13 Winter Skin-Care Routine Essentials to Minimize Seasonal Dryness

‘Tis the season for rolling out your winter skin-care routine, which should include hydrating formulas to keep seasonal dryness to a minimum. With colder temperatures come changes in humidity, exposure to indoor heaters, and blustery winds that can make skin feel drier and look duller. To guard against cold weather-induced concerns like dryness and flaky skin, you may need to make a few adjustments to your usual skin-care roundup—thanks to the dermatologist tips and product recommendations below.

Our Top Picks

• Best Moisturizer: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2, $155
• Best Toner: Charlotte Tilbury Glow Toner, $55
• Best for Sensitive Skin: Dieux Instant Angel Moisturizer, $45
• Best for Fine Lines: SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream, $54
• Best Serum: Alastin Skincare HA Immerse Serum, $127
• Best Sunscreen: SkinMedica Total Defense + Repair Broad Spectrum SPF 34, $70
• Best Face Mask: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask, $45

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is my skin dry during the winter?
• What can I do to prevent winter skin dryness?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Moisturizer: SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2

Why it's worth it: The Allure Best of Beauty-winning SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 is like a cashmere sweater for your skin—in the sense that it’s ultra-rich and makes your skin feel buttery-smooth, no matter how dry the climate may be. This ultra-rich face cream’s intensive moisturizing powers come from a moisturizing blend of 2% ceramides, 4% cholesterol, and 2% fatty acids. "It infuses skin-identical fatty acids into the barrier in the exact proportion that naturally exists in our barrier," Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine, previously told Allure. Kim Nichols, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Greenwich, Connecticut, also gives its ceramide-spiked formula two thumbs up for tackling dryness and flaking caused by cold air.

Key ingredients: ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Serum: Alastin Skincare HA Immerse Serum

Why it's worth it: Hyaluronic acid is one of the top ingredients for dry skin due to its ability to hydrate skin, whereas other ingredients like oils simply moisturize. (Yes, there’s a difference.) Alastin’s HA Immerse Serum utilizes a unique delivery system powered by two peptide chains, one to encourage the skin to produce its own hyaluronic acid and another slow the breakdown of your skin's natural hyaluronic acid, keeping its levels high over time. Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Westport, Connecticut, previously called Alastin’s HA Immerse Serum her favorite for "replenishing fine lines and lost volume," making it a good choice for those with mature skin.

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptides, silver mushroom extract | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Toner: Charlotte Tilbury Glow Toner

Why it's worth it: Yes, you can use toner when your skin is feeling dry, but the key is to grab a formula with moisturizing properties, like Charlotte Tilbury’s Glow Toner, to avoid drying out your pores. "This acid-free, hydrating toner is formulated with sodium hyaluronate and glycerin to replenish moisture into the skin, shea butter to support the skin barrier, and niacinamide to improve skin tone and texture," Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, previously told Allure.

Key ingredients: sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, shea butter, niacinamide, prickly pear extract | Fragrance-free: no

Best for Sensitive Skin: Dieux Instant Angel Moisturizer

Why it's worth it: Our editors love the gentle, soothing feel of Dieux’s Instant Angel Moisturizer, a fragrance-free cream that feels like a moisturizing cloud on your skin. The foundation of this cream is Dieux’s hydro-lipid blend, an intensively moisturizing and irritation-reducing mix of lipids, squalane, glycerin, urea, and amino acids. "The magic this barrier-restoring concoction works on my dry patches in the bitterly cold New York winters has yet to be beaten," senior news editor Nicola Dall'Asen says of its formula. "A tiny bit of this thick, gooey cream goes a long way, thanks to the seamless way it spreads and sinks into skin."

Key ingredients: hydro-lipid blend (lipids, squalane, glycerin, urea, amino acids), peptides (dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline peptide), meadowestolide (meadowfoam seed oil) | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Sunscreen: SkinMedica Total Defense + Repair Broad Spectrum SPF 34

Why it's worth it: UV protection is a year-round ordeal, so keep your skin guarded this winter with Dr. Gohara’s favorite sunscreen, SkinMedica's Total Defense + Repair Broad Spectrum SPF 34. She previously shouted out its formula for its hybrid chemical and mineral sunscreen filters and inclusion of antioxidant vitamin C, which brightens and hydrates the skin. To enhance its plumping abilities, SkinMedica also spiked with sunscreen with a conditioning duo of squalane and glycerin,

Key ingredients: octinoxate (7.5%), octisalate (3%), zinc oxide (8%), squalane, glycerin, vitamin C | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Face Mask: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Rehydrating Face Mask

Why it's worth it: The star ingredient in to Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask is moisturizing squalane, which makes it a must-have for getting through winter. This ingredient’s soothing, conditioning properties are recommended by derms for a wide range of skin types. "[Squalane] aids in skin-care problems wherein the skin barrier is disrupted and transepidermal water loss is an issue," Samantha Fisher, MD, a Stuart, Florida-based board-certified dermatologist, previously told Allure. Not only can it prevent winter dryness, but it can also ease conditions like eczema, acne, and psoriasis.

Key ingredients: squalane (10.5%) glacial glycoprotein | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Face Wash: La Roche Posay Lipikar Wash AP+

Why it's worth it: When it comes to managing weather-induced sensitivity and redness, both Dr. Nichols and James Y. Wang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Los Angeles, recommend a gentle cleanser with moisture-replenishing ingredients, like La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar Wash AP+. "This cleanser avoids overstripping the skin of natural oils, which are needed to protect the skin barrier against the elements," says Dr. Wang. This face and body wash is infused with conditioning shea butter, moisture-sealing glycerin, and brightening niacinamide for a soft, radiant complexion that doesn’t look like it’s been through it (even after a blustery day). .

Key ingredients: shea butter, glycerin, niacinamide | Fragrance-free: yes

Best for Body: EltaMD Skin Restore Body Cream

Why it's worth it: To address dryness from the neck down, Dr. Nichols says to switch over to a richer body lotion like the EltaMD Moisture-Rich Body Creme. This custardy body cream is suitable for dry and sensitive skin types thanks to its fragrance-free blend of hydrating hyaluronic acid and moisture-locking mango seed butter. As a bonus, this body lotion is also infused with niacinamide, an ingredient known for its brightening and acne-addressing properties.

Key ingredients: squalane, hyaluronic acid, mango seed butter | Fragrance-free: yes

Best for Fine Lines: SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream

Why it's worth it: Dry, sensitive skin deserves an ultra-plush, deeply moisturizing formula like the derm-favorite SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream. This cream’s patented 3.5% lipid complex, 3% peptide blend, and 5% glycerin strengthen the skin barrier while firming the skin for a bouncier look and feel. David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, has previously vouched for its “super creamy and hydrating” formula. “It’s exactly what you need on a cold, dry winter night to restore and repair your skin barrier," he says.

Key ingredients: niacinamide, peptides, jojoba oil, shea butter, glycerin | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Nighttime Moisturizer: Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream

Why it's worth it: Yes, the Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream is technically targeted towards fine lines and wrinkles. But, considering the fact that this Allure Best of Beauty winner is infused with hyaluronic acid (produced by biotechnology), it's also the perfect fit for any winter skin-care routine. This pick won our highest accolade in the rich moisturizer category for its custardy texture and intensively conditioning formula. “This cream seals in all the moisture from my other skin-care products, acting as a barrier between my skin care and makeup during the day, or my skin care and pillowcase at night,” says shopping editor Angela Trakoshis. “The texture is thick but not heavy—as if you're wearing a super-warm jacket in the winter that manages to feel like you have nothing on.”

Key ingredients: biotech hyaluronic acid, vine sap extract, resveratrol, glycerin | Fragrance-free: no

Best Daytime Moisturizer: Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel

Why it's worth it: Tiffany J. Libby, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and director of Mohs micrographic and dermatologic surgery at Brown University, says the Bio-Oil Dry Skin Gel is packed with skin-conditioning additives to smooth and soften your face and body all winter long. "It's an intensive moisturizer, formulated with only 3% water, with the rest of the ingredients being emollients like shea butter, humectants like glycerin and urea, and skin barrier-supporting and soothing ingredients like vitamin B3," she says.

Key ingredients: shea butter, glycerin, urea, vitamin B3, mineral oil, sunflower oil, lavender oil | Fragrance-free: no

Best for Dry Lips: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Why it's worth it: When your lips are feeling chapped and dry, Dr. Libby says to whip out the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. This ever-iconic lip mask has won Allure Best of Beauty and Readers' Choice Awards for its vitamin C- and shea butter-rich blend that smooths and softens lips overnight, and even Dr. Libby says she “can't live without it.”

Key ingredients: vitamin C, shea butter | Fragrance-free: no

Best for Rough Patches: Aquaphor Healing Ointment

Why it's worth it: You probably have a tub of Aquaphor's Healing Ointment sitting in your medicine cabinet or at least grew up with a supply. It’s a classic beloved by experts like Dr. Nichols for addressing chapped areas of skin like the lips and feet. This fragrance-free mixture of petroleum jelly, mineral oil, glycerin, and lanolin acts as an emollient to seal in moisture and soften skin without irritating sensitive areas.

Key ingredients: petroleum jelly, mineral oil, glycerin, lanolin | Fragrance-free: yes

Frequently Asked Questions

According to Tiffany J. Libby, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and director of Mohs micrographic and dermatologic surgery at Brown University, xerosis (a.k.a. rough, dry skin) is one of the biggest skin-care concerns her clients come across when winter weather is in full effect. "Our skin is a dynamic organ, interfacing with the external environment constantly, so in the winter when the air is cold and dry it can strip the skin of its moisture, leaving it feeling dry, itchy, and irritated," she said. "Even when indoors, the use of heaters can be drying which can further exacerbate this." Kim Nichols, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Greenwich, Connecticut, also agrees that dryness is one of the biggest winter-centric concerns of her clients, but other skin health matters that rise when the temperature lowers include redness, rosacea flare-ups, and UV damage.

One of the biggest preventative measures to minimize winter-related skin dryness is switching your routine up with moisturizing, hydrating products. "As temperatures start to fall, switch to more hydrating skin-care products," Sejal Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, previously told Allure. She also recommends regularly exfoliating, covering exposed areas when going outdoors, and using a humidifier.

Another preventative tip? Keep up with your UV protection. "It is so important to slather on sunscreen year-round, not just in the summertime," Dr. Nichols says. "Winter sun combined with snow glare can still damage your skin." She recommends applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 30 to your face, hands, and all exposed areas of skin about 30 minutes before going outside, and reapplying frequently (about every two hours) if you stay outside for a long time.

• Kim Nichols, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Greenwich, Connecticut
• Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine
• David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
• Samantha Fisher, MD, a Stuart, Florida-based board-certified dermatologist
• James Y. Wang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Los Angeles
• Tiffany J. Libby, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and director of Mohs micrographic and dermatologic surgery at Brown University
• Sejal Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best winter skin-care routine essentials, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

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Dry skin weather is here so cocoon your skin in these nourishing formulas:

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