Winter Skincare For Everyone

Maintaining your skin’s health from head to toe in the winter can be a real struggle. Between changes in temperature from a “balmy” 32 degrees one hour to a frigid 5 degrees the next, your skin can take a serious beating throughout the season.

My skin hates the winter and when I was younger I used to get severely chapped hands in the to the point where they would bleed and crack all the way up to my wrists. I spent many nights with my hands doused in lotion with socks or gloves over them to keep the moisture in and try to repair my skin. I still struggle with that today, along with other common dry-skin issues, but I have learned what products do and don’t work for me and it’s something I have to pay close attention to and maintain year-round.

Below are some of my favorite winter skincare products that I use from my head to my toes, that can be used by anyone and that have really helped to keep dry skin at bay!

For the Face:

Cleanser: Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser, $34, Ulta - I purchased the Indie Lee Discovery Kit from Ulta and this cleanser came in it. I love the way my skin feels after I use it. Clean, exfoliated, healthy. It’s super gentle, has a light but refreshing scent, and doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped afterwards. Since trialing the discovery kit (with more products that I love from it listed below) I have become a true fan of Indie Lee’s skincare products. Not only that, it’s a clean beauty brand that she started after being diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor that doctors believed was caused by environmental factors, including what she was using on her skin. So believe it when I say, it’s all stuff that is safe and good for you to use, and effective without all the chemicals. There is a trial size version of just the cleanser available at Ulta for $10 if you don’t want to buy the full size or the whole discovery kit.

Moisturizer: Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter, Ulta, $42 - This is still one of my favorite moisturizers to date. It’s like providing my skin with a big drink of hydration and a little goes a long way with this stuff! I like to use this straight out of the shower when I’ve cleansed and scrubbed my skin, so it’s a little drier than normal. It instantly brings my skin back to life and gives me a healthy, dewy glow as well. Bonus - guys and girls can use this because it comes in an unscented option! I like both, but I personally love the Vanilla Apricot scented version which can be found on Josie Maran’s website only.

Toner: Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner, $34, Ulta - I got this, along with the brightening cleanser and squalane facial oil in the discovery kit. Of all the toners I have used, I absolutely love this one. It’s super gentle on my skin, it really takes off any excess make-up, dirt, and oil, while not feeling like my skin is being stripped. Once I am out of the trial size, I am definitely going to be upgrading to the full size bottle. I’ve used basic Witch Hazel Toners, Tea Tree Toners for my acne, etc. and I always feel like they are so potent and stripping. My skin has never looked better since incorporating this into my skincare routine.

Oil: Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil, Ulta, $34 - Again, I got this in my Indie Lee discovery kit from Ulta, and I absolutely love it. When I don’t want something really heavy on my face this is what I use. A little absolutely goes a long way with this, about 3-4 drops of oil will cover your whole face without making you look oily. It absorbs nicely into the skin and gives me the hydration I want without feeling heavy like a regular moisturizer. Good for those more “balmy” winter days where you might sweat a little more than normal in your winter layers! If you’re not ready to dive right into buying the full-size version of this, buy the discovery kit! You’ll get a trial size of the Brightening Cleanser, Squalane Oil, and CoQ-10 Toner that I have mentioned, all for $29.

Exfoliation: Bliss Micro Magic Skin-Renewing Microdermabrasion Scrub, $9.97, Walmart - Hands down my favorite and probably the only scrub that I will use on my face again! This stuff is like magic. It has a minty/tingly sensation that really invigorates your skin. It’s a very fine scrub so it really does feel like you’re having a microdermabrasion treatment done to your skin, without the cost! I love the way my skin feels, and I’ll use this before a cleanser to really let my cleanser sink in and get right to my pores.

Mask: Formula 10.0.6 Take Back Control Oil-Controlling Mud Mask, $7.99, Ulta - I love all the masks from this skincare line! They are budget friendly and skin friendly, making that a win-win in my book. This one in particular is great for clearing out congested pores, and if you’re like me, no matter the season, my skin never fails to be super oily and this helps control that. Not only that, since winter is all about keeping you hydrated when the cold, harsh, weather is drying you out, this mask also gives hydration back to your skin with the cacao butter!

Mask: Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxident Hydration Mask, $38, Sephora - This stuff is amazing, and I have shared this before but I have to share it again. I got a tiny little sampler size one year for Christmas, and last year I decided to “go big or go home” with my love for this mask and bought the largest size and used my VIB rewards coupon to save a little extra. This mask literally looks like golden honey. You slather is on with a little metal spatula and then as you rub it onto your face it turns into a cream. You leave it for 10-15 minutes, and wash off with warm water. My skin looks and feels to clean, energized, and feels super hydrated afterwards. Want to sample it and a few other items from this amazing clean beauty brand? Try some of their value kits with mini sizes inside such as the Farmer’s Market Kit - Farm Fresh Skincare Bestsellers, $35 or The Beehive: Best-Sellers for Glowing Skin, $29, only at Sephora.

Lips: Dionis Peppermint Twist Goat Milk Lip Balm, $5, Ulta - Hands down my new favorite lip balm for all seasons, but especially in the winter! Goat’s Milk is great for your skin and lips. This balm leaves my lips feeling hydrated without the super waxy, oily, like some other lip balms do, while the peppermint infusion calms and soothes my lips when they are chapped. This tube is HUGE for a $5 price tag, and I now have one in my office, bedroom, and my purse. It’s a new staple in my everyday skincare routine.

Hands & Body:

Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer, $6.99, Target - This stuff has been a favorite of mine for a while now. It absolutely leaves my skin feeling super soft, smooth, and hydrated without needing to add moisturizer after my shower. Often times, a shower for me is exhausting mentally and physically, and when I am having a bad day that can be exacerbated ten-fold. So sometimes my skincare routine takes a backseat to the need for rest afterward. However, when I know my skin really needs TLC, I’ll use this in the shower to skip moisturizing after my shower and make sure my skin is getting the hydration it needs.

Veronica Holiday Scrubs, $18, Etsy - I have to plug this scrub again! It’s the only body scrub I will ever use. I have tried so many others from Marshall’s, Target, and other big name beauty brands/stores. Then my mom went into the business of making her own body scrubs, I tried it, and I will never go back to another scrub again. When my skin is feel extra dry, irritated, and red, I grab this when I’m in the shower. The salt scrub base exfoliates away any dead or dry skin, while the essential oils help to moisturize. Seriously, you will not need moisturizer after using this scrub. My skin is butter soft, smooth, and stays hydrated for hours.

Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream, $4.69, Target - This has been a staple in my winter skincare toolkit for YEARS. I mentioned before that I get severely dry, chapped hands in the winter time. This has helped keep that at bay. I use this exclusively at night to help re-hydrate my hands from the rough day. Whether it was a lot of hand-washing and hand-sanitizing or exposure to the harsh winter elements, this helps me regain that soft supple feeling again in my skin.

Dionis Unscented Goat Milk Hand Cream, $5, Ulta - Run don’t walk to your nearest Ulta to grab this stuff, as it’s also currently on sale for $2.50 each! I love this stuff because it’s really hydrating without leaving my hands greasy, and I like that it’s unscented because sometimes scented products cause my sensitive skin to become more red and inflamed. I keep this in my purse and in my office for use throughout the day. If you enjoy scented products more, there are also plenty of scented options to choose from as well! The full size bottles are $10, but the unscented version is only available in the travel size option.

These are just some of my top favorite products for winter that I think can benefit anyone trying to keep their skin hydrated throughout the season, and I hope that for some of you, these suggestions help! Have some products that you love and have worked to keep your skin looking and feeling its best all winter long? Drop a comment below!