10 Ways to Transition Your Skincare Routine to Winter

As we prepare for winter weather advisories, dust off our Uggs and find our coziest mittens, it is just as important to make sure we have the perfect winterized skincare regimen. In our extra dry and freezing elements, we need daily care and protection for healthy skin.

NOW is the time to make sure you have your winter skincare survival kit stocked and ready.

Here are 10 pro-tips and 10 must-haves to survive dry, flaky, red and dull skin this winter.

1. Transition your cleanser to a balm/oil or cream cleanser. A rich cream or oil cleanser will feel soothing on sensitive dry dehydrated skin.
2. Replace the summer mechanical exfoliation products for a gentler exfoliation powder or cream masque. These products containing active ingredients such as enzymes, lactic and malic acids can help dissolve and eat away at our dull dry skin cells. This can be done three to five times a week, depending on skin type.
3. Continue using or adding a hyaluronic serum (after cleansing) to your daily regimen is a vital part of holding moisture in our skin. It also promotes other serums to penetrate deeper into the skin. Also, it has a huge added bonus of plumping fine lines and wrinkles. YAY!
4. Incorporate facial oils this winter. Using a facial oil under your night cream is a fabulous way to nourish skin. Oils can do everything from clarifying sensitive acne prone skin, targeting inflammation to collagen boosting and firming aging skin.
5. Add a rich creamy eye cream to your routine at night. Since the skin under our eyes can be thinner and more sensitive in dry, cold climates, an eye cream provides extra moisturizing properties and combats fine lines.
6. Use a night cream that contains active ingredients such as Vitamin C, rosehip, aloe and arnica to hydrate and calm redness as we rest.
7. Incorporate overnight masks a couple times per week. Nothing feels better than waking up rested, hydrated and radiant. Let the mask work for you while you sleep!
8. Use sugar scrubs, bath oils and creamier lotions to keep your body free from flakes, looking smooth and feeling silky.
9. Check to be sure your lip care and daytime moisturizer has an SPF in it. Sun and wind can be just as damaging in the winter months as summer.
10. Schedule a professional treatment such as microdermabrasion or a treatment facial with dermaplaning. Not only will it grant you much needed “me time,” professional spa treatments remove dead skin cells which make us look and feel dull. They can boost collagen production, regulate oil, minimize pores and soften wrinkles.

And if you’re looking for some product recommendations, here are my go-tos for winter survival. 

1. Cleansing: Eminence Organics Wildflower Cleansing Balm or IMAGE Skincare Vital C Cream Cleanser
2. Exfoliants: Eminence Organics Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant or IMAGE Skincare Iluma Intense Brightening Powder
3. Hyaluronic:  IMAGE Skincare Ageless Hyaluronic Filler or Eminence Organics Strawberry Rhubarb Serum
4. Facial Oils: Eminence Organics Facial Recovery Oil or IMAGE Skincare Vital C Hydrating Facial Oil
5. Eye cream: Eminence Organics Lavender Age Corrective Night Eye Cream or IMAGE Skincare Vital C Eye Gel
6. Night cream: Eminence Organics Monoi Age Corrective Face and Neck Creme or IMAGE Ormedic Balancing Bio Peptide Creme
7. Overnight masks: IMAGE Vital C Overnight Mask
8. Body products: Eminence Stone Crop Revitalizing Body Scrub, Oil and Lotion or IMAGE Vital C Hand and Body Lotion
9. Lip Care: Jane Iredale Lip Drink or IMAGE MD Ronert Restoring Lip Complex
10. Sun screen: IMAGE Prevention+ Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturizer SPF 50

So bundle up and get out there! Just remember to keep your beauty routine winter-proof.

Heather Berg is an Esthetician at Cole’s Salon Eagan Station.