As autumn welcomes in winter, now’s the time to get your skin prepped for a season of harsh weather and dropping temperatures. We often find the colder months are when our skin struggles the most, and that’s precisely why we need a tailored winter skincare routine to banish dryness and maintain a happy, healthy glow.
Do I really need to change my skincare regimen during winter?
If you want to avoid dryness and dullness, then yes. To be clear, we don’t mean a complete routine upheaval, just a few tweaks here and there to help your skin protect, heal and nourish throughout winter. These changes can help to combat dehydration and irritation caused by colder weather, a drop in humidity and a boost of indoor heating.
You know your skin better than anyone, what it likes and dislikes. Focus on curating a winter skincare routine that works for you and above all focuses on hydration. The more moisturised your skin, the stronger your skin barrier will be against winter’s environmental stressors.
5 rules for your winter skincare routine
1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Adding moisture and hydration to the skin should be at the forefront during every step of your winter regimen. This is necessary to counter the potential dryness and irritation that come so easily this time of year when our skin isn’t cared for properly.
From your daily cleanses to serums, make sure to use products that help soothe, hydrate and protect your skin barrier. This also helps to rectify the classic dullness of “winter face” and instead maintains a healthy, hydrated glow.
2. Look for specific ingredients
Humectants will be your best friend in winter. These are substances that draw in water and moisture from the air to hydrate the skin. Common humectants include hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe (which you can find right across our range here at Alivio). Make sure to check those INCI lists for ingredients that will aid in hydration and glow.
Here are some ingredients you should AVOID in winter:
If you haven’t already, make sure that a hydrating face oil becomes a part of your daily routine. Our skin doesn’t produce the same levels of sebum in winter, so we need to add that nourishment back in. Whether you want to add a few drops of oil in the morning, or evening (or maybe both if needed) we promise your skin will thank you!
4. Invest in a nourishing moisturiser
While you may have opted for thinner creams during summer, now is the time to invest in a moisturiser that truly nourishes and locks all that added hydration in. Think of this as your shield of armour that works to protect your face from the perils of winter weather.
5. Don’t skip SPF
Just because summer’s over doesn't mean you need to stop slathering on SPF. There’s a common misconception that we can’t experience skin damage when it’s not bright and sunny outside. In fact, harmful UV rays can still penetrate through cloud cover and overcast weather conditions. Apply a daily SPF (minimum of 30) to prevent skin damage and early signs of ageing.
Our winter skincare steps for glowing skin
CLEANSE
Use - Glycolic Facial Cleanser
Our gentle yet brightening daily cleanser will answer all of your skin prayers this winter. Packed with radiance-boosting glycolic acid and soothing humectants like green tea and cucumber extract, say hello to winter glow! Massage into the skin with a little water to deeply cleanse, purify and nourish before washing away with warm water or a soft flannel.
NOURISH WITH SERUM
Use - Facial Hydrator Serum
It’s one of our bestsellers for a reason. This innovative, hydrating oil serum will help your skin protect and repair against even the harshest winter weather. Featuring our star ingredient hemp seed oil, this serum contains 5 other nourishing, natural oils to balance healthy sebum levels. Apply both morning and night for a radiant glow - without greasiness!
LOCK IN WITH CREAMS
Use - Nourishing Day Cream OR Hydrating Night Cream
Both of our rich, hydrating creams are formulated to protect from and repair the environmental stressors of winter. With skin barrier-strengthening ingredients like CoQ10, green tea extract and hemp seed oil, this duo is perfect for fighting off dryness, dullness and dehydration. Massage a small amount of cream into your skin after applying the Facial Hydrator Serum to lock in all that restorative goodness.
Struggling with your skin this winter? Show it some love with our full range. You can shop all of our products at a bundle discount here.
