The Best Winter Skincare Essentials for Dry Skin

Are you ready to prepare your skincare routine for winter? As the season is passing and winter is approaching, Christmas will be here in a blink of an eye. But is our skin ready to look it’s best for the holiday season?

This is my first time experiencing winter with dry skin (due to Accutane) so I thought it would be fun to share with you my newest products and skincare routine tweaks to keep my skin happy. Affiliate links included if you wish to support me this holiday season.

You might also like : Updated Fall Skincare Routine

Disclaimer: recommendations are based on my own experiences and one product might work for me but not for you. Please do your own research to further decide if this is something you wish to try.

Winter skincare for dry skin

Layer all the hydration

In autumn and winter skin asks for more hydration! The best way to do that is to add layers of it. A hydrating toner, essence, serum, you see the picture.

This is also the season to bust open and review the 2020 Hada Labo Goku Juyn Premium Lotion. Oh, this is such a treat for my dry skin! The old formula had 5 different molecular weighted hyaluronic acids. The molecular weight is an important factor as the molecules will absorb differently into the skin. Some will hydrate the upper layer others will go deeper.

What about the new 2020 Hada Labo Premium formula? A whipping 7 HAs. I was waiting for this lotion to be available on YesStyle so impatiently.

And it didn’t disapoint.

Just like the old version of the Hada Labo Premium Lotion, this has a serum-y texture. Think of it as of a serum that comes in a 150ml bottle that will last you forever. I only have to use 2-3 drops for my entire face. The ideal way to apply this is on the moist skin because hyaluronic acid draws moisture from the environment.

I have to say I reach for this essence over all my other hyaluronic acid products. My skin is plump looking and I can’t imagine going through winter without this product.

Continue layering with serums

Hydration , hydration, hydration.

But not only.

This winter I have added two new hyaluronic acid serums to my collection, but also two new retinol serums. In my opinion, winter is no time to slack on treatments but it is a good idea to switch to gentler serums. Compared to summer when the humidity and warmth dampen the effects of harsh serums, winter skin is more prone to sensitivity.

The retinol I have opted for is the Midnight Courage from PSA skin, and the Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1.

Midnight Courage is 2% Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate in rosehip and bakuchiol oil. Both oils have antioxidant properties and help lighten hyperpigmentation, so are great additions to the retinol. Because the molecule is combined with nourishing oils, it is less harsh on the skin. I love mixing it with a moisturizer, and find that it works out perfectly. Some of my stress acne and redness has already subsided.

As for the Medik8 Crystal Retinal, unfortunately, I haven’t used it enough to say my thoughts on it. My reasoning behind it is that the 0.01% Encapsulated Retinaldehyd is also dampened by the hyaluronic acid and glycerin in the serum, plus it is a slow-release type of serum which ensures that there is minimal sensitivity. And obviously, I don’t know how my skin will react which is why I went with the 0,01%.

If you want to use your previous retinol serums, but find that your skin is reacting differently, apply a nice layer of hyaluronic acid beforehand.

Exfoliation – but make it gentle

As the winter is making dry skin worse, layering more hydration in your skincare is essential, but so is exfoliation.

We don’t want those pesky flakes and ashy look.

This winter I was introduced to the B Lab PHA cleansing oil (PR with no obligation to post). And it was an immediate hit.

PHA is similar to AHA and BHA, but the molecule is bigger. This makes it perfect for sensitive skin as it exfoliates in a very gentle way. Yes, this is technically a makeup remover, but B Lab says that the oil has been developed to avoid double cleansing, making it a two in one.

The oil is very thin, almost water-like. It has Jojoba and Grapeseed oil, and you guessed it, PHA. It effectively removes dead skin cells and all the sebum build-up. This is perfect for a once a week exfoliating session, which is what I do. I simply love the fact that I can use it without any harsh consequences on my Accutane dry skin. It does take a minute to emulsify with water but I’m not mad about it.

Thick moisturizer – but budget friendly

Illiyoon is a brand that is very new to me. I was searching for an interesting cream to my winter skincare for my dry skin. The Ceramides Ato Concentrate Cream was coming up often on my Instagram feed, and then my friend told me that she tried it and loved it and that it had an interesting texture. I was sold very easily.

The ingredients list is a lot of terms that I don’t really understand and it’s hard to pick up any ingredients that I’m familiar with, but that doesn’t mean that it’s bad. It is 7 Free: animal-derived ingredients, mineral oil, artificial colour, fragrance, paraben, triethanolamine, imidazolidinyl urea (preservative).

But it has a patented ceramide complex which is 0.6% of Ceramide PC-104 in capsules. Yes, this cream has capsules in it.

The texture is quite thick and luscious and can feel a little bit heavy on the skin. The cream has a slight grittiness to it because of the microcapsules, but they dissolve very easily. A little bit goes a long way so the 150ml tube of the Ceramides Ato Concentrate Cream can last a very long time. It can also be used on the body if you have very dry skin.

Initially, I wasn’t very impressed by the cream because it feels a little too occlusive and tacky, but it grew on me. The first night I used it I had red itchy patches on my neck that I have been trying to soothe for days (Accutane maybe?) and this took care of them overnight. I since added the Ceramides Ato Concentrate Cream to my morning routine as well, and I have noticed that my skin heals much faster and inflammation subsides in a few days.

Continue using sunscreen!

The most important of the skincare tips: winter is no excuse to slack on sunscreen! Uv damage is not seasonal. So don’t forget to slap that thing on in a thick, generous layer. Read here everything about how important is sunscreen.

I have caved in and purchased the Purito Green Level Centella Unscented sunscreen. It’s a cult favourite and extremely hyped. It seems like I’m the last person to try it. And let me tell you this: the hype is real. And I don’t say that very often. I tend to stir away from overhyped products as I had a fair share of fails (see here). But this delivered as promised.

The Purito green level Centella unscented sunscreen is a chemical sunscreen with a very elegant formula. It feels like a light moisturizer on the skin and contains soothing ingredients such as niacinamide, Centella Asiatica (duh!) and madecassoside. It leaves no white cast and no residue on the skin and is very easy to apply in any quantity (1/4 of a teaspoon ideally). There is also a scented version which contains essential oils, which I personally avoid. I just love it, there’s nothing bad to say about it. The plus is also that it’s easy to purchase and is reasonably priced. As a product that is used all year round it is important to not break the bank.

I also added a mineral sunscreen to my collection, The Inkey List (review here). My opinion on it hasn’t changed since the review. It is difficult to apply however I love the finish of it. It didn’t transfer on my mask and it makes my skin look put together. I did have a bit of irritation, which was strange since it’s usually the chemical sunscreen that’s not recommended for sensitive skin.

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