Written: Kelly Horton-Beeman, LE // Edited: Maria Von Losch
Since the wintery air is drier and humidity is lower, swapping out your skincare like you swap out sandals for boots is necessary for all skin types. It’s important to consider doing this because weather change coupled with dry indoor temperatures from heaters, dehydrates our skin’s moisture levels so adjusting your skincare to balance out the skin’s barrier is vital to healthy skin.
Winter is a great time for targeted skin treatments. We always worry about peels and laser treatments in the summer months. With sun exposure before or after such procedures there is a higher risk of unwanted post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation. Winter months are therefore the ideal time to receive these types of in-office treatments.
If you have hyperpigmentation and melasma, Cosmelan delivers almost a home run every time. For those needing to address fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, I suggest fractionated laser treatments like Fraxel.
If you’re looking to just refresh or reset your skin, I suggest a medium depth Chemical Peel like Apeele that also delivers incredible results for Acne.
Here’s a breakdown of what to switch up during the winter months for different skin types.
OILY SKIN
Oily skin may not be affected by dryer temps but it’s important to add in a topical hydrator or serum to ensure the skin is balanced even during winter months. Hyaluronic Acid serums like iS Clinical Hydracool or gllo Beauty’s HA Serum will aid in balancing the skin’s surface. When it comes to exfoliation, it’s more so a habitual step for oily skin.
Just because it’s winter, it doesn’t mean your skin won’t need a good exfoliation. If you have oily skin, you still want to control excessive oil or remove a nice layer of excessive dead skin cells by using a chemical exfoliant like AlumierMD Bright and Clear Solution or Enzymatic Peel.
By removing dead skin cells you’ll ensure the serums you apply will be absorbing and balancing the skin’s surface even in winters dryer months.
NORMAL SKIN
Although normal skin can be the least demanding it still needs attention in the winter months. Switching from a gel based cleanser to an oil or cream base will keep the skin balanced.
Normal skin can tolerate active ingredients like retinol during winter months but you will want to switch out your lotion for a cream moisturizer to soothe and restore the skin’s barrier.
DRY SKIN
The cardinal rule of wintertime skincare is keeping skin hydrated especially for those with dry skin. Emollients usually come in the form of creams and lotions that help in skin barrier function. And occlusives are oils that form a layer on the skin and physically block water from escaping.
Think of your skincare application like outerwear for your skin; just like you need to layer your clothing to keep your body warm in the cooler months, your skin needs the same to prevent over-drying.
Layering can be essential to balancing dry skin. If you need a quick explainer on what order to layer your skincare, a good rule of thumb is to layer lightest to heaviest (i.e., watery toner first, serum second, and moisturizer third).
SENSITIVE SKIN
Winter skin is extremely fragile, and those with sensitive skin can struggle through the cold months. If you have sensitive skin using a targeted skincare regimen that is calming, hydrating and balancing is essential.
I recommend the Calming Collection by AlumierMD, the luxurious set features three carefully curated, essential home care products to support sensitive and redness-prone skin, making it simple and effective. Winter skin is often dull so I recommend a professional facial about every 3 to 4 weeks. That’s how long it takes your skin to move through the full life cycle of skin cell growth.
I often advise clients to opt for a Diamond Glow Facial treatment to slough off dead skin using a real diamond tip while simultaneously extracting impurities from the pores and infuses a pro-fusion customized targeted serum.
Regular facials will help to keep your skin clean, clear and hydrated whilst maximizing your winter skincare regime too. A SkinGym fan favorite is the YOU GLOW GIRL Facial offering a skin resurfacing mask and a dermal quench hydrating infusion of Hyaluronic Acid with hyperbaric oxygen.
Either of these facials promises to brighten, hydrate and leave you glowing even during the darkest of winter months.
More about Contributor, Kelly Horton-Beeman, LE Founder FACES SkinGym at:
Kelly is located at FACES+ in La Jolla, CA and also offers online skin coaching. She founded FACES SkinGym with the desire to coach individuals to healthy glowing skin using physician dispensed skincare that is science driven and free drop shipping to her client’s front door. With over 20 years experience Kelly provides clients with a step-by-step curated treatment plan that fits within their needs, desires and budgets. Her passion is treating clients/patients struggling with Melasma for years. She loves providing them with results and education to manage this frustrating skin condition.
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