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10 Skin Care Products to Help You Beat Winter Dryness

A bottle of Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, a woman applying Olay Eye Gel, and a bottle of Hydrating B5 Gel.
Dr Loretta/Olay/SkinCeuticals

Whether your skin care routine consists of just splashing some water on your face or a rigorous 10-step program, you’re bound to notice the harsh effects of the cold, dry winter air. Luckily, you can combat winter dryness by adding one or two of these gels, creams, or cleansers to your routine.

Many people dislike the snowy, cold weather that winter brings, but there’s another downside to this time of year: dry, flaky skin. If the cold weather has taken its toll on your complexion, it’s time to rejuvenate it with some new skin care products.

Best Daily Moisturizer: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Moisturizer

A tube of Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer and a woman applying it to her cheek.
La Roche-Posay

Probably the most important part of any skin care routine (especially in winter) is a good daily moisturizer. It helps your skin stay hydrated throughout the day, and there’s no better time than now to invest in a new one before winter has time to wreak its havoc on your skin.

One of the best on the market is La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane. With nearly 12,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, this oil-free moisturizer contains a high concentration of prebiotic thermal water. It also delivers nourishing ceramide-3, niacinamide, and glycerin to your skin. Not only does it hydrate, but it’ll also make your skin look plumper and brighter.

Best Night Cream: EltaMD PM Therapy

A woman holdng a bottle of EltaMD PM Therapy.
EltaMD Skincare

Just as you protect your skin during the day, you should also give it some attention at night. While you sleep, your body does its best to restore and repair all cells, including those in your face.

EltaMD’s PM Therapy night cream targets dry skin and helps it stay vital and elastic. It contains a plethora of amazing ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, the sugar molecule that helps bind water to collagen and trap it in the skin. This makes your skin look plumper, dewier, and well-hydrated.

Best Gel-Cream: Neutrogena Hydro Boost

Neutrogena gel cream in its signature blue bottle.
Amazon

Some skin types respond better to gel cream formulas, and the popular Hydro Boost by Neutrogena is beloved for that reason and more! It’s nongreasy, lightweight and smooth.

The formula is also boosted with hyaluronic acid, which leaves your skin feeling hydrated and plump for up to 48 hours. But you don’t have to take our word for it—at under $20 a jar, why not test it yourself?

Best Gel-Cream

Best Cleanser: Dr Loretta Gentle Hydrating Cleanser

A bottle of Gentle Hydrating Ceanser in water, and a bottle of Repleneshing Serum, Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, and Anti-Aging Repair Moisturizer.
Dr Loretta

Another extremely important skin care step is simply washing your face. A good cleanser rids your skin of all impurities without stripping away its natural oils and protective layers. Harsh cleansers can make your skin even worse during winter, so it’s important to find the one that works best for your skin type.

This hydrating cleanser from Dr Loretta is gentle and made for all skin types. It also contains some really impressive ingredients, including hydrolyzed algin, which prevents any damage from free radicals. Meanwhile, marine peptides will boost hydration and stimulate collagen, and chamomile and ginger root essential oils will nourish and soothe any redness or irritation.

Best Toner: Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator

The Josh Rosebrook collection and a bottle of the Hydrating Accelerator.
Josh Rosebrook

Toners act as hydration boosters, prep your skin for any serums, oils, or moisturizers, and enhance their efficiency. This Hydrating Accelerator by Josh Rosebrook is beloved by skin care aficionados worldwide because it not only primes your skin for other products, but also boosts its radiance.

This toner creates a healthy-looking glow, along with the rest of its benefits, like its antioxidants and nourishing ingredients, including marula, aloe, ashwagandha, dandelion, and licorice.

In addition to using it as a toner after cleansing, you can also wear it directly under your makeup. You’ll notice a difference after just a few spritzes.

Best Eye Gel: Olay Deep Hydrating

Someone holding an open jar of Olay Eye Gel with some gel on their index finger.
Olay

The skin around your eyes is the most delicate area of your face and has to be treated with special care. While it’s usually recommended that you use a moisturizer or serum all over your face, these can usually be quite harsh on the skin around your eyes. This is why it’s important to use a product specifically for the under-eye and surrounding areas.

Olay’s Deep Hydrating Eye Gel is sure to be one of your best friends this winter. It soothes and plumps this delicate area and helps prevent tired-looking, droopy lids, dark under-eye bags, and puffiness. With ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, pro-vitamin B5, and cucumber extract, this product works wonders, whether you need an instant refresh or long-lasting moisture.

Best Eye Gel

Best Serum: SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5

A bottle of SkinCeuticals hydrating B5 serum in water.
SkinCeuticals

Serums are potent little elixirs full of amazing ingredients that target specific skin care concerns. Depending on the season or climate you’re in, you might need to use different serums at different times.

In the wintertime, hydration is key, and this B5 Gel from SkinCeuticals is just what your skin needs to feel and look its best. With its high concentrations of B5 and hyaluronic acid, this serum combats dry, dull skin, as well as any irritation caused by harsh winter air. Follow it up with a good, hydrating moisturizer and you’ll be good to go!

Best Mask: Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel

Jars of Gel Masks.
Peter Thomas Roth

Facial masks are a bit of an obsession for some folks, and it’s no wonder why. In just 10-15 minutes, they can nourish, repair, restore, and revive your skin, leaving it plumper, smoother, and more hydrated.

Peter Thomas Roth is one of the most beloved brands in face masks, and his cucumber gel mask is an extreme hydrator that cools and detoxes your skin. It also reduces any inflammation, redness, or irritation. It’s the perfect way to start or end your day.

Best Mask

Best Overnight Mask: Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask

A jar of Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask and a woman with some on her cheek.
Youth to the People

Just as night creams restore and protect your skin while you sleep, overnight facial masks add even more magic! Most offer a variety of powerful boosters for your skin. This winter, try the Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Overnight Mask from Youth To The People. You’ll wake up to skin that’s not only refreshed, but transformed.

This mask’s powerful, antioxidant-rich super berries, THD ascorbate, and the latest clinically proven form of stable Vitamin C target dullness and uneven skin tones for brighter, more radiant skin.

Best with Vitamin C: BIOSSANCE Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil

A bottle of Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil surrounded by orange slices.
BIOSSANCE

Last, but not least, a good-quality vitamin C serum or oil is something every skin care expert recommends you include in your routine all year. BIOSSANCE Squalane and Vitamin C Oil lightens, brigthens, and firms up your skin, while also hydrating it at a deep level.

It improves tone and texture and prevents your skin from losing moisture over time. It also adds a deep layer of protection that you build on each time you use it, making it perfect for wintertime.

Best with Vitamin C


Winter dryness is no joke, and neither is the toll it takes on your skin. That’s why it’s important to add some of these tools to your skin care routine to help you out during the colder months. Keep up the momentum by adopting the best practices to take care of your skin all year.

Karla Tafra Karla Tafra
Karla is a certified yoga teacher, nutritionist, content creator and an overall wellness coach with over 10 years of international experience in teaching, writing, coaching, and helping others transform their lives. From Croatia to Spain and now, the US, she calls Seattle her new home where she lives and works with her husband. Read Full Bio »
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