7 Ways to Tweak Your Skincare Routine for Winter

If your skin shows signs of dryness, flakiness, tightness and dullness in winter, there's a good chance the barrier's been compromised. To better understand how to heal or “fix” it, you need first to know what's happening to it.

“In winter, reduced humidity and indoor heating can strip the skin of its natural moisture, leading to a compromised barrier and increased irritation,” says Dr Shreya Andric, Cosmetic Dermatologist and Board Member of the Australasian Society of Cosmetic and Procedural Dermatologists.

Dr Prasanthi Purusothaman, General Practitioner and Cosmetic Doctor, suggests you think of your skin barrier like a brick wall. The ‘bricks' are your skin cells, while the ‘mortar' is made up of lipids like ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. Winter weather damages this mortar. “Our goal is three-fold: repair the existing barrier, prevent further damage and provide sustained hydrations,” she says.

So, what are some tweaks we can make to our skincare routines to do this? Dr Andric and Dr Purusothaman share them here.

Change Your Shower Habits

Bad news if you love taking a long, hot shower in winter (who doesn't?). Turns out they actually worsen skin dryness by disrupting the skin barrier and stripping away natural oils. “Try to keep showers lukewarm and under five minutes,” says Dr Andric. “Swapping out harsh soaps for gentle, fragrance-free cleansers can also help preserve moisture.”

Dr Purusothaman also suggests patting skin dry rather than rubbing with your towel. This will leave your skin slightly damp for your next step: applying body lotion.

Apply Body Lotion Right After Showering

Body lotion can be applied any time of day – and your skin will no doubt appreciate it – but right after a shower, when still damp, it's most receptive to hydration. While this is true any time of year, it's a particularly good practice to do in winter when your skin needs that hydration the most.

“This practice is called ‘wet skin moisturising' and it's backed by solid research,” says Dr Purusothaman. “Studies have shown that when applying moisturiser straight out of your bath or shower to slightly damp skin, it increases stratum corneum water content. The corneocytes swell, which improves barrier function and hydration.”

In other words, thinking of your skin like a sponge again, if you try to put moisturiser on a dry, shrivelled-up sponge, it doesn't absorb much. But if the sponge is already damp, it's plump and ready to soak up even more water.

Use Thicker Creams

Your hands in winter are constantly exposed to water, soap, cold air and friction, and so need intensive care. If that's the case, you might want to switch to thicker creams and balms.

“These create a protective layer on the skin that helps prevent moisture loss and shields against environmental stressors,” Dr Andric says. “Look for formulas containing ingredients like shea butter, glycerin and ceramides.”

For hands, look for creams containing at least 10-15% urea or lactic acid, which help with the thick, rough skin that develops from repeated washing, says Dr Purusothaman.

“For body, switch to creams or even ointments for dry areas like elbows, knees and heels,” says Dr Purusothaman. “These areas have fewer sebaceous glands and thicker skin that need more intensive treatment. Apply twice daily, morning and evening, focusing on areas that feel tight or look faky.”

Hydrate From Within

Hydration starts from within, but, according to Dr Andric, it isn't just water you should be drinking more of. “Don't underestimate the power of warm, hydrating drinks like herbal teas or hot water with lemon during the colder months,” she says. “They keep you hydrated and also support your skin's overall health.”

Dr Purusothaman notes that in winter, many of us drink less water and more hot, diuretic drinks like coffee to stay warm. Water is the main component of cells and tissues, including those of the skin. That said, drinking water will help hydrate the dermal layer, but not your epidermis.

“This is why topical moisturising creams to bolster the epidermis and lifestyle practices are crucial to maintaining good skin hydration,” she says. “Just be mindful if consuming a lot of coffee or alcohol that this can dehydrate you, so you need to correct for this by drinking water.”

Consider a Humidifier

Indoor heating systems can drop humidity levels to 10-20%, well below the 40-60% optimal for skin health. This means water will be constantly pulled from your skin into the dry air.

“A humidifier is an option to maintain ambient humidity around 40-50%, which clinical studies show can improve skin hydration, reduce transepidermal water loss and decrease winter eczema flares,” says Dr Purusothaman.

Dr Andric adds that it's particularly helpful to use overnight when your skin is in repair mode, which also explains why sleeping with face mask on is so beneficial.

Use an Overnight Hydrating Mask

Overnight masks provide intensive hydration and barrier support while you sleep, leaving your skin visibly plumper and softer by morning, says Dr Andric. The ingredients to look out for are glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide or peptides.

Dr Purusothaman says the masks take advantage of your skin's natural repair cycle, which peaks during sleep when cell turnover is highest. In winter, when your barrier's compromised, these intensive treatments can provide hydrating ingredients your skin desperately needs.

Try Slugging Skincare

Finally, you might want to try ‘slugging', a moisturising technique that involves slathering the face with an occlusive product, like a rich balm, as the last step in your nighttime skincare routine.

“In winter, you don't need to slug your whole face every night,” says Dr Andric. “Instead, try ‘targeted slugging' on dry patches, lips or around the eyes to prevent moisture loss and support healing.”

You can also try body slugging on particularly dry areas like your heels, elbows or knees. To do it, apply your regular body cream, then seal with a thin layer of petrolatum or a heavy ointment containing petrolatum as the first ingredient.

“The key is using slugging as a treatment, not a daily routine for most people,” says Dr Purusothaman. “Start slowly to ensure you don't develop milia (small white bumps) from over-occlusion, particularly if you're acne-prone.”