During the spring and summer, I can pretty much get away with the most minimal skincare routine imaginable. Heck, sometimes I’ll go without washing my face with cleanser or moisturizing my face, for several days in a row. However, as soon as the weather starts getting colder and drier, that’s when I’ll get a solid routine back in order, because my skin can get rough, patchy, and just plain dry – fast. Now, that doesn’t necessarily equate to more product – as I like to still keep my routine fairly minimal possible. For me, it’s more about finding the right products, i.e. the multi-tasking and hard-working, yet gentle formulas that keep my skin balanced. Here are all 8 in my current skincare line-up…
Skinfix Foaming Oil Cleanser – I tend to use oil cleansers because they’re super gentle and hydrating, but sometimes I don’t always feel like they give me the best cleanse. That is, until I find this one from Skinfix. It’s the perfect middle ground between an oil cleanser and a more intensive foaming cleanser. Instead of using harsh, drying sulfates to lather, it uses natural coconut-based cleansers. Plus it contains a ton of extra hydrating (and natural) ingredients like macadamia oil, jojoba oil, red seaweed extract, panthenol, aloe leaf extract, cucumber extract, and a whole slew of other flower and fruit extracts. The formula is gentle yet effective enough to remove my stubborn waterproof eye makeup, and leaves my skin feeling clean, soft, plump, and hydrated – never tight or dry.
Kopari Coconut Sheer Oil – Now that the face masks are off and the face is cleansed, it’s time for moisturizer. Now, I love using coconut oil on my skin – especially in my bath water – however, it can be a bit heavy for the face. Fortunately, Kopari formulated this ultra-lightweight, fast-absorbing, non-greasy version of coconut oil that I’ve been loving as both a nighttime and daytime moisturizer. It also works surprisingly well as a primer for my liquid foundation (something I would have never dreamed of using my regular coconut oil for!). It helps it glide on smoothly while also preventing it from slipping and sliding around.
Derma E Hydrating Night Cream – I’ve only come across a couple of night time moisturizers in my life that are intensive and rich enough to hydrate my driest areas in the winter, but also non-greasy and fast-absorbing, so as to not congest my pores and cause me to breakout. This is one of those rare finds, and my absolute favorite for it’s non-toxic ingredient list, which includes hyaluronic acid, macadamia seed oil, jojoba seed oil, vitamins A & E, aloe vera, and more. I’ll notice an improvement in my skin tone and texture after just a few nights of using this – it deeply hydrates, smooths, evens, and plumps.
The Body Shop Chinese Ginseng & Rice Mask – Detox and clarifying masks can be tricking in the winter time as they tend to be very drying. This one, however, is the gentlest multi-tasking mask I’ve come across. It does a bit of everything – draws out impurities using kaolin clay, and polishes away dry, dead skin and flakes using Luffa Cylindrica Fruit – all while keeping the skin hydrating, comforted, and soothed. (Read my full review here.)
Manuka Doctor, 24+ Bio Active Manuka Honey – Honey is one of the best natural moisturizers for your skin, so I always like to keep a jar around in the winter. On top of deeply hydrating, it’s also antioxidant and nutrient-rich, with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. You can use any kind of honey, but one of the most beneficial for the skin is Manuka honey. It has the highest nutritional content – up to 4 times that of normal flower honeys (1)! Just make sure to get one that’s UMF certified and rated 10+ to confirm that it’s the real deal and medicinal quality.
Erborian Bamboo Waterlock – Honey is my choice mask for weekly or bi-weekly use, however, it can be a bit messy and time-consuming since you can’t sleep in it, and for maximum benefits, it’s best left on for a few hours. So when I need a quick fix, I’ll grab this mask. Its lightweight, fast-absorbing aquagel formula instantly smoothes, quenches, and plumps my skin. And I love that I can use it anytime of the day – I’ll apply it after a workout and let it soak in while I drink my post-workout shake, or layer it on thick for a deeply moisturizing overnight treatment that does leave traces on my pillow. (Read my full review here.)
Joanna Vargas Revitalizing Eye Cream – I’ve tried tons of eye creams over the past couple years, but this one really stuck. While others can feel heavy or greasy, this one is lightweight and fast-absorbing, and makes a perfect primer for concealer in the morning, even when I’m in a rush. It’s also packed hydrating oils, plus antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory (aka depuffing), line-smoothing, and skin-rejuvenating ingredients like peptides, lactic acid, oat amino protein, and cucumber extract.
IT Cosmetics Je Ne Sais Quoi Hydrating Color Awakening Lip Treatment in Rose – I’ve been a long-time fan of Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatments, but lately I’ve been reaching for this one from IT Cosmetics. It instantly smooths and softens my super dry lips, and makes them plump and healthy-looking with a soft sheen and a slight hint of color. I especially love the feel – it’s lightweight, not at all heavy or waxy, and it lasts – it doesn’t leave my lips begging for more after only 30 minutes like many of my wax-based balms.
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What are some of your favorite fall and winter skincare products?
