Skincare swaps for winter

When the temperature drops, we bundle up in thick jackets and scarves, forgetting that we are leaving one thing exposed—our face.  

Our facial skin needs extra care because it is more exposed to the cold and dry weather than other body parts. 

Dryness, cracking, inflammation, itchiness, redness, sensitivity, and tightness are some of the skin problems that arise when the season changes. 

What keeps your skin happy during summer can make it sad during winter. And that is why you need to use weather specific products. 

The very basic and simple skincare routine that you can follow to keep your skin happy during the winter- is to clean it once or twice a day and moisturise it with a heavy moisturiser or an overnight cream. 

Avoid using masks and peels, astringent lotions and any product that contains alcohol as they make your skin dry.

Following are some tips and recommendations to redesign your skincare routine during the chilly season: 

Swap your cleanser with a hydrating balm, oil, or cream cleanser

Choose cleansers that contain moisturisers to avoid stripping off your skin's natural moisture barrier. 

If you have acne or breakouts, use products containing ceramides, hyaluronic acid, hydration serums, and glycerine to help in repairing the moisture barrier of your skin.

If you have oily skin, try a gel cleanser which uses both water and oil ingredients to cleanse skin without drying it.

Simple moisturising facial wash, Simple purifying cleansing lotion, Simple Micellar facial gel wash, Neutrogena hydro boost milk jelly cleanser, Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, Cerave SA smoothing cleanser, and Cerave hydrating cleanser are some of the products that can be used during winter. 

These can be found in different online pages like The Mall, Classy Drugs, The Arcade, BD Beauty Gallery, Shop.shajgoj.com, BanglaShoppers etc. 

Exfoliate with facial scrubs, brushes, and gentle exfoliators

Your winter skincare routine will not be completed without regular exfoliation. 

Since the skin barrier function slows down in winter, dead skin cells are more likely to build up. This is what gives your skin the dry, flaky appearance that is notorious in winter. 

An exfoliating brush or exfoliating scrub is a great way to gently exfoliate on a daily basis to remove dead skin cell build-up. 

Gentle nourishing exfoliation can help remove dead skin cells and help your skin absorb the moisturiser better. For those who have flaky skin, try using a chemical exfoliator like The Ordinary peeling solution. 

Black sugar wash-off mask, Black sugar and honey wash-off mask, Rice wash-off mask and Egg white pore-clearing mask by Skin Food and Roushun are some great products. 

These K-beauty products not only work as scrubs but also work as a moisturising face mask. 

You can buy these products online from Opshori, Beauty Bright, Things of Beauty, Cosmetic Bazar, Korean Mall Bangladesh, Skinfood Bangladesh. 

Skin scrubbing brush is available on different online pages, as well as on the Daraz app. 

Layer your skin with a serum or oil

Using serums or oils before your cream is a great way to pack in extra moisture. 

If you have naturally dry skin, you can upgrade your serum to facial oil. 

Some hot ingredients you should look out for are ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, bakuchiol, and botanical oils. 

The Body Shop vitamin-e serum, Bio-Oil, Serum-in-Oil, The Body Shop oil of life facial oil, Melao snail intensive serum, Melao Alpha Hydroxy Acid serum, Pixi rose oil blend, Melao Rosehip Minayka essential oil, Melao vitamin-e facial oil are some of the products that can be very good in winter. 

These products are available on pages like Colour n Care, Classy Drugs etc. 

Switch from lotion-based moisturiser to cream

The cardinal rule of wintertime skincare is keeping the skin hydrated. 

A lighter lotion may have been enough to satisfy your skin during summer, but winter is the time when your skin needs a little bit extra of everything: hydration, moisturisation, protection, and nourishment. 

You have probably heard that winter calls for extra heavier cream. That may be true for some people, but pay closer attention to ingredients than heaviness. 

Look for face creams containing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, jojoba oil, and shea butter to name a few. 

Cerave moisturising cream, Cerave SA smoothing cream, The Body Shop seaweed facial cream, The Body Shop vitamin-e moisturising cream, Clinique moisture surge, Sudocrem, Boost cucumber moisturising cream, Pond's super light gel, Cetaphil moisturising cream, Himalaya aloe vera and winter cherry all day moisturising cream work for all skin types and are available on The Mall, Shop.shajgoj.com, BanglaShoppers etc. 

Protect from hidden sun damage 

Do not forget the SPF, which you do need during winter. Though the warm sun rays feel pleasant, the UV rays can still damage your skin. 

A safe sunscreen is a sure-fire way to protect against radiation and free radical damage. Choose a sunscreen that has titanium dioxide or zinc oxide like Neutrogena sheer zinc mineral SPF 50.

Missha all around safe block essence sun milk with SPF50+, Neutrogena ultra sheer sunblock 50+, Aveeno protect+hydrate sunscreen 70+ work amazing in Bangladeshi temperature and you can buy these from The Mall, Classy Drugs, BanglaShoppers etc. 

Spray on more moisture 

To keep your facial skin hydrated, you can use facial mist or toner anytime of the day. 

While many of us assume a face mist is just overpriced scented water, it is actually much more than that. 

The versatile beauty essential fights dryness, brightens a dull complexion and revitalises tired skin. Plus, it works with every skin type. 

The Body Shop facial mist, Mario Badescu facial spary, Neutrogena hydro boost express hydrating spray, Revolution skincare nourishing CBD spray are some of the recommendations for facial mist. These are available on The Mall and Classy Drugs. 

Beside these, you can buy different facial mist according to your skin type at a reasonable price from Miniso. 

And if you do not want to spend money, just make your own face mist with aloe vera gel, rosewater, and glycerin. 

Use a heavy overnight cream 

A heavy moisturiser such as petroleum jelly, or oil that is thick enough to lock the moisture in your skin all night can give you healthy, bouncy, and glowing skin all day long. 

The best overnight creams to use in winter are Vaseline petroleum jelly, Cerave healing ointment, Bio-Oil dry skin gel, Superdrug coconut oil with argan. 

You can buy them from pages like Authentic Makeup Store BD, Anjuman, The Daily Derm, etc. 

Box: Winter skincare essentials are available in online shops such The Mall, Classy Drugs, The Arcade, BD Beauty Gallery, Shop.shajgoj.com, Opshori, Beauty Bright, Things of Beauty, Cosmetic Bazar, Korean Mall Bangladesh, Skinfood Bangladesh, Authentic Makeup Store BD, Anjuman, The Daily Derm and BanglaShoppers. 

The price range can vary between Tk500 and Tk2,500. It can go up depending on the brand.