Winter Skin Care Tips for GLOWING Skin

This post is sponsored by Walmart. As always all opinions are 100% my own.

Yes, I know it snowed and was also a high of 60 for two days in the same week in NYC, but winter is here. We will be reminded of the BRUTAL cold soon enough.

While you may have your layers down and your statement coats set (if not, check out my Winter playlist on YouTube), is your skin ready? No worries if it’s not. I’ll be breaking down how to get GLOWING skin even when it’s BRICK out. You can shop select products from this post at your local Walmart or shop them all right from your warm couch on Walmart.com.

Cleanse

* Make sure you’re using a gentle cleanser. You want to use a gentle cleanser as your daily cleanser year-round, but it’s especially important in the winter, because a harsh cleanser can really dry out your skin.

* Lessen the use of deep cleansers to maybe once or twice a week as needed. Some skin types may want to only use a deep cleanser every other week.

* This goes for any soaps or body washes you use as well. I tend to lay off drying soaps for my body skin and switch to body washes for dry, sensitive skin or eczema.

Shop some gentle cleanser options from Walmart at various price points in the widget below: (note there are facial cleansers as well as body washes linked below)

Exfoliate

* Exfoliation, whether physical or chemical (find out the difference here) is important in the winter. During the colder months, the skin’s natural renewal process tends to slow down. This can cause an excess of dead skin cells on the face which in turn can cause the skin to look dull.

* But don’t overdo it! While everyone’s skin is different, typically you don’t want to exfoliate more than 1-2 times a week if you have dry skin and no more than 2-3 times a week if you have oily skin.

Shop some exfoliator options from Walmart at various price points in the widget below:

Moisturize

* Every step in your skincare routine is important, but this is probably the one you may need to pay attention to the most. Using the wrong moisturizer in the winter can lead to dry, flaky skin or other issues.

* Almost every skin type will need a more hydrating moisturizer during the winter months. Drier skin types especially.

* Know your climate though—it doesn’t get dry and cold everywhere. You may need to try a few moisturizers before you land on the right one for you.

* Don’t forget you still need to use SPF during the day. The sun’s harmful rays still come out during the winter. Sun damage is also cumulative. 15 minutes of sun exposure a day adds up, y’all!

* Don’t forget your eyes, hands, and lips! Sure, eye cream isn’t going to give you the type of results you’d get from fillers, but the area needs moisture, too. And our poor hands and lips are always exposed to the elements.

* Your body moisturizer may also need an upgrade. I tend to use lotions and creams that are made for very dry skin or even eczema to prevent excess dryness and itchiness.

Shop some daytime moisturizer options from Walmart at various price points in the widget below:

Shop some nighttime moisturizer options from Walmart at various price points in the widget below:

Shop some eye cream options from Walmart at various price points in the widget below:

Shop body moisturizer and hand cream options from Walmart at various price points in the widget below:

Some lip care options from Walmart at various price points in the widgets below:

Treat

* Make sure your treatment products aren’t drying out your skin. Products that contain ingredients like retinol, sulfur, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, etc. can dry the skin out if used too often. Recheck the labels for the suggested usage. You may need to lessen the use of some if you notice they dry out your skin.

* A hydrating serum in addition to your moisturizer might be a great idea during the colder months

* I already mentioned exfoliation above, but mentioning it here again since it is also a treatment. If you notice dullness during this season, it’s likely that you need to exfoliate. This step is important because if your skin is bogged down with excess dead skin cells, your skincare products won’t work as intended. It’s like throwing your money down the drain when you try to put treatment products on skin that desperately needs to be exfoliated.

* Also want to point out that treatment options are specific to your current skin issues and of course your skin type. Make sure you research before using something new on your skin.

* It’s also a great idea to see a professional for a skin assessment and/or facial.

Shop treatment options from Walmart at various price points in the widgets below:

For dull skin:

For dry skin:

Makeup

* If you want to go that extra mile with your winter glow, makeup can get you there!

* Matte foundation finishes might not be ideal for the colder months as some can highlight dry areas on the face. You may want to switch to something with a more natural, satin matte, velvet, or dewy finish

* Consider switching to cream formulas especially if you have drier skin

* Cream and powder highlighters are great on the high points of the face. Use sparingly—the idea is to gently highlight—not mimic an Oscar statue.

* Liquid highlighters are great applied either before your foundation, on the high points of the face after applying foundation, or mixed in with your foundation

* Go easy on the powder. Some powders can highlight dry areas on the face

Shop foundation options from Walmart at various price points in the widgets below:

Shop highlighter options from Walmart at various price points in the widgets below:

Photos: Dadouchic

More tips

1. Go easy on the heat.

Heaters warm up a space quickly, but they can also be extremely drying on the skin. I personally rarely have the heat on in my apartment. Instead I layer up when I get cold. If it gets a bit too nippy, I’ll turn the radiator on for like 30-60 mins just to take the crispness out of the air. Then I turn it off.

If you absolutely must have the heat on, make sure you also run a humidifier to put moisture back into the air.

2. Turn down the temp in the shower.

Yes, I know a hot shower after coming in from the cold sounds nice, but it can also zap your skin of moisture. Turn the temp down, sis. And turn it down a bit more if you’re washing your face in the shower, too.

And while we’re talking about the shower—right after you towel off and your skin is still a bit damp? That’s the best time to apply your moisturizer. It’s a lot harder for your skin to receive all that goodness when it’s already starting to feel like tree bark…lol.

3. Steer clear of irritating fabrics.

I love a good fluffy sweater in theory, but in reality they are ITCHY. I tend to wear more sweatshirts than sweaters in the winter. I get the same warm layer minus the itchy fabric.