Winter Skincare Routine: Keep Your Barrier Intact When It's Cold and Dry

A winter skincare routine protects the skin barrier from cold air, wind and indoor heating. Cleanse gently with a creamy, fragrance-free cleanser, switch to a richer cream with ingredients like glycerin, ceramides, shea butter or petrolatum, apply it to damp skin, cut back on exfoliating acids and retinoids if they sting, run a humidifier at night, and keep wearing SPF 30 on your face.

This guide is about a temporary seasonal shift that any skin type can make, oily skin included. Below: why winter dries skin out, what to change step by step, how to tell whether you need an occlusive, how much to scale back actives, and why sunscreen still matters in January.

Why does my face get so dry in winter?

Your face gets drier in winter because cold, dry air and low humidity weaken the skin barrier and let more water escape. A review of the research on climate and skin concluded that low humidity and low temperatures lead to a general decrease in skin barrier function and make skin more reactive to irritants and allergens. The same review found that cold, dry weather raises the risk of flares in people with atopic dermatitis (eczema).

Cleveland Clinic lists climate among the main causes of dry skin, noting that cold climates with heavy wind cause dry skin and that dry skin is often worse during winter. Indoors, central heating keeps you warm without adding moisture to the air, and long hot showers feel good while stripping oil from your skin. Sebum output also drops off after summer: a year-long study of facial oil found that summer was the peak sebum season, with clear seasonal swings in both the T-zone and cheeks. Less oil plus drier air is why even oily skin can feel tight in February.

What should I change in my skincare routine for winter?

Change three things: a gentler cleanser, a richer moisturizer and fewer harsh actives. Most of the AAD's winter skin survival kit comes down to those swaps.

You don't have to switch everything at once. Start with the moisturizer and cleanser, then adjust actives if your skin still stings or flakes after a week or two.

What is the best moisturizer for winter?

The best winter moisturizer is usually a cream or balm. The AAD's winter guide says lighter lotions may not be enough to protect your skin in colder, drier climates and suggests creams, oils or balms instead. Its dry-skin advice is more direct: ointments and creams add more moisture and are more effective than lotions.

Look for one or more of the ingredients the AAD lists for dry skin: jojoba oil, dimethicone, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, lanolin, mineral oil, petrolatum and shea butter. In moisturizer terms, they fall into three groups that work together:

• Humectants such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid pull water into the top layer of skin.
• Emollients such as jojoba oil, squalane and shea butter soften rough patches and fill the gaps between skin cells.
• Occlusives such as petrolatum, mineral oil, lanolin and dimethicone form a film that slows water loss.

A winter cream that combines all three usually beats a single-ingredient product. The AAD also points out that more expensive products are not necessarily more effective, so a drugstore tub can do the job. If you're unsure whether your skin is truly dry or just short on water for the season, our explainer on dry vs dehydrated skin helps you tell the difference.

Do I need an occlusive?

You likely need an occlusive if your skin feels tight within an hour of moisturizing, flakes around the nose and mouth, or stings when you apply products. A thin layer of a petrolatum-based ointment over your night cream, or only on the driest areas, is the simplest version. Breakout-prone skin can still use one on the cheeks and around the mouth while skipping the T-zone. Our guide to petrolatum and slugging covers whether that clogs pores.

What if my skin is normally oily?

Oily skin can still be dry on the surface in winter. Move from a gel to a light cream rather than straight to a balm, and use the richer product only where you feel tight. When spring comes, go back to your summer texture.

How should I cleanse and shower in winter?

Keep washing short, warm and gentle. The AAD recommends limiting baths and showers to five to ten minutes in warm water, closing the bathroom door to keep the humidity in, patting skin dry with a towel instead of rubbing, and applying moisturizer right away while skin is still damp. For the face, its winter guide suggests cleansers that say "gentle" and "moisturizing" on the label, and avoiding products with alcohol.

1. Wash your face with lukewarm water and a creamy cleanser. In the morning, a splash of water is enough for many people.
2. Pat dry, leaving the skin slightly damp.
3. Apply any serum, then moisturizer within a minute or two. The AAD explains that moisturizer traps existing moisture in skin, which is why timing matters.

Pick products labeled "fragrance-free." The AAD notes that "unscented" products can contain chemicals that mask odors and may irritate dry, sensitive skin.

Should I stop exfoliating or using retinol in winter?

You don't have to stop, but most people should cut back. The AAD reports that many dermatologists recommend minimizing glycolic acid, salicylic acid and retinol in winter, either using them less often or at a lower concentration. One dermatologist it quotes suggests that if a prescription retinoid feels too drying in winter, you can consider an over-the-counter retinol before going back to the prescription in spring. Talk to whoever prescribed it before you switch.

Lactic acid sits on the gentler side here: the AAD notes that some lactic acid moisturizers can exfoliate dry, flaky skin while helping it stay hydrated. For a fuller schedule by skin type, see how often to exfoliate your face. If your skin is already stinging with plain moisturizer, stop actives for a week or two and focus on repair; our guide to a damaged skin barrier explains the signs.

Does a humidifier help dry skin?

Yes, a humidifier helps by adding moisture to dry indoor air. The AAD recommends placing a portable humidifier in your bedroom and running it while you sleep, and cleaning it regularly to prevent mold. Cleveland Clinic also lists using a humidifier to add moisture to your home's air among its prevention tips.

• Follow the manufacturer's cleaning schedule; standing water is where mold and bacteria grow.
• Use the water type the manual recommends.
• If windows are dripping with condensation every morning, turn it down. Comfortable air is the goal; damp walls mean it's running too high.

Do you need sunscreen in winter?

Yes. The AAD says you should wear sunscreen year-round on areas not covered by clothing, like the face, neck, ears and hands. It also notes that up to 80% of the sun's UV rays can pass through clouds, and that snow, like water and sand, reflects the sun's rays and increases the chance of sunburn. In its sunscreen guidance, the AAD reminds people that skin is exposed to UV every time you go outside, even on cloudy days and in the winter.

Winter is a good time to choose a more moisturizing formula. The AAD suggests creams rather than lotions or sprays, or applying a moisturizer and then sunscreen on top. If you ski, snowboard or spend hours outdoors, treat it like a summer day at the beach: broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, reapplied about every two hours, plus an SPF lip balm.

What does a simple winter routine look like?

Morning

1. Rinse or cleanse gently with a creamy, fragrance-free cleanser.
2. Hydrating serum with glycerin or hyaluronic acid on damp skin (optional).
3. Cream moisturizer.
4. Broad-spectrum SPF 30+, in a creamy texture if you're dry.
5. Lip balm, reapplied through the day; the AAD suggests lip balm or petroleum jelly for dry lips.

Evening

1. Cleanse once with a gentle cleanser; use a cleansing balm first if you wore long-wear makeup or water-resistant SPF.
2. Treatment on scheduled nights only: retinoid or acid, at reduced frequency.
3. Rich cream, with a thin layer of ointment on the driest spots if needed.
4. Humidifier on in the bedroom.

If your skin is dry all year rather than just in winter, our dry skin routine goes into product choices for that skin type.

How can a selfie scan or ingredient scanner help in winter?

Winter dryness creeps in over weeks, and it's easy to miss whether a new cream is helping. Comparing photos taken under the same light gives you a steadier read. Pori, an iPhone app, turns a selfie into an overall skin score from 0 to 100 with separate readings for Hydration & Moisture and Pores & Texture, and keeps a before-and-after comparison and progress charts so you can see whether your winter swaps are working. Its ingredient scanner (Pro) reads a barcode or a label photo and flags each ingredient as beneficial, use with caution or avoid for your skin type, which helps when you're checking whether a new cream has fragrance or alcohol. Pori is free to download with a free first scan; Pro is $9.99 a week or $49.99 a year in the US as of October 2026.

An app reads appearance and isn't a diagnosis. Cleveland Clinic advises seeing a healthcare provider if dry skin itches constantly and interferes with sleep, looks infected, is painful to the touch or develops a rash, and those signs deserve a dermatologist's look.