If there's something I get asked about a lot, it's skincare. Specifically, dry skin care and more specifically, how to care for dry skin in winter. For me, what it comes down to most is protecting and maintaining my skin's natural barrier (think — the clear coat layer on your car). If this barrier dries out, it can be all the more susceptible to further damage, and the key to smooth, soothed winter skin is hydration, hydration, hydration. Here's my full wintertime routine, after the jump.

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While this may look like a lot — I do keep it under 10 products — trust me, it's not going to take much time. If you have 5 to 10 minutes to do this even once a day, your skin will thank you. And I'll chop it up for you below, so you can see that using just 4 of these products will go a long way.




                                                                           

❝


 The key
to smooth,
soothed
winter skin 
is hydration,
hydration,
hydration.



                                                                           




The Routine

Remember — apply light to heavy — aka water to oil:





Step 1: Cleanse & Exfoliate


Are you an over-the-sink or an in-the-shower face washer? Either way, your first best step gives your skin a little time to open up. Whether you're using a washcloth at the sink, or standing under the shower drizzle, hold your face in warm (not hot) water for a few moments to soften things up before applying your cleansers or exfoliators. And if you're using a washcloth or any other implement — be gentle — dab your face, don't scrub.



Step 2: Pre-hydration Serum


After your wash, lightly pat skin dry and promptly apply your serum. You don't want to lose what moisture you still have sitting on your skin after a wash and these few minutes are crucial.



Step 3: Moisturize


Before your serum has a chance to fully set, begin to apply your moisture layer. If you're moisturizer-obsessed like me, you might apply three to four. On a rushed day, if I have to use just one, I'll opt for a water-based product, so that it will really sink in. If I'm doing my all-out routine, I'll use the three you see here.



Step 4: Barrier Repair


My esthie turned me on to this one. Remember your skin's barrier layer we were talking about earlier? This product is its best friend. Great for face and hands, especially in the dry winter chill.



Step 5: SPF


Don't let the overcast days of wintertime fool you, sun protection is always important. A simple step after you let all of your moisture sink in, slather on the the sunscreen! I love this one as it's lightweight and non comedogenic — meaning, it won't clog your pores (or undo the work of all those lovely layers you've already applied).



Step 6: Dewy Coverage


Last up — if you're in need of a touch of tinted coverage, or want to skip a high SPF altogether, opt for a tinted sunscreen-in makeup. I like a dewy foundation, as almost all others just cake up on me. So far, this is one of the best I've found, that glides on in a soft, dewy sweep, and stays all day with a merely matte look that isn't cakey. Just shake well before application.




                                            

SHOP IT ALL HERE:


cleanser: DHC Olive Concentrated Cleansing Oil; 
exfoliant: Dermalogica Daily Milkfoliant;
pre-hydration serum: The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics;
moisturizers: Korres Black Pine 3D Eye Lift;
Korres Santorini Grape Poreless Skin Cream;
Korres Black Pine Bounce Firming Moisturizer; 
barrier repair: Dermalogica Barrier Repair;
SPF: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Sunscreen;
coverage: Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Broad Spectrum SPF 15

                                            

 








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