A Simple Winter Skin Care Routine for Each Skin Type

When you think of the winter season, gorgeous snowfalls, holiday cheer and cozy sweaters probably come to mind. But with the seasonal fun comes chilly temperatures that bring dry skin, chapped lips and other skin concerns. The low humidity and cold weather often leads to dry skin, and when coupled with the use of moisture-sucking heaters, you may come across winter-related dryness that can be difficult to manage.

The idea of dry skin can be concerning, but it’s something that you can tackle like a pro. All you have to do is maintain a solid winter skin care regimen that includes a gentle facial cleanser, hydrating moisturizer and other essentials to keep your skin in its best condition. Ahead, learn how to adapt your skin care for the cold season with the best winter skin care tips for each skin type.

What Skin Care Products Do You Need for Winter?

When creating your winter skin care routine, focus on moisturizing products that will keep your skin nourished throughout the cold season. This can be found in serums and moisturizers formulated with hyaluronic acid, a hero ingredient that is responsible for adding moisture to the skin and keeping it in there, per the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Additionally, you’ll want to opt for heavy face creams over lightweight formulas that may not provide skin with enough protection from the winter weather. 

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends reaching for creams, oils or balms to nourish skin from head to toe. Regardless of your skin type, finish your skin care routine with broad-spectrum sunscreen. Even though winter brings cold, semi-cloudy days, you should still apply sunscreen to protect your skin from the UVA and UVB rays, per the Skin Cancer Foundation. Try the lightweight L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily UV Lotion which blends well into all skin types and doesn’t leave skin feeling greasy. 

The Best Winter Skin Care Routine for Dry Skin

For those tackling dry skin, keep these tips in mind to help your face look and feel its best all winter long.

1. Reach for a Gentle Cleanser

When it comes to facial cleansers, you’ll want to steer clear of foaming face washes since they have the potential to dry out and dehydrate skin. Instead, use a gentle cream option that hydrates and soothes, like L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser. This face wash is formulated with vitamin C and salicylic acid to nourish skin and boost radiance while gently exfoliating and removing all traces of impurities and makeup, without drying out skin.

2. Add Nourishment With a Serum 

Extra dry skin has a fragile skin moisture barrier that can easily be damaged by external factors like pollution and UV rays. In turn, your skin can lose its ability to retain moisture and become easily dehydrated. Remedy this by adding a nourishing serum like L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum to the skin in your daytime and nighttime routine. This serum delivers intense moisture with the concentrated hyaluronic acid that plumps and hydrates skin, without irritation. 

3. Seal the Deal With a Moisturizer 

Top off your moisturizing serum with an equally moisturizing face cream that repairs the skin’s barrier, like L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Skin Care Cell Renewal Midnight Cream, Antioxidants. Your dry skin will enjoy the non-greasy formula that provides a lot of moisture while leaving skin soft.

The Best Winter Skin Care Routine for Oily Skin

If you have oily skin you may think you’re safe from the harsh drying weather of winter, however, you’ll still want to update your regimen to beat the winter chill. Follow the tips below to refresh your skin care routine for winter. 

1. Grab a Nourishing Cleanser

Since dry winter air can be harsh on anyone’s skin, a gentle facial cleanser, like L’Oréal Paris Ideal All Skin Types Foaming Gel Cleanser, is a solid place to start. This drugstore favorite, easily removes makeup, excessive oil and dirt, leaving skin refreshed while deeply purifying to minimize the look of pores. The foam formula is ideal for oily skin types that need a deep cleaning that doesn’t result in tightness, excessive dryness or residue left on the skin.  

2. Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate

Next, you’ll want to add some exfoliation into the mix to eliminate dead skin cells that build up and leave your complexion looking dull. Try L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 5% Glycolic Acid Peeling Toner, which gives your skin a proper exfoliation with its formulation of alpha hydroxy acids (aka glycolic acid), and aloe to hydrate. Apply the toner with your fingers or saturate a cotton round before swiping the toner across your face. Skin will appear smoother with a refined texture that glows, even during the cold drying winter.

3. Moisturize Your Face

Of course, you can’t end a winter skin care routine without a moisturizer, regardless of your skin type. Oily skin types won't need an extra heavy cream to stay hydrated, instead, reach for a lightweight moisturizer like L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Micro Hyaluronic Acid + Ceramides Line-Plumping Water Cream. This water-based face cream is formulated with hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate skin while sealing in moisture.

The Best Winter Skin Care Routine for Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin be mindful of drying skin care that can cause irritation and dehydration. Below, find a simple regimen to help you keep your sensitive skin nourished.

1. Pick Up a Gentle Cleanser

Be cautious with your sensitive skin and use a gentle cleanser that won’t strip your skin, which can leave it dry and susceptible to irritation. Try the aforementioned Revitalift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser which has a creamy texture that’s soothing to the skin while it cleanses dirt, oil and anything else that may be clogging your pores. 

2. Gently Exfoliate Skin

Sensitive skin types should also exfoliate, even during the winter, to eliminate dead skin cells that may affect products penetrating your skin. Instead of using a physical exfoliant like an abrasive face scrub, reach for a chemical exfoliant like a liquid toner or serum. Try L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum, which offers a concentrated dose of glycolic acid, a known exfoliant. This formulation gently resurfaces skin for a refined texture while the added aloe calms sensitive skin.

3. Hydrate Your Skin

As far as moisturizer goes, you’ll want to use one that loads skin with nutrients for nourished, moisturized skin. Reach for L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Day Lotion SPF 30, which is formulated with pro-retinol to reduce wrinkles, vitamin C to brighten complexion and hyaluronic acid to keep skin moisturized. 

The Best Winter Skin Care Routine for Mature Skin

Mature skin will benefit from hydrating ingredients and products that make aging look like a non-starter. Consider the regimen below to help maintain a healthy-looking visage all winter long and beyond.

1. Keep Skin Surface Clean

On cold winter days, you may have a desire to skip washing your face to avoid drying out your skin to avoid flaking and dullness. However, everyone, including those with mature skin, should wash their face at least once a day to keep the surface of the skin clean. Look for a gentle yet powerful cleanser made with mature skin in mind, like L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Skin Care Nourishing Cream Cleanser, which removes makeup, dirt and excessive oil without over-drying the skin. This creamy cleanser leaves skin feeling softer and smoother after just one wash.

2. Use a Brightening Treatment

Target skin concerns like dull skin and an uneven skin tone with a concentrated serum like L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal 12% [Niacinamide + Amino Sulfonic + Ferulic Acid] Dark Spot Serum. If you’re concerned about signs of aging like age spots, you’ll want to add this dark spot treatment as part of a dedicated skin care regimen. This serum offers a powerful (yet gentle) combination of amino sulfonic and ferulic acid to gently exfoliate the skin. Niacinamide is also added to the serum to help visibly reduce dark marks for an even-looking complexion. 

3. Moisturize

After your serum, you’ll want to hydrate skin, especially during the winter to combat dry, flaky skin. At night, reach for a moisturizer like L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Pressed Night Moisturizer with Retinol + Niacinamide, which nourishes and soothes your skin with the infused niacinamide. This moisturizer also has anti-aging properties like reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with the added retinol. When applying this moisturizer add some product to your décolletage area (neck and chest) to target signs of aging there as well. 

Next: The Best Moisturizers for Every Skin Type

Photographer: Stephanie Price, Photo Assistant: Thomas Miller, Digi Tech: Sergio Colon, Art Director: Hannah Packer, Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Content Director: Shalwah Evans, Visual Designer: Sarah Duvivier, Makeup Artist: Kelly Bellevue, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Wardrobe Stylist: Rika Watanabe, Wardrobe Assistant: Fausti, Models: Jacky Lee, Anastasia Offutt