Winter skincare: how to adapt your face care routine to the cold, wind, and indoor heating
Cold, wind and radiators strip moisture from the skin. Here’s how to recalibrate your winter skincare routine, step by step, to restore comfort and softness.
It only takes the first November wind to notice. Skin that felt good in September now feels tight after cleansing, reddens outdoors, and looks dull by the end of the day.
You don't need to change everything. A winter skincare routine that works starts with the routine you already use and recalibrates it: gentler cleansing, more consistent hydration, more enveloping textures. Let's see how, step by step.
Why skin feels tight in winter
The outermost layer of the skin acts as a barrier: cells and lipids retain water inside. Between autumn and winter, this barrier is tested from multiple directions at once.
- Cold. In low temperatures, sebaceous glands tend to produce less sebum, and the natural film coating the skin thins.
- Wind. It accelerates the evaporation of water from the surface: this is why your cheeks feel tight after a walk.
- Heating. The air in indoor spaces becomes drier and draws water from the skin for hours.
- Temperature fluctuations. Going from the cold street to the heated office stresses the skin, which can appear more reactive.
The phenomenon has a technical name, transepidermal water loss: the skin retains less water and appears drier, duller, and less elastic. It also happens to combination skin, which in winter can feel dehydrated while remaining shiny in the T-zone.
Winter skincare in 5 steps
1. Gentle cleansing and lukewarm water
Very hot water more easily dissolves the lipids on the surface. Lukewarm water is better, along with a short 30-60 second massage and a clean towel to pat dry, without rubbing.
If your skin feels tight after rinsing, then the cleanser may be too harsh for this season.
2. The serum, on still-damp skin
The serum has a light texture and layers under the cream without feeling heavy. Apply it to skin that is still slightly damp, so it distributes better.
Anti-Aging Elixir is the anti-aging serum with 80% Biologically Certified Snail Mucin and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: it is the right choice if you want to start taking care of the first signs of aging.
3. A cream that intensely hydrates
In winter, the cream has an extra job: to help maintain hydration during the hours when the air is driest. Apply it immediately after the serum, moving from the center of the face outwards.
Face Cream H24 combines Snail Mucin and Aloe Vera for intense hydration that does not feel heavy: it is suitable for morning and evening. In the evening, if your skin needs more, apply a slightly more generous layer.
4. Eye contour, with a light touch
The skin around the eyes is thinner and has fewer sebaceous glands: in the cold, it is the first to show dryness and fine lines.
A small amount of Eye Contour Cream, the eye contour cream with 72% Biologically Certified Snail Mucin, tapped with the ring finger from the inside outwards.
5. Exfoliation, once a week
In the cold, surface cells tend to accumulate and the face looks dull. Even in winter, exfoliation helps the skin regain a more radiant appearance; the important thing is not to overdo the frequency of use or the pressure during application.
Face Scrub, the exfoliating face scrub with 10% Biologically Certified Snail Mucin, can be used once a week on damp skin, with light movements and without pressing.
Small habits for winter skin
- Humidify the rooms. A humidifier, or a bowl of water near the radiator, makes the air less dry.
- Drink regularly. It does not replace cream, but it is part of the overall picture.
- Lips and hands. Always carry a lip balm and hand cream with you: these are the areas most exposed to the cold, which should always be protected.
Your winter routine
Winter skincare does not require a new routine, but a gentler and more enveloping one: lukewarm water, serum on damp skin, cream immediately after, eye contour, and a scrub once a week.
Questions and answers
Should I change my cream in winter?
Can I use a scrub in winter?
Why does your skin feel tighter in winter?
Should combination skin also be moisturized in winter?
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