The Definitive Guide to Winter Skincare

Forget washing as usual. Swap your regular cleanser for a balm or oil-based formula for a dose of hydration even after you rinse it off. Hungarian brand Omorovicza mines the soothing waters of its mother country for gel-to-oil Hydra Melting Cleanser, adding sage, chamomile, and sea buckthorn berry oils for added nourishment. If blemishes are an issue, Tom Ford Purifying Cleansing Oil deep cleans without robbing skin of much-needed moisture.

You know how in the winter you pile on the layers to create a kind of clothing cocoon? That's basically what you need to do to your face. Start with a serum, which needs to be applied to clean, dry skin for its active ingredients to adequately penetrate. Dermatologists everywhere agree that hyaluronic acid is the most effective hydrating ingredient and Dr. Barbara Sturm's potent serum is so packed with the stuff that it's simply called Hyaluronic Serum.

Even if you're not the facial oil type the rest of the year, this is the time to jump on that bandwagon. Lube up your face (and hair and hands and body) with the multitasking marvel that is Shiseido Future Solution LX Replenishing Treatment Oil or go for something on the lighter side like antioxidant-packed Clinique Smart Treatment Oil.

Supplementing your nighttime skincare regimen with a sheet mask is a smart move. Celebs may do it on planes (as per Instagram), but this is something best done in the privacy of your own home. While wearing the thing is terrifying, the result you'll see when you peel it off is not—if a luminous, fresh-faced glow is your thing. Estée Lauder Micro Essence Infusion Mask consists of face-shaped cotton saturated with micronutrient-rich lotion to keep skin properly hydrated for hours on end. If swaddling your face in serum-soaked sheets isn't your jam, then maybe try slathering it in delicious and naturally moisturizing coconut oil and honey with this Earth Tu Face organic option. Just resist licking it off as you wait for it to work its magic.

Just because there are seemingly zero hours of daylight doesn't mean you should put your SPF into storage. Even dashing to Starbucks to get a macchiato or driving to work will expose you the sun's evil death rays, not to mention skiing or snowboarding when the snow basically acts like one of those aluminum reflectors your grandmother probably used to tan. The point is: use protection. Every. Single. Day. It's easy just make sure the moisturizer you apply in the morning contains sunscreen like Cle de Peau Protective Fortifying Cream SPF 22 for super parched types or lightweight, oil-free Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel SPF 15 for combination skin.

You've probably noticed that your lips bear the brunt of the crappy weather. That's because they lack the oil glands that naturally lubricate skin and are subjected to obsessive licking (you think it's helping; it's not), which leaves saliva on them that then evaporates, taking with it whatever minimal moisture is on your mouth. For that second reason, we suggest picking balms that don't taste like anything vaguely edible like the hardcore lip-saving First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Intensive Lip Balm. When lipstick doesn't pair well with chapping, there's Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint, which contains moisturizing ingredients and imparts a hint of universally flattering pink.

When your skin is seriously thirsty and the aforementioned steps can't quench it, your best bet is the balm. These heavier, more emollient formulas will help repair the barrier function, basically the natural shield that keeps your skin hydrated, so it's protected from the elements and able to maintain moisture levels. Kiehl's added a balm to its Ultra Facial Deep Moisture range, fortifying the original ingredients with Edelweiss flower extract, a plant that thrives high in the hills that are alive with the sound of music. If it sounds a little too rich for your taste, then the mattifying finish La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 lays down might be more your speed.

While you slumber, skin repairs itself so slather it with something to help with the process. Dr. Anolik suggests formulas packed with ceramides, which have been proven to help with the unattractive side effects of winter weather (i.e. scaling, redness, and itching). Yeah, nourishing your face is obviously priority number one, but that doesn't mean you can't tackle other important issues like lines and wrinkles, as you can with Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Crème Rich Texture. Sometimes you just need to focus on one issue, like when the flakes are falling from your face, not the sky. That's when you need to whip out an intensive repair option, like SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2, which is packed with a trio of lipids to overhaul your skin's almost certainly damaged barrier function.

Giorgio Armani foundations can't be beat for faking complexion perfection so you can imagine the kind of black magic that its new Maestro Glow, infused with a blend of nourishing oils, will work on your face. Let's just say your future face looks bright. Though powders seem inherently drying, Physicians Formula Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Face Powder is, as the name implies, anything but thanks to an infusion of 100% argan oil.