We’re dreaming of spring already, but despite our desires to be pool-side, we still have a few more months left of dreaded winter. Harsh winds and the constant changes in temperature between heated indoor and freezing outdoor environments whip our hair and skin into a dry, lifeless mess. To combat winter weather beauty sorrows, it’s time to stock our vanities with hydration-boosting products (and a few beauty tips) that will help keep our skin and hair looking and feeling beautiful all winter long.

Winter beauty products: Oil-based serum

During the winter, your skin needs a heavy dose of hydration. While lighter lotions like gels might be adequate in summer months, our winter skin needs oil. Oils melt in to the skin and nourish it, making dull, tired skin more dewy and youthful looking. Swap an oil-based serum in place of your usual one, such as the new Dermalogica AGE Smart Overnight Repair Serum. Apply at bedtime, and the oil will absorb into your skin while you sleep. If a nighttime boost is not enough, then work a couple of drops of oil, such as the Eminence Herbal Recovery Oil, into your moisturizer to boost hydration even further.

Winter beauty products: Lip balm

Plain or tinted,
lip balm is an essential during the winter months we tend to need a little more due to cold winds. Crank up the moisture content by opting for rich buttery formulas. Look for ingredients like Shea Butter, found in the lip butters by organic brand Korres; Coconut Oil, which make up the formulation of drugstore favourite Yes to Carrots Lip Butter; or Jojoba Oil, found in Ilia Pure Lip Care’s lip balms, which are so pigmented that they could double as lipsticks.

Winter beauty products: Hair mask

Dry, unruly hair is never in style, and we have countless beauty tips at the ready to fix this hair problem. As temperatures drop, so does the moisture in our hair, leaving it dull and prone to breakage and static. Instead of your regular conditioner, switch to a nourishing hair mask once or twice a week. Most hair masks, like Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask or the Neutrogena Deep Recovery Hair Mask, are equipped with enriching oils that restore shine and moisture into our tresses.

Don’t skimp on the hand cream and body oil! More winter beauty products and beauty tips on the next page …

Winter beauty products: Hand cream

Dry, chapped hands always feel scratchy against our clothes, sometimes even snagging a thread or two. In the dead of winter, using body lotion in lieu of hand lotion just won’t do — our hands need their own hero. Drugstore darling Neutrogena Norwegian Formula is always a trusty choice; the new Ureaka Healing Hand Cream also works wonders. An organic option to consider is the Consonant Organic Hand Cream, a rich and unscented hand therapy. Beyond the realm of hand cream, Weleda’s Skin Food is an all around moisturizer designed to use on your driest spots: hands, elbows, knees.

Winter beauty products: Body oil

The face and hair might be taken care of, but don’t forget about the rest of your body. The quickest way to add that much-needed moisture to our body is by embracing body oils. Lotions and creams are formulated with a high water content, which is usually all we need to get by in the summertime. But oils penetrate deeper into the skin and are armed with powerful antioxidants. For best results, use a body oil immediately after the shower – pat skin dry and then slick the oil on when skin is still damp for maximum hydration. Consider Weleda’s Sea Buckthorn Body Oil or H20 Sea Pure Finishing Body Silk for their ability to quickly seep through the outer layer of the skin, leaving it velvety soft.

Read more:
Great pore refining products

Perfect match: 5 flawless foundations
Skin care’s new cleansing oils

Test out the latest beauty looks with our Virtual Makeover Tool!