our experts here at Simple® skincare.

 

How does winter affect your skin?

As with most things in life, everyone’s skin will feel the effects of the winter months differently. Generally speaking, it’s likely that your skin will become drier overall - no matter what your skin type.

If you already have dry or sensitive skin, you could experience redness, irritation and flakiness. If you have oily skin, you might notice it starts to overproduce sebum in response to being drier than usual.

Some winter effects on skin can include:

• Tightness and irritation
• Redness
• Dry areas and flaky patches
• Inflammation of existing conditions like eczema
• More noticeable fine lines and wrinkles

What triggers dry skin?

If you’re wondering what causes dry skin in winter, the answer is generally the colder temperatures and drop in humidity levels.

Anyone who’s experienced dry, stressed-out winter skin will know that feeling all too well. So, let’s look at how you can get prepared now to beat the chill and keep your skin happy and healthy all season.

 

What can I do for my skin in winter?

You may not be able to control the weather, but you can try to limit your exposure to the cold by wrapping up warm when you go outside (don’t forget your scarf and gloves especially.)

One easy way you can start to take control, though, is by looking at what skincare products you’re using and making some quick and easy changes.

What’s the best winter skincare routine?

Skin care in winter doesn’t mean making huge overhauls and adding tonnes of different products in. For lots of people, even just using a gentler cleanser and a richer moisturiser can really make a difference.

Here’s what we’re using to care for dry winter skin right now.

1. Cleanse with care

The first place to start is by reaching for a mild cleanser. Our NEW Active Skin Barrier Care range has two amazing formulas to choose from.

First of all, there’s the Replenishing Cream Cleanser which is a super effective cream-to-foam formula, enriched with 11% Ceramide Boosters and Hyaluronic Acid. Every cleanse lifts away make-up, pollution and impurities while nourishing and repairing your skin’s natural moisture barrier.

Or, you could go for the Smoothing Gel Cleanser that everyone’s obsessed with right now. It’s blended with 5% Lactic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid, which gently exfoliates and buffs away dead skin cells while retaining moisture. So, it's the best way to keep flaky skin at bay, without drying it out. It’s the perfect 2-in-1 pick if you think your current face scrub is going to be too intense during the winter months.

How to use: Squeeze a small amount of your chosen cleanser into your hands and massage onto warm, damp skin. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry, ready for your serum.

 

2. Start using a serum

Always been a bit sceptical about whether serums are worth trying? Trust us, they’re exactly what you need to boost your entire regime.

Serums often have higher concentrations of active ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid and can penetrate more deeply into the skin.

Our amazing 3% Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin B5 Booster Serum regulate sebum production and improves texture. It helps lock in moisture and keeps skin hydrated. 

It also relieves irritation, making it the perfect partner to calm dry, sensitive skin. Packed with 3% active ingredients, it contains 0.5% active Hyaluronic Acid, 0.5% active PENTAVITIN™ and 2.5% active Pro-Vitamin B5 – the dream team for soft, plump skin.

Plus, it’s PETA approved and vegan, with 95% naturally derived ingredients.

How to use: Smooth a few drops onto cleansed skin. You can do this when your skin is either dry or slightly damp to help it absorb even better. Follow with your favourite moisturiser.

3. Reach for a rich moisturiser

If there’s one thing that winter skin needs, it’s a moisturiser that intensely replenishes and supports your skin barrier.

Enriched with 22% Ceramide Boosters + Cica, Active Skin Barrier Care Repairing Rich Cream is the perfect choice.

Ceramide Boosters reach deeper into the skin to boost its natural repair processes, which helps reinforce the skin barrier. This helps prevent even more moisture being lost through the skin’s surface.

How to use: Apply a small amount to the skin and gently massage in. Remember to follow with SPF if you’re using as part of your daytime routine – yes, even in winter.

 

Some of our favourite (and surprising) winter skincare tips

Alongside a solid winter skincare routine, there’s a few top tips we’ve learned along the way that’ll really help. From turning down your shower dial a notch to loading up on lip balm, here’s a couple of the key winter skincare tips we swear by...

Here for hydration

Loading up on water during the colder months will help keep your body’s hydration levels topped up. Which will be more important than ever if your skin barrier is damaged, as you’ll likely be experiencing more transepidermal water loss than usual, where more moisture is lost via the skin’s surface.

Don’t forget, if it’s too chilly for a cold drink, herbal teas count towards your daily allowance and keep you warm at the same time. Win-win, right?

To help with the dry air in your home from central heating, try a humidifier, or pop a bowl of just-boiled water in the room. The steam will add some moisture to the air and help keep skin feeling hydrated.

Turn down the shower dial

We know it's the last thing you want to hear but your skin will thank you, trust us. Hot water might feel amazing when you come in from the freezing cold, but it can strip the skin of moisture, which you’re already lacking in winter as it is. So, if you can, try to go easy on the scorching hot showers.

Switching to a gentler shower gel is also a good idea. Like all Simple® products, our Kind to Skin™ Refreshing Shower Gel contains no artificial perfume, colour or harsh chemicals that could upset your skin. Plus, it’s enriched with skin-nourishing ingredients like Pro-Vitamin B5.

Head-to-toe care

It’s not just your face you need to think about when it comes to your winter skin care. Your hands and lips are often the first places to feel cold effects. So, pay some extra attention to them with nourishing lip balms and hand creams. Your body is just as important to keep in mind and can often get neglected, so it’s time to switch to a richer body lotion and use it more often.

Looking for more skin care advice?

We hope you found our cold-weather tips helpful and you’re loving your new winter skincare routine. Let us know how you get on over on our social channels.  We can’t wait to hear if it’s worked for you.

Want more tips and tricks? You’ve got it. We've got lots more articles for you to check out here on our blog.