Beauty Skin-Care Tips

How to Winterize Your Skin-Care Routine If You Plan on Spending Real Time Outdoors

Well+Good Editors

November 9, 2018

It's no secret winter air and your dewy complexion are so not BFFs. But what can you do to remedy the frenemy situation besides basically bathing in moisturizer? Actually, it requires a full intervention—and you might have to make more changes to your skin care and your wardrobe than you think.

That starts with swapping the products in your beauty cabinet, which should be on the same schedule as your seasonal closet change, according to Rachel Nazarian, MD, dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology.

"Skin care should change with the seasons," Dr. Nazarian says. "During winter months the humidity drops, and moisture is taken from the skin surface into the surrounding environment. This makes it more likely for skin to dry out, become irritated, and inflamed—and ultimately itchy." #Ouch.

Altering your routine is especially important if you're a fan of outdoor winter activities (skiing fanatics and outdoor runners, we're looking at you), which is why we got Dr. Nazarian to dish her favorite skin-saving methods—starting with her go-to Burt's Bees products (all-natural recs FTW).

Scroll down for the 3 steps you should add to your winter skin-care routine for glowing skin all season long.

1. Cover up

First and foremost, keeping your skin from being exposed to dry air at all is going to be the best way to keep it from drying out—which means hats, gloves, and scarves are a must whenever you go outside.

"The less direct exposure to cold air and wind, the more intact your skin moisture barrier will remain," Dr. Nazarian says. "It’s best to keep as much covered as you can, especially when the weather is cold and the wind is blowing."

And do yourself a favor—invest in tech-friendly gloves so you don't have to sacrifice silky smooth hands to use your phone. Do it for the 'gram.

2. Don't forget your lips

For areas you can't cover easily with winter accessories, like your lips, Dr. Nazarian suggests using a layer of lip balm as a dermal sweater.

"The lips are an incredibly sensitive area of the body that are prone to loss of moisture and drying," she explains. "I recommend twice daily application of a topical to enhance the skin barrier and prevent loss of moisture in cold arid environments."

Because lip care is Burt's Bees' specialty (obvi), there's a lip-saving product for every time of day to ensure your pout never goes unpolished.

Keep Medicated Lip Balm on hand for an easy swipe of moisture all day, and use the Overnight Intensive Lip Treatment in the p.m. to nourish your lips while you snooze. Your lips have never been so soft.

3. Switch up your products

Just like white pants are a no-go after summer, your whipped moisturizers and gel cleansers should also hibernate for winter.

"I typically recommend moisturizing cleansers, rather than soaps, that clean skin but do not disrupt the natural oils on the skin surface," Dr. Nazarian says. "Products such as Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar, or Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser are wonderful options during cold weather seasons."

She also recommends adding in overnight products (like Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream or Estēe Lauder Advanced Night Repair) that can sink in while you sleep, "when skin is most amenable to recovery and treatment," she says.

Finally, consider shortening up your shower and using tepid water over hot. "Hot water strips the moisture and natural oils from the skin surface, [and] will only weaken skin further, making dry, itchy skin more likely." Dry winter air's got nothin' on you.