As the seasons change, so too should your skincare routine. Here in Minnesota, we quickly go from very hot and humid weather to extremely cold and dry, and this shift can have a big impact on our skin. Knowing how to adapt your skincare routine can make all the difference in maintaining a radiant complexion. Here, I share my favorite products to incorporate into your regimen as we transition into the fall and winter months!
For Aging Skin
It’s important to use a super hydrating serum underneath your daily moisturizer during the winter months. As our skin ages, it naturally loses collagen and elastin, proteins that help maintain our skin’s firmness and elasticity. Proper moisture and hydration levels can temporarily plump up the skin and reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles, giving you a more youthful appearance.
Here are two serums that I love for aging skin:
IMAGE Ageless Total Pure Hyaluronic Filler — Formulated with six unique forms of hyaluronic acid, this topical hydration filler helps to smooth and soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Time-released and cross-linked hyaluronic acid have water-binding properties, so they act like a magnet to draw hydration to the skin and help plump its appearance from within. The silky formula sinks in quickly, leading to a rapid hydration recharge and a youthful, healthy-looking glow.
Eminence Marine Flower Peptide Serum — This easily absorbed, potent gel serum delivers concentrated plant peptides and botanicals to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for visibly smoother, plumper and more youthful-looking skin. Ideal for all skin types (especially aging skin), the Smart Collagen+ Complex rejuvenates the look of your complexion while unique algae extracts increase firmness and provide long-lasting hydration.
A big key for anti-aging is wearing SPF every single day, all year round. UV rays from the sun can damage your skin at all times of the year, not just during the summer months, and UVA rays, which contribute to skin aging and cancer, are present throughout the year and can penetrate clouds and windows. Even on overcast days, these rays can reach your skin and cause harm. Snow and ice can also reflect up to 80% of UV rays, significantly increasing your exposure. This means that even if you’re not directly in the sun, the reflected UV rays can still affect your skin. Here is my favorite SPF product for aging skin:
IMAGE Daily Prevention Advanced Smartblend Mineral Moisturizer SPF 75 — Formulated for compromised or sensitive skin, this mineral SPF 75 moisturizer is a simple addition to your daily routine that provides anti-aging hydration and sun protection in one product. It prepares your skin to face the day with broad-spectrum sunscreen protection while reinforcing the vital moisture barrier and fighting future signs of skin aging. With a neutral tint and ultra-wearable texture, it blends seamlessly for a radiant finish alone or under makeup. Proprietary, patent-pending XOSM™ Technology enhances the power of antioxidants ectoin, vitamin C and astaxanthin-rich micro-algae to deliver comprehensive nourishment and an added line of defense against premature skin aging.
For Dry Skin
I love creamy cleansers for dry skin, especially during the colder months! Cream cleansers are formulated to be less stripping and more protective of the skin’s natural lipid barrier, which is essential for keeping moisture in and harmful elements out. A well-maintained barrier is especially important during the winter season, when skin is more susceptible to dryness and sensitivity.
These two cleansers smell amazing, and I am sure you’ll love them as much as I do:
IMAGE Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser — This creamy, hydrating cleanser gently removes makeup and impurities while quenching skin with essential daily vitamins and antioxidants. It also infuses the skin with vitamins A, C and E to boost radiance as it cleanses.
Eminence Firm Skin Acai Cleanser — Antioxidant-rich acai berries are perfect for revitalizing mature skin. This cream cleanser also blends hyaluronic acid and sea buckthorn oil to restore the appearance of elasticity to the skin and present a more youthful look.
Dry skin often has a compromised barrier function, making it less effective at retaining moisture. Rich moisturizers help repair and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier by providing essential lipids and fatty acids, which improve its ability to lock in moisture and defend against external aggressors. Here are a few that will leave your dry skin soft, supple, and nourished:
Eminence Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer — With each application of our Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer, you’ll feel your skin instantly tighten and lift. Coconut, shea butter and grape seed oil combine with green apple stem cell technology to offer lasting age correction.
IMAGE Vital C Hydrating Intense Moisturizer — This nourishing, highly emollient crème progressively replenishes hydration and shields dehydrated skin against dryness. Rich in shea butter to help lock in moisture, along with the hydrating power of hyaluronic acid, the soothing texture absorbs quickly to rapidly comfort tight, irritated or sensitive skin.
IMAGE Ormedic Balancing Bio-Peptide Crème — This repair crème boosts and balances moisture-depleted skin with botanical butters, hyaluronic acid and organic plant oils. A unique highlighter-effect peptide brings renewed clarity and uniformity to the skin. This comprehensive formula supports a healthy, dewy complexion. Give yourself a little at-home treatment using a mask! You can get cozy on the couch with a blanket, put on your favorite show or open up a book, and sip on a warm drink, all while treating your skin! Here are my top picks:
Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Masque — Leave skin looking refreshed, plumped and hydrated with this replenishing cream masque. Formulated with Botanical Hyaluronic Acid Complex, shea butter, grape seed oil, and vitamin-rich strawberry and rhubarb, this gently exfoliating masque purifies, soothes and revitalizes dry skin for a nourished-looking glow. Suitable for normal to dry skin types.
IMAGE Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Masque — This naturally brightening vitamin C masque works in minutes to give skin a radiant, healthy-looking glow. With two nourishing forms of vitamin C and fruit enzyme exfoliants, it gently dissolves dry, dull skin buildup, revealing brighter, more even-toned skin. Antioxidants and vitamins help to nourish and hydrate the skin, leaving skin smoother and with a renewed look of clarity.
IMAGE Hydrating Hydrogel Sheet Mask — This hydrogel mask delivers instant hydration to skin that is dry, dull or depleted. Cooling and soothing, it refreshes and revives thirsty skin with mineral-rich waters and hyaluronic acid. A blend of amino acids, aloe vera and antioxidant extracts leave skin radiant and glowing.
For Oily & Acne-Prone Skin
It’s important for people with oily and acne-prone skin to switch over to a gentle cleanser in the cold and dry months to support a healthy barrier function. Gentle cleansers help to minimize irritation and keep the skin calm, as oily and acne-prone skin can also become more sensitive during the winter due to the combination of cold air and indoor heating. When the skin is overly dry or irritated, it can be more prone to negative reactions from your targeted acne serums and treatments. By using a gentle cleanser, you are creating a more stable and healthy skin environment, allowing treatments to work more effectively without added irritation.
Here are two cleansers that work great for oily and acne-prone skin:
IMAGE Ormedic Balancing Facial Cleanser — This mild, refreshing facial cleanser gently foams away impurities, leaving skin soft, hydrated and clean. A nourishing complex with organic aloe vera and botanical extracts soothes delicate skin, and its satiny texture restores softness and balance.
Eminence Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser — This milky gel lightly lathers to slough off dead skin without manual exfoliation or over-stripping. The Lactic Acid Complex and mangosteen in this cleanser work together to restore a smooth, radiant complexion.
It is also important for oily and acne-prone skin to stay moisturized and hydrated, especially in a cold and dry climate. Using a moisturizer that’s specifically formulated for oily or acne-prone skin can help prevent excessive oiliness. Hydrated skin is less likely to overproduce sebum, reducing the likelihood of clogged pores and breakouts. Here are some that I’m a big fan of:
IMAGE Clear Cell Clarifying Repair Creme — This multi-action gel-crème helps to reduce the appearance of blemishes through surface exfoliation while minimizing visible signs of aging. Featuring naturally derived bakuchiol with retinol-like benefits, the clarifying formula improves oiliness and helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, skin discoloration and uneven skin texture. Salicylic acid helps to diminish the appearance of blemishes by removing dead skin cells, and ceramides and plant-derived squalane enhance the skin’s protective lipid barrier.
Eminence Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer — Reveal a photo-ready complexion with this lightweight gel-cream moisturizer! Its unique pore-minimizing, hydrating formula begins as a dewy gel, then beautifully melts into the skin for a smooth, matte finish.
Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Hydrator — With a fresh, dewy finish, this vegan gel-cream rejuvenates the appearance of dull skin. Lightweight in texture, this hydrator pairs their innovative Botanical Hyaluronic Acid Complex with panthenol, strawberry and rhubarb to lock in moisture and reveal radiant-looking skin. Ideal for all skin types.
By understanding how changing weather impacts your skin and making thoughtful adjustments, you can address your skin’s specific needs and maintain a glowing complexion throughout the year. Stop into your nearest Cole’s and stock up for the season. Here’s to healthy skin no matter what our unpredictable Minnesota weather brings us!
Katie S is an esthetician at our Apple Valley salon and has been a part of the Cole’s team since November 2023. You can follow Katie at @glowithkatielea.
