The only time I enjoy the winter is during the holidays. The cold, snow and lack of sunshine really wears on me. It specifically does a number on my dry skin. At some point in the last few years, my skin has gone from combo/oily to dry, so I’ve had to make some adjustments to my routine, especially during the cold weather. So without further ado, here is my winter skincare routine for dry skin. I hope you pick up some tips or learn about some new products that might help ease your skincare woes.

Winter Skincare Routine for Dry Skin

AM SKINCARE ROUTINE

I always start my morning by washing my face with my absolute favorite cleanser, Glossier Milky Jelly. It’s gentle enough not to dry out my skin and leaves my face feeling clean and soft. I try to wash my face with lukewarm water, as hot water is too harsh and makes my skin irritated. Every other day, I’ll use a gentle exfoliant like Planted in Beauty’s Polish & Resurface Detox Exfoliant. (Read my full review on this exfoliant here.) It’s super gentle, with tiny beads that help to smooth my skin and prepare it for skincare products and makeup.

Winter Skincare Routine for Dry Skin

I recently swapped out all of my toners with products that don’t contain alcohol, which made a huge difference in my skin. I’ve been using SK-II Essence or Son & Park Beauty Water, both are incredible. Before applying makeup, I love using a hydrating serum like Glossier Super Bounce in the morning, then follow up with a heavier moisturizer. I’m obsessed with Tula’s Hydrating Day & Night Cream and Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich when I need something with more “oomph“. Both work beautifully under makeup and create the perfect smooth base.

Winter Skincare Routine for Dry Skin

As far as eye creams go, I love the brightening effect of Origins GinZing Eye Cream and the de-puffing power of the Caffeine Solution by the Ordinary. As a final step before applying any makeup, I’m also sure to apply an SPF. Currently, the only SPF to touch my face is Glossier’s Invisible Shield. It’s light and doesn’t break out my sensitive skin. If needed, I also exfoliate my lips with Tarte’s Lip Facial because the stick form is super convenient and easy to use, especially when you’re chronically late (like I am). I finish up with a bit of Balm Dot Com, in my favorite flavor, Birthday Cake.

Winter Skincare Routine for Dry Skin

PM SKINCARE ROUTINE

I try to keep up with the 10-step skincare routine, but sometimes it’s just not happening. One step that I never skip is the double cleanse. I start by removing my makeup with Farmacy Green Clean. I’ve yet to try a makeup removing balm or oil that I love more than this one. I wrote a full post about Farmacy Beauty here, if you’re interested in learning more about one of my favorite skincare brands. I follow up with my trusty Milky Jelly cleanser. For the past month, I’ve also been using Glossier Solution (more on this product to come). Although chemical exfoliants can be a bit drying, the results from this product are too incredible. I’ve found that sticking to using Solution only once every couple of days doesn’t dehydrate my skin.

Winter Skincare Routine for Dry Skin

During the winter, I like to layer my skincare. There’s no such thing as too much hydration, right? My collection of serums is extensive, but I’ve been loving the Algenist Liquid Collagen, as well as Tula Volume Defense Deep Wrinkle Serum. Both are super hydrating and offer anti-aging benefits. Next, I moisturize with Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Cream or Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Balm (a godsend for dry skin). If my skin feels extra dry, I’ll pat 2-3 drops of La Mer Renewal Oil into my skin to lock in the moisture and finish my routine with Volition Helix AM/PM Eye Gel. I love the texture and hydrating power of this eye gel. I’ve only been using it for about six weeks, but my fine lines seem to be softening. Keep an eye out for a full review on this product as well.

Winter Skincare Routine for Dry Skin

A few nights a week, I’ll switch out my moisturizer for a hydrating sleeping pack. I’ve been loving the Splash Sleeping Pack by Algenist, as well as the Erno Laszlo Hydrate & Nourish Sleep Pack. Both of these products pack a serious punch. I always wake up with baby soft skin in the morning after use. For my lips, I like to use something heavier and more hydrating while I sleep. My favorite nighttime lip product is Bite Beauty’s Agave Lip Mask. It feels rich and creamy, but not heavy and smells good enough to eat. As my lips do get a lot more chapped during the winter months, I thought that it was finally time to take more care of them, even before going to sleep too. I never really thought it was necessary to incorporate something like a lip sleeping mask into my skincare routine, but as I am loving how this makes my lips feel in the mornings, I think this may be something I am going to stick with. We can’t go back to having dry lips. It’s so important to take care of your lips throughout the winter. The cold air can really harm your lips and dry them out significantly. One of my friends actually told me that those winter winds have been known to dry out the lips and encourage the herpes simplex virus to form. That virus causes cold sores which can be painful and irritating. If anyone does suffer from cold sores, I know my friend uses this cold sore medicine to try and reduce the time that the virus is on her lips. She seems to really benefit from that medicine, so it might be useful to have in your home if you suffer from dry lips. Hopefully, the more hydrated we keep our lips, the less chances we have of this virus spreading.

Winter Skincare Routine for Dry Skin

I usually pop a face mask on a few times a week, but my list of masks is too long to share in this already lengthy post. I’ll save my favorite masks for an upcoming post. If you’re shopping Glossier for the first time, you can score a 20% discount and learn about my favorite Glossier favorites by shopping my rep page here. I always appreciate the support!

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