Medically reviewed by Minimalist Health Specialist - Written by Aheli Sen (Fashion & Beauty Expert) on 29th Dec 2020
Minimalist's Exclusive Winter Skincare Guide
The winters are here, and we love every bit of it. The holidays are here, and there is cheer in the air. Hot chocolate, pies, plum cakes, and snuggling in the warm comfort of home! It's the best feeling ever!
As much as we love the winters and the joy that comes with this season, there is something about winters that we don't look forward to as much! Now, what could that be? Skincare!
The beginning of the winters and the end are the worst because this is when the skin starts drying out from extremely dry and changeable weather. The transitions are the worst. But through the winters, too, the skin feels drier than normal. In this article today, we shall discuss the different skin types and what each skin type should be adopted to avoid dry, flaky skin this winter.
Here is your winter skincare guide 101.
The first thing to figure would be the skin type you have. Now while a lot of you already know that, a lot of our young readers would first like to figure that out:
1. Dry Skin
This is a skin type where the entire face feels extremely dry and looks dull. The skin feels dry as the skin lacks the optimum level of sebum. The skin cannot retain any moisture or hydration, which results in flaky skin with dry patches all over. During the winters, this is the skin type that suffers the most.
2. Combination Skin
This is a skin type where there are both oily and dry patches. The face usually has a very oily t-zone and is complimented with dry patches on the other parts of the face. During the winters, the t-zone stays quite matte but not dry, and the dry patches resemble that of dry skin with rough, flaky patches.
3. Normal Skin
This skin type is the best. It has the perfect natural balance of dry and oil, making the skin supple and always looks nourished. During the winters, it does feel dry but never has rough, dry patches like dry skin.
4. Oily Skin
This is the skin type with excess production of sebum on the face. It is also more acne-prone than other skin types and breaks out quite often when the excess oil binds with dead skin cells that form bacteria's nesting ground.
5. Sensitive Skin
This skin type is usually sensitive to natural elements like sunlight exposure and most skincare products. It breaks out into bumps, hives, and allergies and is prone to pigmentation from sun exposure more than any other skin type. The winters also mean special skincare for this skin type, and this skin type dries out quite a lot.
Have you figured your skin type out?
Fabulous!
We shall now look at the skincare routines that each of the skin mentioned above should follow during the winters.
1. Dry skin
- Lukewarm water - First things first, never wash your face with hot water. This will kill your skin; now, that was just a figure of speech, but yes, it will dry your skin out. Lukewarm water is good, but cool water is the best for the skin.
- Moisturizing cleanser - Wash your face with cleansing oil or a moisturizing cream cleanser if you have makeup on, using a cleansing balm or oil to remove makeup effectively. This ensures that the skin is not stripped off any moisture and does not tug to the skin. A foaming face wash is a big no for this skin type as that would rip the skin off its little oils.
- Treatment - Follow this step with a treatment if you have one, like applying vitamin C to the skin, etc.
- Toner – Tone the skin with a good moisturizing toner. A bunch of brands has toners that have crème particles in them. These toners are great for dry skin and add to the skin's required oil levels.
- Moisturization – Moisturize the skin with a strong oil base. Water-based hydration is not enough for the skin right now, and thus, it is oil-based moisturizers. Look for moisturizers that also have elements that can fortify dry skin.
- Sleep mask – It is often confusing when to put on the sleep mask and where it falls on the skincare routine. Well, this should be your last step or second last step if you want to put on face oil afterward as these locks in all the moisture to the skin helping dry skin retain the same through the night.
2. Combination skin
- Lukewarm water – In this case, it's best to use lukewarm or cool water to wash the face and not hot water, as hot water can dry skin out.
- Moisturizing cleanser - Wash your face with cleansing oil or a moisturizing cream cleanser if you have makeup on, using a cleansing balm or oil to remove makeup effectively. This ensures that the skin is not ripped off any moisture and does not tug at the skin. A foaming face wash is a big no for this skin type as that would rip the skin off its little oils. Combination skin is also really dry for most parts, and thus its cleansing motion is the same as dry skin.
- Treatment - Follow this step with a treatment if you have one, like applying vitamin C to the skin, etc.
- Toner – Tone the skin with a good water-based toner that would hydrate the skin well and balance out the skin's dry and matte levels.
- Serum – Add a good moisturizing serum that contains elements like hyaluronic acid that can hydrate the skin.
- Moisturization – Moisturize the skin with an oil-based moisturizer on the dry patches and some good water-based cream on the t-zone.
- Sleep mask – It is often confusion about when to put on the sleep mask and where it falls in the skincare routine. This should be your last step as these masks can lock in all the moisture to the skin keep the dry patches at bay through the night.
3. Normal skin
- Lukewarm water – The same warning stays with all skin types as in dry skin, which uses lukewarm or cool water to wash the face and not hot water as the skin dries out.
- Moisturizing or foaming cleanser - Since this skin type does well with moisturizing elements and elements that mattify the skin, it can use either cleanser type. Still, a moisturizing one would do you better during the dry winters.
- Treatment - Follow this step with a treatment if you have one, like applying vitamin C to the skin, etc.
Follow this step with a treatment if you have one, like applying vitamin C to the skin, etc. - Toner – Tone the skin with a good water-based toner.
- Serum – Add a good moisturizing serum that contains elements like hyaluronic acid that packs a punch of water to the skin.
- Moisturization – Moisturize the skin with either an oil-based moisturizer or a water-based one per the likes of you.
- Face oil - Add a face oil to feel the best during the dry winters.
4. Oily Skin
- Lukewarm water – lukewarm or cool water should be used to wash the face and not hot water as the skin dries out.
- Foaming cleanser - Use a foaming cleanser as a moisturizing one will not be able to cut through the skin's excess oil and clean the skin in the process.
- Treatment - Follow this step with a treatment if you have one, like applying vitamin C to the skin, etc.
- Toner – Tone the skin with a good water-based toner.
- Serum – Add a good moisturizing serum that contains elements like hyaluronic acid that hydrates the skin.
- Moisturization – Make sure to go over the skin with a good water-based moisturizer. Never go for an oil-based moisturizer, as this will add to the grease on the face.
5. Sensitive skin
- Lukewarm water – The same warning stays with all skin types as in dry skin, which uses lukewarm or cool water to wash the face and not hot water as that dries skin out.
- Foaming cleanser - Use a cleanser that is meant for sensitive skin as always.
- Treatment - Follow this step with a treatment if you have one, like applying vitamin C to the skin, etc.
- Toner – Tone the skin with a good water-based toner that compliments sensitive skin.
- Serum – Add a good moisturizing serum that contains elements like hyaluronic acid that packs a punch of water to the skin. However, again make sure that the serum does not have ingredients that break sensitive skin out.
- Moisturization – A good oil-based moisturizing toner is the key during the winters for this skin type. Again, ensure that the moisturizer is built for your sensitive skin.
To sum the elements that people with sensitive skin should avoid using would be as follows:
- Fragrances.
- Essential Oils.
- Alcohol.
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
- Chemical Sunscreen.
Final Word
Winter skincare needs special attention. Many oils and creme moisturizers help keep dry weather at bay.
The above skincare routine would make life easier for your skin.
