Winter brings harsher conditions that challenge your daily commute and, more importantly, your skin barrier. Cold winds and low humidity sap moisture, leaving even typically oily skin feeling dry and sensitive. “Low humidity and extreme temperature shifts increase transepidermal water loss, leaving your complexion tighter, duller, and more reactive—even in people who have oily skin the rest of the year,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Divya Shokeen MD, FAAD, tells Vogue. That’s why it’s important to adjust your skin-care routine each season. “Think of it as a seasonal wardrobe refresh, not a total reinvention,” she says.
Vogue’s favorite winter-safe skin-care products
Before getting ahead of yourself, that doesn’t mean layering on a million milky toners, a plethora of hydrating serums, and barrier-repairing products. While none of those products are inherently bad, when skin is particularly sensitive, too many products at once can further disrupt the skin and even contribute to breakouts, celebrity aesthetician and acne specialist Sofie Pavitt previously explained.
With that in mind, there’s no more pressing time to protect your skin barrier than now: get targeted and go back to basics. “This is the season to prioritize barrier repair, hydration, and gentler textures while dialing back anything overly stripping or aggressive,” says Dr. Shokeen. Below, the beauty experts break down essential steps to keeping your skin barrier smooth and supple—single digit degrees be damned!
Step 1: Use a Gentle Cleanser
Since frigid weather is irritating enough to the skin on its own, it’s best not to aggravate things further. That means swapping out face washes with active ingredients for a gentle cleanser. “In winter, a non-foaming cream, milk, or gel cleanser is best,” says Dr. Shokeen, emphasizing avoiding any formulas that leave skin feeling tight or squeaky. That’s because harsh climates already cause significant water loss. Instead, she explains, gentle face washes use mild surfactants and often boast skin-friendly pH levels, helping to thoroughly remove dirt, oil, and leftover sunscreen without further stripping skin.
Dr. Shokeen’s pick is Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost cleanser for its ability to cleanse effectively while maintaining barrier integrity. La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Gentle Facial Cleanser, meanwhile, is a personal staple of board-certified dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe, MD, thanks to its milky hydrating formula rich in prebiotic thermal water and ceramides. Two other derm-loved cleansers similar in texture and composition: SkinCeuticals’s and Vanicream’s.
Step Two: Strip Your Exfoliation Regimen
Experts advise keeping exfoliation to a minimum during the colder months—even if you’ve built up a tolerance to AHAs, BHAs, or retinoids. “Over-exfoliation in the winter weakens the barrier and amplifies redness,” says Dr. Shokeen, who recommends scaling back exfoliation frequency altogether during the winter season. Instead, she suggests opting for low-strength chemical exfoliants over harsh physical scrubs or aggressive actives.
If chemical exfoliation is still needed, mandelic acid is an easy go-to. Pavitt describes the mild AHA as non-drying and effective at working on the skin’s surface to lightly buff away dead skin cells. Even better, her skin-care brand’s Mandelic Clearing Serum is a Vogue editor-favorite. If you’re sticking with retinol, Dr. Shokeen advises spacing out usage or choosing lower concentrations that include hydrating ingredients to soothe while promoting cell turnover. Case in point: The Ordinary’s serum, which balances a low dose of retinol with squalane—a formula that board-certified dermatologist Dr. Noah Gratch, MD, previously described as “effective yet gentle.” K-Beauty cult favorite brand Iope makes another notoriously gentle retinol formula.
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Step Three: Opt for a Nutrient-Rich Moisturizer
Just as you’d reach for thicker clothes, the experts recommend switching to a richer moisturizer when it’s cold out. “Winter is the time to transition from lightweight gels to cream-based moisturizers rich in ceramides, lipids, and humectants,” says Dr. Shokeen. This helps combat winter dryness and reduce transepidermal water losses, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Blair Murphy Rose, MD, previously explained.
Formulas with nutrient-rich ingredients like ceramides are your best friend here. “Topical ceramides help replace this natural lipid, restore barrier integrity, and improve hydration,” Dr. Chang previously told Vogue. SkinCeuticals, La Roche-Posay, and Dieux all offer creamy moisturizers rich in ceramides alongside other nutrient-dense and soothing ingredients.
Step Four: Never Skip Sunscreen During the Day
Just because you’re not sunbathing in the tropics doesn’t mean SPF should fall by the wayside. Dr. Shokeen stresses the importance of wearing sunscreen daily, noting that winter sun can be just as intense, especially if you’re heading to the slopes for winter sports. Skip sunscreen and you’ll find yourself more sunburned than après-ski chic. “At high altitudes, ultraviolet rays are especially strong, and while most people realize they need to reapply sunscreen at the beach, many don’t think about applying it on the slopes,” Dr. Bowe previously told Vogue.
For a hydrating option, K-beauty brand Round Lab offers a popular one formulated with birch tree sap, earning praise from both board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Catherine Chang, and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Eunice Park. Elta MD’s UV Clear SPF is another standout, featuring a hybrid mineral and chemical formula that board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dara Spearman previously told Vogue is a good option for sensitive skin.
Step Five: Protect Your Pout
Dr. Shokeen also reminds us not to overlook our lips as part of a winter skin-care routine. As one of the thinnest areas of skin on the body, lips are especially prone to dryness—making them a prime candidate for the same nutrient-rich moisturizers used elsewhere to prevent cracking and discomfort.
Summer Friday’s lip balm is formulated with conditioning ingredients like shea and murumuru seed butter. For those looking to add gentle exfoliation into the mix, Eadem’s peptide lip balm is botanically derived and blends nourishing butters with AHAs to exfoliate and hydrate chapped lips at once (available in a clear version and six tinted shades for a skin-care-meets-makeup moment). And, of course, Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatment (and its tints) remains a viral favorite—and one that Dr. Shirazi has previously praised as non-sticky, delivering “immediate moisture and long-term lip-smoothing benefits.”
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Step 6: The Night Time Add-Ons
Those looking to take their routine a step further can incorporate optional products while they catch up on beauty rest. For particularly dry skin, Dr. Shokeen notes that a facial oil—used as the final step in your routine—can act as a sealant rather than a replacement for moisturizer. “Think of oils as the cashmere coat over your skin-care base,” she says. That said, it’s best to treat facial oils as an occasional add-on, not a nightly staple. As London-based skin expert and esthetician Debbie Thomas previously told Vogue, “Skin can become reliant on [a facial oil’s] coating, making it lazier. So the skin feels like it doesn’t have to work as hard at staying hydrated.”
When it comes to gadgets that boost hydration, Dr. Shokeen also recommends considering a humidifier. “Keeping a humidifier in your bedroom can help to significantly reduce moisture loss,” she says, noting that replenishing moisture in the air has a positive effect on your complexion. Translation: You’ll wake up with more hydrated skin.
Everything You Need To Know
Meet the experts
- Dr. Whitney Bowe is a New York City–based board-certified dermatologist, scientist, and founder of Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty.
- Dr. Noah Gratch, MD, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in treatments for acne, eczema, hyperhidrosis, rosacea, psoriasis, and skin cancer.
- Sofie Pavitt is a New York–based celebrity aesthetician and acne expert. She is also the founder of Sofie Pavitt Face.
Dr. Azadeh Shirazi is a board-certified dermatologist based in La Jolla, California. - Dr. Divya Shokeen is a California-based, board-certified dermatologist at the Ocean Skin and Vein Institute.
- Dara Spearman, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, specializing in melanoma and skin cancer care.
- Debbie Thomas is a esthetician and skin expert based in Chelsea, London.
