(Skin Care)
These Mid-Winter Skin Care Products Will Revive Your Dry, Tired Skin
Moisture is key.
It’s an all too common tale: You’ve made it through the transition from fall to winter without a major skin freak out. Yes, your complexion has stayed soft and smooth despite the frigid temps, moisture-sucking indoor heating systems, and near-scalding showers you’ve been taking to stay warm. That is, until you wake up in January and your face feels taut, your skin is cracking, and your glow has suddenly vanished. The reality is the cold-weather elements eventually catch up with everyone at some point during the season. However, there’s an easy solution: Adding a few key mid-winter skin care products into your existing routine will jump-start your skin until the ice thaws.
Even if you’ve been using your moisturizer, it’s common to still experience dryness this time of year. “Fluctuating temperatures, such as central heating indoors, the cold weather outside, and hot showers are the perfect trifecta for moisture loss,” Dr. Rina Weimann, M.D., board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in King of Prussia, PA, previously told TZR. The excess dryness can also lead to redness, flaking, and breakouts.
So, to sum it up, moisture is key. Below, you’ll find gentle, ultra-nourishing products to add to your current lineup. These picks will keep your skin smooth for the rest of the season while also tackling major year-round concerns such as loss of firmness and dark spots.
Products For Your Morning Routine
Washing your face with the right cleanser will set the rest of your routine up for success. If your skin is feeling the cold, dry winter air hard, opt for a creamy formula that’s packed with hydrating, soothing ingredients like this one from Dr. Loretta. It will effectively lift pollution, makeup remnants from last night, and excess oil without further stripping your skin.
By mid-winter, your complexion might be a little lackluster and dull due to the lack of sunlight. That’s what makes a vitamin C serum a key step in any routine. On top of working to diminish hyperpigmentation and post-acne marks via time-released active ingredients that minimize irritation and boosts effectiveness, Tatcha’s The Brightening Serum also firms and offers antioxidant protection. Bonus: It’s free from that notorious dreaded hot dog water scent of many vitamin C serums.
For extra thirsty skin, add a complexion-softening serum into the mix. This one by dermatologist-loved brand Skinmedica features five forms of hyaluronic acid and a hydracollagen complex to deeply penetrate the skin for instant and long-lasting hydration.
This moisturizing cream packs a one-two punch. In addition to replenishing skin, the ceramide- and hyaluronic acid-infused formula also plumps fine lines for a smoother complexion.
Yes, sunscreen is essential year-round – even if you’re spending less time outside. So, why not multitask with a hydrating SPF to nourish your skin while protecting it from UV/UVA rays. Kiehl’s chemical sunscreen has a silky serum-like texture that leaves skin with a nice glow.
Products For Your Nighttime Routine
Not your average waxy cleansing balm, this jelly from Femmue melts away makeup, pollution, and excess oil while simultaneously protecting the skin barrier. In fact, your face feels softer once you rinse it off.
Turn your nighttime routine into a full self-care moment with a face mask. Better yet, go with this treatment specifically made to calm and restore inflamed, irritated skin, which can be a side effect of the winter elements.
Add dehydration to the list of visible signs of aging and fatigue that manifest first on the delicate eye area. So, get a break from dry, puffy, under-eyes with an uber-rich eye cream. Packed with its nourishing and renewing proprietary TFC8, it deeply hydrates, brightens, and firms.
If streamlining your skin care routine is on your list of 2025 goals, Eighth Day’s night cream will be a welcome addition to your lineup — and a way to reap the smoothing, firming, and brightening benefits of a retinoid without further setting off seasonally dry and/or irritated skin. The nourishing cream boasts time-released retinal, which maximizes results and minimizes the risk of redness and/or flaking.
Top off your hydration-focused regimen with a barrier-restoring product. This rich cream from Rhode is packed with peptides and ceramides that work to replenish skin for a smoother, more even complexion over time. You can use it as your sole moisturizer or add it to areas of your face that could use a little TLC.
