I’m from Florida, which means this is my first real winter. Fear is an understatement of how I felt when I witnessed the first snowfall of the season on Halloween night. Now that a few months have passed, I feel generally more acclimated to the whims of Evanston’s chilly weather.
Getting used to the change in temperature meant changing up a few things in my daily routine. Besides investing in a durable winter coat and a happy lamp for the sunless days, the most important step I’ve taken is altering my skincare routine.
Back home, the humidity was so strong that my skin would peel. Here, I anticipated the freezing conditions to yield a similar effect. Thankfully, though, my skin is faring decently well! This is a success I attribute to a few K-beauty skincare products I’ve been using over the past few months. If you have generally dry, sensitive skin like I do and the weather is exacerbating those conditions even further, I highly recommend checking out a few of the products below.
LANEIGE Special Care Water Sleeping Mask
I use this sleeping mask every night and day. The only time my skin isn’t being moisturized by this product is immediately before and after I shower. It’s been an absolute lifesaver in assuring my skin doesn’t peel or break out from the cold. According to the product page on Yesstyle, it contains “naturally-derived evening primrose extract and Hunza apricot extract.” If you have extremely sensitive skin like I do, I cannot recommend this product enough. A little goes a long way, and moreover, it doesn’t leave behind a thick residue after drying, making it feel like you don’t have anything on your skin to begin with. It’s my daily essential!
Nature Republic Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera 92%
This product is absolutely perfect if you’re looking for something lightweight and naturally-made. This extremely cheap and super long-lasting product comprised the bulk of my skincare routine for the past year and a half. I also use it in the wintertime when I run out of the LANEIGE product, but I just have to apply multiple layers of the aloe vera when bracing harsher climates. The aloe vera is like a gel that can be used anywhere (not just your face!), and it’s made with 92% Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, making it a naturally perfect solution for those seeking a lighter moisturizer.
innisfree Green Tea Balancing Cream EX
This product was pivotal to my late fall skincare routine. I already have really dry skin, and given that it’s advertised as a way to maintain an oil-moisture balance, I’ve fared much better since phasing it out of my routine. That being said, I still highly recommend this product. It does a great job of moisturizing without leaving behind too heavy of a residue. Plus, it’s made with green tea, which can help reduce redness to calm the skin. It’s definitely a worthwhile moisturizer.
LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask
Back when I lived in Florida, I never paid my lips that much attention since the climate didn’t really dry them out. Now that I live here though, I wouldn’t survive without this product. Though pillowy in texture, The LANEIGE lip sleeping mask has a dense and effective moisturizer for your chapped winter lips. I apply it every night before bed, and it does wonders in keeping my lips healthy and soft. It comes with a little spatula you can use to scoop some onto your lips, and there are multiple scented formulas. Personally, I’m a big fan of the berry one!
Secret Key Lemon Sparkling Gel
This is the perfect exfoliant for sensitive skin. I used to try black charcoal scrubs and natural honey-sugar home remedies to exfoliate my face, but everything was too harsh and eventually ended up in breakouts. This, however, has been the perfect solution. Made with lemon water and plant extracts from Centella, aloe, witch hazel and chamomile, this product is gentle and efficient at removing impurities and dead skin. Rather than relying on microbeads to chip away at anything on your face, this exfoliant is like a cool gel that when applied to dry, clean skin, clumps up all the imperfections. It’s really cool to see how the product works because while you might not be able to tell the difference with traditional scrubs, this gel rolls up your imperfections into visible clusters you then wash off.
And these are all my product recommendations! The winter might be harsh, but your skin shouldn’t have to suffer and hopefully, some of these products will ensure it won’t!
Article thumbnail: April Kensington [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]