The dry air of the winter months requires an update of your skincare routine from fall to winter. Here are 11 skincare tips for winter to help keep your skin looking good…
Having a separate, updated skincare regime for each season is a very good idea if you want to be able to meet the challenges of this transitional season and enjoy it to the fullest. Though much of Texas and other parts of the country with similar climates don’t typically see the extreme snow of the North East and other areas of the country, it is definitely true that the weather gets cooler and the breeze picks up around this time of year. To keep your skin protected, let your skincare change with the seasons!
To provide us with some fall to winter transition skin care essentials, we spoke with Houston-based Aesthetician, Mindy Goeke.
Why Is It Important to Change Up Your Skincare Routine?
Goeke shares, “It is important to change our skincare regimen with any big season changes because the weather, and moisture in the air plays a big part in how our skin is going to respond.”
Living in areas with more humidity is beneficial for the skin. Winter tends to bring about drier air in most climates, however.
“Living in Houston, we are used to a ton of humidity, which actually helps our skin out a lot. Once winter finally comes, the air turns dry, and bye bye humidity. No humidity means we also lack water in our skin, so we need products to help combat the weather. And that’s the case for other areas throughout the country, too.”
Skincare tips to transition from fall to winter
Here are some of the skincare tips for winter Goeke suggests when transitioning your skincare regimen from fall to winter.
1. Update Your Cleanser
Make sure that your cleanser has moisturizing properties: you don’t want your cleanser to be stripping the skin of moisture and undoing all the good work your moisturizer has been doing. The perfect option is the SkinMedica system – and it’s great for pampering your skin after a treatment like the Halo Treatment too.
2. Make sure you have the right moisturizer for the season and your skin
As fall (and, later, winter) sets in, your skin is at increased risk of dryness. Indoor heaters and sharp, cool winds outside can both cause your skin to dry out. So, grab yourself a fall moisturizer that will really lock that moisture into your facial skin.
3. Use a high-quality HA product to hydrate the skin
Goeke shares, “The most important product to use in a dryer climate is Hyaluronic acid. Our bodies naturally make hyaluronic acid, but sadly over time they don’t produce as much either. Hyaluronic acid helps to draw water into the cells to help hydrate, and plump the skin.”
Though a moisturizer can give your skin a great outer barrier, it is crucial to focus on holistic, deep hydration as well. This is particularly the case in fall – so supplement your daily moisturizer with a hydrator! SkinMedica’s HA5 is the perfect choice for winter, as it gives you the supple, smooth, and plump skin that only deep hydration can provide.
“SkinMedica’s HA5 is a perfect solution these dryer months we face. It has five different strands of Hyaluronic acid that helps to bind the water to the skin. It also has the same technology in it that the Juvederm fillers have in them. My favorite thing about it is you get an instantaneous plumpness, but over time, it retrains those lazy cells of ours to become more hydrophilic (water loving) on their own over time.”
Additionally, all year round, it is crucial to make sure to drink plenty of water to boost your body’s hydration.
4. Exfoliate
Combat dry skin further by exfoliating away the flaky outer layer of your skin. Make sure that your exfoliator has moisturizing properties, though, so that it solves rather than exacerbates the problem. And during the winter, limit the number of times you exfoliate to once or twice per week.
Exfoliation helps to further clear your pores and help with cell turnover. However, choose a mild exfoliator without harsh irritants or granules that could irritate the skin.
5. Specialized Treatments and Serums
For the winter, apply a speciality serum that hydrates your skin, while also protecting it against free radicals. Look for high-quality ingredients, like growth factors, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and antioxidants. SkinMedica’s TNS Advanced+ Serum is a scientifically researched serum backed by proven results.
6. Eye Treatment
Eye creams have ingredients that are similar to facial moisturizers, though they are gentle enough for the delicate skin around the eyes. Eye creams and serums help to prevent and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and keep the skin moisturized.
7. Lip Treatment
The lips can easily get chapped and dry out during the winter months. Lip products with long-term moisturizers, like jojoba oil, shea butter, olive oil, almond oil, Vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and beeswax. Goeke recommends SkinMedica’s HA5 Lip Duo as a great go-to to both treat and moisturize the lips. 
8. Don’t forget the SPF
Your skincare routine should always include an SPF. Seek out a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 35 or higher to protect against sun damage that can lead to premature aging and skin cancer.
9. Don’t forget about your neck, chest, and body
It’s not just your face that needs consideration during the winter. Your neck, chest, and entire body needs products with extra moisturization and hydration during the winter months.
10. Consider Laser Treatments During the Winter Months
Fall and winter are the ideal months to amp up your laser treatments like Halo, BBL, Moxi, and Laser Resurfacing treatments. This is because these treatments need you to spend as long as possible out of the sun prior to and following treatment, with a minimum of two to four weeks on both ends of the treatment.
Laser treatments help to minimize the appearance of wrinkles, lines, dull skin, age spots, and other blemishes. They’re the perfect treatments for when the skies are cloudy and you feel more like covering up than laying all bare in a bikini. No matter the time of year, make sure to follow your practitioner’s advice about protecting your skin and wearing sunscreen in the weeks after your treatment.
11. Consider a skincare consultation
To learn more about how to take care of your skin during the fall and winter months, schedule a consultation with your local MedSpa or Dermatological clinic. An Aesthetician or another appropriate licensed professional can assess your skin and guide you on the best products to use, regardless of the time of year.
Additional skincare tips for Winter
Aside from updating your skincare products to ensure your skin remains hydrated and well-taken care of throughout the winter months, here are some other important considerations to help your skin remain healthy.
- Get plenty of rest, with a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night. Our bodies recover while we sleep, supporting our physical and mental wellbeing. When you regularly don’t get enough sleep, your skin will show it.
- A facial steamer can help to infuse hydration and soften the skin. It can also help prep the skin for better effectiveness and absorption of products applied.
- Drink plenty of water all year round to help your body and organs remain hydrated. During colder months, the body can benefit from a little extra intake of water.
Skin care steps process
If you’re curious as to the right steps when it comes to taking care of your skin in the mornings and evenings, a general rule of thumb, outside of the first steps of removing makeup and cleansing, is to apply products from thinnest to thickest over the face and focused treatments for the eyes and lips last. For example:
Morning routine
- Cleanse
- Speciality face serum application
- Hydrate
- Moisturize
- Apply SPF
- Treat the lips
Evening routine
- Remove Makeup
- Cleanse
- Exfoliate
- Apply face serum
- Hydrate
- Moisturize
- Apply eye cream
Taking time to update your routine to take care of your skin with the changing of the seasons will help keep your skin looking and feeling its best.
Mindy Goecke, Aesthetician
Mindy is a Houston-based Aesthetician with over a decade of experience helping patients utilize the best skin care products and treatments to meet their skin care goals and needs. She is continually striving to provide the best care to her patients and educate them on skin care and treatments. She is continually learning, seeking and applying the best state-of-the-art treatments and latest trends, so she can apply what she learns to support clients in achieving their desired results for the short- and long-term. Learn more about Mindy and the team of professionals she works with…
DermaTouch RN offers minimally invasive and non-invasive treatments for men and women in Houston, San Antonio, Spring and Cypress, as well as the surrounding areas of Texas. We are the largest aesthetic practice in the Houston area, and all of our medical spa treatments are performed by a team of nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and aestheticians who receive continuing education to remain abreast of emerging treatments that benefit our patients. We invite you to learn more about our office before your consultation.
