Are you making these critical winter skincare mistakes?
Winter is a magical time of year in many ways, but it can be hard on our skin. Chilly winds, low humidity, and indoor heating cause dryness, redness, chapping, irritation, and more.
If you’ve noticed that your skin is feeling tight and itchy during the winter months, you’re experiencing the effects that cold weather can have. In the post below, we explain why winter skin reacts differently and explore seven common mistakes you could be making right now in your skincare routine.
Then, we provide easy recommendations for what you can do instead to keep your skin looking and feeling youthful all winter long.
Winter Skincare Mistakes: Winter Skin Needs Special Care
When it gets cold outside and the humidity levels drop, the air naturally holds less moisture. This leads to dehydration in the skin, as the air pulls moisture out of it, leaving it feeling dry and tight. Indoor heating systems sap even more moisture from the air, potentially compromising the skin’s outer barrier and leading to more moisture loss. The skin becomes more prone to redness, sensitivity, and even breakouts.
In the northern latitudes, exposure to sunlight can decrease significantly during the winter. This may seem like good news for the skin because ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can damage it. However, the sun’s rays can still harm the skin in winter, particularly if they’re reflected off snow. If you live in a snowy climate or enjoy skiing and fail to protect your skin, you could pay for it with redness, irritation, and even sunburn.
In short, winter skin requires a different approach to your skincare routine.
7 Winter Skincare Mistakes to Avoid
1. Using Harsh Cleansers
Why It’s a Mistake
Many foaming or gel-based cleansers are made with harsh surfactants like sulfates that strip the skin of natural oils. These oils are crucial for maintaining your skin’s moisture level and protective barrier. When removed, skin becomes more vulnerable to environmental stressors like dry air, sun rays, wind, and pollution. The problem worsens in cold winter air as the skin is already dry, tight, and uncomfortable.
What to Do Instead
Choose a gentle, hydrating cleanser that cleans without stripping. Look for products that include ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and aloe vera for moisturizing, as well as sulfate alternatives like coco-glucoside or decyl glucoside.
Follow your cleansing with our Rescue + Relief Spray for a cooling, calming effect that helps restore pH balance and moisturizes your skin.
2. Skipping Moisturizer or Using the Wrong One
Why It’s a Mistake
The skin produces less oil (sebum) in winter, making it more prone to dehydration. Skipping moisturizer or using a lightweight one designed only for summer may not provide enough hydration or protection. This can lead to a compromised skin barrier, increased sensitivity, and visible dryness like flaking and cracking.
Without the right moisturizer, the skin also struggles to retain water, leading to a dull, lackluster appearance.
What to Do Instead
Switch to a richer, barrier-repairing moisturizer with ingredients like ceramides and shea butter. Our CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture and Body Repair Lotion are intensely moisturizing and help nourish winter skin. Both are also favorites for providing long-lasting moisture and halting dry, flaky, itchy skin.
3. Taking Long, Hot Showers and Baths
Why It’s a Mistake
That warm water sure feels good in winter! Staying in it too long, however, can strip your skin of its natural oils. Prolonged exposure to hot water also causes transepidermal water loss (TEWL), where water evaporates from the skin’s surface, leaving it dehydrated.
This damage can lead to redness, irritation, and even the exacerbation of conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
What to Do Instead
Try to limit most of your showers and baths to no more than 10-15 minutes, and use lukewarm water instead of hot. After bathing, gently pat your skin dry and immediately apply a hydrating lotion like CV Skinlabs’ Body Repair Lotion, which locks in moisture and soothes irritation.
4. Not Adjusting Your Exfoliation Routine
Why It’s a Mistake
Over-exfoliating in winter can weaken your skin’s barrier, leading to redness, increased sensitivity, and sometimes breakouts. Abrasive scrubs or frequent use of chemical exfoliants can strip away too much of the skin’s natural oils and disrupt its microbiome.
On the other hand, skipping exfoliation entirely isn’t a good idea either, as it allows dead skin cells to build up on the surface of your skin, creating a rough texture and preventing your moisturizer from penetrating effectively.
What to Do Instead
Listen to your skin. In general, it’s best to exfoliate no more than once or twice a week with a gentle product. Look for ingredients like lactic, malic, and glycolic acid, as they exfoliate while maintaining hydration. Follow with a rich moisturizer like our Calming Moisture to replenish your skin. If you see redness and irritation, reduce exfoliating to once a week or once every ten days.
5. Neglecting Sunscreen
Why It’s a Mistake
It may seem that you don’t need sunscreen in winter, as it’s often cloudy, but UV rays are present year-round. UVA rays, in particular—which are more likely to cause skin cancer—can penetrate clouds and windows, potentially causing premature aging and increasing the risk of skin cancer.
Snow reflects up to 80 percent of the sun’s rays, doubling your exposure and further contributing to skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation and fine lines.
What to Do Instead
Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every morning, even on overcast days. Pair it with CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture to keep your skin hydrated and protected.
6. Ignoring Your Lips
Why It’s a Mistake
The skin on the lips is thinner than the rest of your skin. It also lacks oil glands, making it more susceptible to drying out in cold weather. Without a lot of TLC, your lips can quickly become chapped, cracked, and painful. Without treatment, they may even bleed or become infected.
What to Do Instead
Use a nourishing balm like our Restorative Skin Balm to hydrate and protect all day and night. Ingredients like beeswax and shea butter coat skin and create a soothing barrier to trap moisture, nourishing the lips and protecting them from environmental aggressors. Take it with you and reapply as needed.
7. Overlooking Indoor Humidity Levels
Why It’s a Mistake
Indoor heating systems reduce the humidity in the air, creating an environment that pulls moisture from your skin. Without help, your skin becomes dehydrated, flaky, and overly sensitive and reactive. Over time, the lack of moisture can exacerbate dryness and make fine lines more prominent.
What to Do Instead
Invest in a humidifier to keep indoor air at an optimal humidity (around 40-50 percent). This small change can make a big difference in keeping your skin hydrated.
Do you avoid these winter skincare mistakes?
Featured image by Liza Summer via Pexels.
