Our Expert Tips to Winter-Proof Your Skin Routine
June 5 | 4 minute read
Words by The MECCA Memo
While the season can be magical and cosy, it can also wreak havoc on every skin type and exacerbate concerns – affecting the way your skin looks, feels and behaves.
“Your face might feel extra tight and dehydrated because there’s less moisture in the atmosphere, so it sucks everything out of your skin,” our in-house skin expert Lucy explains.
Here are the best ways to winter-proof your skincare routine and keep your complexion looking bouncy, dewy and radiant all year round.
Cleanse With Care
Boosting moisture for your parched winter skin starts with cleansing. Those with dry, dehydrated or sensitive complexions will want to skip anything too stripping – which means it's time to swap cleansing gels and foams for oils, balms or creams.
“I always recommend using a cleansing balm in winter because it cleanses my skin and removes my makeup but also replenishes skin, leaving it feeling really nourished and hydrated,” Lucy tells us.
ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm will melt away all traces of makeup before transforming into a nourishing milk that leaves skin feeling soft yet deeply cleansed. Drunk Elephant’s Slaai™ Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser is powered by antioxidant-rich fruit extracts for extra replenishing. Bonus: it can be used on the eye area too for gentle makeup removal.
A gentle cream, milk or mousse makes for the perfect second cleanse to remove all traces of makeup, dirt and pollution – without compromising your moisture barrier. Many also include nourishing and hydrating actives that work on skin even after you rinse, almost doubling as an essence to help prep your skin for the next steps.
KORRES Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser is the suits-all, no-fuss cleanser enriched with pre and probiotics to calm the look of redness and leave skin soft, while ELEMIS’ Pro-Collagen Cleansing Mousse (the perfect partner to the aforementioned balm) is clinically proven to leave skin 125% more hydrated after one use. There’s also the cult-loved The Rice Wash from Tatcha, which uses Japanese rice powder to gently exfoliate and leave skin radiant, and Youth To The People’s Adaptogen Cleanser, which blends oat lipids and snow mushroom to soothe skin while it purifies.
Moisturiser Is Key
Just as you’ll need to add extra layers of clothing before heading out the door, winter is also the time to layer on a richer moisturiser. Like your cleanser, swapping lightweight gel moisturisers for more nourishing, indulgent textures helps keep dehydrated skin happy – yes, even oily or combination skin can be dehydrated! – and protected in cold weather.
Deeply moisturising without feeling greasy or heavy, Tatcha’s iconic The Dewy Skin Cream is as comforting as pulling on your favourite winter knit. This velvety formula uses a blend of Japanese purple rice, Okinawa algae and squalane to plump, brighten and leave a hydrated, glowy finish. Meanwhile, Facile’s Beyond There Ultra-Hydrating Cream – developed by LA derm Dr Nancy Samolitis – is a great option if your skin is suddenly feeling tight, flaky or irritated by the cold. Ceramides, fatty acids and hyaluronic acid work to replenish moisturiser and keep it locked in place, while the airy texture melts in to provide an extra layer of barrier protection.
A winter staple for every skin type can benefit from, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream focuses on the fundamentals: long-lasting hydration and barrier support. It includes squalane, glycerine and a unique glacial glycoprotein to help replenish moisture and keep skin feeling comfortable even in the harshest conditions. This straightforward formula also skips out on fragrance and potentially irritating actives, which are best avoided when skin is feeling sensitive or stressed.
Serums to Supercharge Hydration
“Serums have a lightweight texture with a small molecular structure,” explains MECCA's customer education manager, Francesca.
Smaller molecules mean serums can sink in deeper than moisturisers, hydrating skin from the inside out. Slip one of these into your routine for an easy way to treat that tight, dry feeling without leaving skin feeling greasy.
With an ability to hold a thousand times its weight in water, hyaluronic acid-based serums – like this one from Kiehl’s – is both ultra-lightweight and ultra-hydrating. Make sure to apply onto damp skin to maximise the effects.
“Picture 1,000 tiny little water balloons filling your skin with hydration and plumping it up,” Francesca explains.
Of course, serums are essential for dry, dehydrated skin too.
If you’re looking for a weightless serum to help calm sensitivity and repair your compromised skin barrier, Summer Fridays Jet Lag Deep Hydration Serum is the one. Its jelly texture suits every skin type, while the fragrance-free formula is packed with moisture-attracting humectants and barrier-boosting ingredients like oatmeal, aloe and arnica.
Add a Drop of Oil
Feel like serum and moisturiser still aren’t enough? Rich in essential fatty acids and designed to replenish your moisture barrier, face oils are the perfect addition to your winter routine.
“Add a few drops to your moisturiser to bump up the nourishment or apply on top of your moisturiser to lock everything in,” Francesca advises.
As for our favourites, Sunday Riley’s Juno Antioxidant + Superfood Face Oil will instantly nourish dehydrated skin and restore radiance. If you’re after an oil that does more than just hydrate, Emma Lewisham’s Supernatural Face Oil contains bakuchiol, a plant-derived retinol alternative, to address pigmentation and visible signs of ageing. And for something you can use on your face, body and hair, this multitasking oil from sans [ceuticals] is a winner.
And Don't Forget SPF!
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times – SPF isn’t just for summer! Winter sunshine might feel less intense, lulling us into a false sense of security, but the sun’s rays remain strong all year round, particularly if you're planning to hit the slopes.
MECCA COSMETICA To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen is a Hall-of-Famer for a reason. As well as providing broad-spectrum protection, it has a featherlight matte finish designed specifically for makeup wearers. If your skin is on the sensitive side, then you might want to opt for a mineral SPF like Emma Lewisham’s Sunceutical SPF 50 Mineral Face Crème – which also doubles as a moisturiser to streamline your routine.
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. Sunscreen is only one form of sun protection. Avoid prolonged sun exposure and reapply as directed.
