Winter skincare essentials to tackle dryness and dehydration

There's lots to love about winter but dry, uncomfortable skin definitely isn’t on the list!
The right winter skincare routine can transform your skin experience during cold months from tight, dry, and itchy to comfortable, hydrated, and glowing.
Let’s jump into why your skin dries out in winter and how to protect it with a hydration focused routine.

What causes dry skin in winter?

Whether your skin becomes drier as the weather cools or you're a dry-skin type all year round, winter can bring about (or exacerbate) flakiness, dryness, and itchiness.
So, what’s the deal with skin drying out in cold weather?

A drop in humidity is the main culprit. Less moisture in the air means skin can struggle to stay hydrated.
This dryness is compounded by toasty indoor air conditioning which sucks even more moisture from the skin cells.
We also tend to take hotter showers. A steamy shower may be comforting on a chilly morning, but it doesn’t do your skin any favours as hot water is incredibly drying.

Keeping skin healthy during the cold months calls for a winter skincare routine rich in three types of ingredients; humectants, emollients, and occlusives.
Teamwork makes the (skin) dream work, and together these three guard against the perils of dehydration and moisture loss to keep skin soft, hydrated, and glowing.

How to build your perfect winter skincare routine

Add moisture with a hydrating serum

Humectants: Hydrate from the inside out

Hydration is the foundation of radiant winter skin and the key to hydration are humectant ingredients.

Humectant molecules are like little water magnets! They boost hydration in the skin by attracting moisture from the atmosphere and binding it to the skin's surface.
These super hydrators can also pull moisture from the deeper layer of the skin (dermis) to the surface (epidermis) to keep skin moisturised.

Hardworking humectants for your winter skincare routine

> Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
> Panthenol (Vitamin B5)
> Hyaluronic acid
> Aloe Vera
> Sodium-L-Lactate
> Propanediol
> Sodium PCA
> Marine Collagen
> Glycerin

If you don’t use a hydrating serum already, winter is the time to start. With their clever ability to deeply penetrate the skin, serums are the most effective way to deliver hydration to thirsty skin cells.

Our BALANCE Vitamin B Hydrating Serum and RADIANCE Vitamin C Brightening Serum are both packed with a high concentration of humectants. For best results, use RADIANCE Vitamin C Brightening Serum every morning and BALANCE Vitamin B Hydrating Serum every evening.

Tackle dryness and irritation with a nourishing moisturiser and face oil

Emollients and occlusive: Seal moisture in while smoothing and protecting skin.

With skin cells deeply hydrated, it’s time to seal in that juicy moisture and smooth the appearance of dry, rough skin on the surface. This is where a moisturiser and face oil rich in emollient and occlusive ingredients play starring roles in your winter skincare routine.
Together, emollients and occlusives “fill in” the dry, flakey cracks in skin, to prevent moisture seeping out while smoothing roughness, calming irritation and forming a protective layer.

Emollient ingredients - Smooth flaky rough skin

> Shea butter
> Cocoa butter
> Plant oils including rosehip seed oil, castor seed oil, and apricot seed oil
> Ceramides
> Plant-derived squalene and squalane

Occlusive ingredients - Protect and seal in moisture

> Shea and cocoa butters. Real winter skincare winners, these natural butters offer both emollient and occlusive properties.
> Allantoin
> Beeswax
> Jojoba oil

Your light summer moisturiser may not be up for the job of soothing extra dry, irritated winter skin.
We recommend switching to a rich, thick moisturiser brimming with nourishing emollient and occlusive ingredients. Is your skin especially parched? Pair your moisturiser with a rich face oil for a deep conditioning treatment.
Apply the face oil as the final step as the oil works like a sealant for the moisturiser.

RENEW Age Defying Moisturiser is rich in ceramides to repair and restore skin barrier functionality, improve moisturisation and reduce skin irritation.

NOURISH Superfood Facial Oil is also known as liquid gold, and the perfect moisturiser for every skin type. This lightweight but deeply conditioning oil is rich in vitamins, essential fatty acids and antioxidants.

Swap foamy cleansers for cleansing balms

If your skin feels tight and uncomfortable after cleansing, it’s not a good sign. Soap-based and SLS-ridden foaming cleansers are usually to blame. They strip the skin of moisture and the natural oils it needs to protect itself which leads to dry, flakey and reactive skin. In winter, these symptoms are worse as skin is already drier than normal.

Ditch the foam for a balm cleanser instead. With their thicker, emollient-based formulations, balms deeply cleanse while replenishing moisture, rather than stripping it away, leaving skin with a plump, hydrated glow.

CLEANSE Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm melts away makeup, dissolves impurities and gently cleanses the skin whilst replenishing moisture levels.

Keep on-the-go hydration handy

Beat the moisturise zapping effects of indoor heating with a hydrating face mist.

Stash it in your office drawer or bag and quench skin throughout the day whenever you need an extra boost of hydration. Face mists are formulated with humectants to draw water to the skin cells and keep moisture levels topped up.

REFRESH Balancing Hydration Mist not only provides an instant hydration boost, the natural, active botanical ingredients offer added perks of visibling improving the skin barrier and calming irritated skin.

SEEH HYDRATION Bundle - shop the best of our hydration heroes in a single bundle!