Now that winter is in full swing, you’ve likely made some changes to your wardrobe and your makeup, bringing out those wool coats, puffer coats, chunky knit sweaters, scarves, boots, and beanies, and opting for darker lipstick colors. As the temperatures drop and the air gets drier, you should also make some changes to your skincare routine to accommodate your skin’s increased need for moisture and other changing needs.

In addition to the cooler temperatures and drier air, the wind picks up during winter, and your skin is exposed to more dry indoor heat. All of these elements can have extremely harsh effects on skin that result in cracks, irritation, dryness, and even bleeding in some extreme cases. Winter conditions can also damage skins elasticity in addition to overall health.

While consistency is an important part of every good skincare routine, adapting it to your skin’s needs when necessary is just as important. Otherwise, you’ll just be wasting money on products that won’t be doing anything to help your skin out when it needs it the most. After all, you’re changing your wardrobe and makeup to accommodate the change in seasons, so why wouldn’t you adapt your skincare regimen as well?

Let’s take a look at some of the best winter skincare tips and how Oxygenetix will help your skin stay healthy, happy, and glowing all winter long!

MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE!

One of the easiest things you can do to keep your skin healthy and looking amazing this winter is to moisturize often. Specifically, moisturize with a moisturizer that loves your skin, like the Oxygenetix Oxygenating Hydro-Matrix. With our Hydro-Matrix moisturizer, you’ll never have to worry about it sitting on the skin’s surface and blocking it from breathing because the formula is fast absorbing. In addition to giving your skin the boost of moisture it needs during the wintertime, it delivers oxygen to your skin and soothes with aloe-based gel. It’s free of oils, fragrances, and parabens and is certified vegan and cruelty-free. For those struggling with acne, we recommend our Acne Control Hydro-Matrix. It moisturizes just as well while also gently treating troubled skin.

GENTLE CLEANSING

Although you’ll likely be going outside less in the wintertime because of the colder temperatures and thus encountering more dirt, debris, and gunk that needs to be cleansed from your face, cleansing your skin is just as important as it is in the Spring and Summer months. However, what you use to cleanse your skin will be different considering the drier, hot air you’ll be exposing your skin to indoors as you crank up the heater or comfortably potion yourself by the fireplace. So, you’ll want to go with a gentle cleanser that isn’t too harsh on skin and won’t strip it of its natural hydrating oils.

KEEP EXFOLIATING

You may think that you should skip exfoliating in the winter months because your skin is already at risk of becoming dry or irritated, but you shouldn’t stop. Exfoliating is the only way to get rid of dead skin cells, and when skin gets dry it can become less efficient at exfoliating itself, meaning thousands, if not millions, of dead skin cells build up on the surface. This build up can make it tougher for skin to absorb moisture, the beneficial ingredients in skincare products, and give skin a dull appearance.

LIMIT THE LENGTH OF YOUR SHOWERS AND BATHS

You may not think about your showering habits as skincare, but you should start. Especially in the wintertime when your skin is craving moisture! We can all agree that the soothing feeling of a hot shower or warm bath in the winter feels great, but your skin might feel a little differently. Remember, water isn’t moisturizing, and hot water especially can dry it out. Hot water can damage the keratin cells located on the outermost layer of skin, called the epidermis, which will make it harder for skin to lock in moisture. You obviously never want this to happen, and especially not during the winter when your skin needs all the moisture it can get, so you should limit your time in the shower and resist the urge to linger under the shower head.

USE A HUMIDIFIER

In addition to showering, most don’t realize how their sleeping habits can relate to skincare. During the colder months in the winter, when there is less moisture in the air, you should be using a humidifier when you sleep so your skin can soak up moisture all night long. If you don’t know, humidifiers release water vapors into the air to increase moisture levels. You can get a good humidifier for anywhere from $50-$100, and it’ll last you years, making it one of the best investments you can make for your skin. Assuming you remember to turn your humidifier on every night and refill the water in before you use it next, this is one of the easiest ways to give your skin the moisture it craves in the wintertime.

DON’T STOP APPLYING SUNSCREEN

As any dermatologist will tell you, sunscreen is a must year-round. You might be thinking, “Sunscreen? In the wintertime?” but we promise you’ll thank us if you keep applying that SPF even as the Sun isn’t shining up in the sky as much as it does during other parts of the year. The Sun’s potentially harmful UV rays are still present even on the cloudiest of days, and protecting your skin from their effects is important every time you’re outside. Exposing your skin to harmful UV rays, even if you feel like you’re at a lesser risk because the sky is cloudy, is never a risk you should take.

STAY HYDRATED

Water evaporates in winter’s dry air quickly and easily, so you should be drinking more water than you usually are to offset what your body is losing. Drinking water moisturizes skin from the inside out, and having some of your daily water consumption in the form of a hot cup of tea is a great way to also warm up from the cold.