In the summer, it’s easy to rock a dewy complexion. If your skin’s not glistening from happy hydration, you can at least fake it with sweat. When it’s cold outside, though, having that glow becomes increasingly difficult—but ya still want that dewy, fresh-from-a-facial, selfie-ready look. Amirite?
Good news, though: It can be done. “Striving for dewy skin in the winter is like striving for unclogged pores in the summer—it’s not easy, but you can do it,” says Angelina Umansky, skin-care guru and founder of Spa Radiance. “It’s hard because your skin is being assaulted with dry air blaring from heaters and cold, punishing winds. But, like you need a sweater in the winter, same goes for your skin care.”
That means you’ve gotta bring on the moisture and toss everything that could be getting in the way of glistening hydration. “To get your skin glowing in the winter, put away your stripping cleansers, punishing exfoliators, and light creams,” says Umansky.
First things first: Embrace gentle, creamy face washes.
First things first: Embrace gentle, creamy face washes. “Make sure to use a gentle cleanser like Meder Gel Net-Apax Cleanser ($80),” recommends Rebecca Hebert, esthetician at Joanna Czech Dallas. Umansky says to go with a milky option, like Patyka Rosewood Velvet Cleansing Milk ($40) for morning and night.
It’s essential to still exfoliate so that you’re sloughing off dead skin cells to reveal fresh-as-a-baby new skin, but it’s just important to be gentle with it (I’m sensing a theme here). Hebert advises toning with a microexfoliator like Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 ($101) to fight those stubborn dead skin cells that park it on the top of your complexion, but Moon Juice’s Beauty Shroom Exfoliating Acid Potion ($39) also does the trick for a smaller price tag.
Slathering on the uber-hydrating serums is a must, as they’re providing a concentrated dose of the moisture-binding hyaluronic acid that gives an extra oomph to your moisturizing game. “Look for serums that have a large dose of hyaluronic acid—I love Luzern’s Serum Absolut Rehydrate ($110) for morning and night,” says Umansky. “For dewiness, use Medik8 Glow Oil ($75) for a beautiful radiance to the skin that combats dehydration and also contains vitamin C,” adds Hebert. And don’t be afraid to layer (I always use at least two).
Of course, face masks are also great for delivering an intense hydrating treatment. “Make sure to mask at least two to three times a week with a hydrating mask,” says Herbert. Umansky recommends rotating between a nourishing option such as Caudalie Moisturizing Mask ($39), and Luzern’s Hyra-Enzyme Mask Nuit ($100), which gently exfoliates and hydrates with hyaluronic acid and honey.
To seal it all in, put on a thick moisturizer. “I recommend Chuda’s Healing Hydrating Cream ($80),” says Hebert. There you glow.
Oh, and here’s why you should apply your hyaluronic acid to wet skin, and if you’re into supplements, you can also take hyaluronic acid supplements for even more skin moisture.
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