We Created the Best Winter Skincare Routine for Each Skin Type... Discover Yours!
Well, the super cold, Icy weather is officially upon us! Which means cozy days inside near the fire, Christmas lights, hot drinks, warm sweaters, and all the things about winter we love so much! However, it can also mean moisture loss, dryness, cracking, irritation, and other wintertime skin issues for some. Personally, my skin takes a hit in the winter if I don't adjust my skincare routine accordingly.
Because I know the importance of a solid, skin barrier-protecting, moisturizing cold-weather skincare routine, I thought I'd give you a routine that can fit your skincare needs for this winter season! Follow the steps in order below =)
Dry Skin:
The focus for dry skin in the winter season is hydration, protection, and nourishment! The goal is to combat the effects of cold, dry air! So, the key here is layering intensely moisturizing products.
- Clarifying Cleanser or cleansing with Sweet Dreams Glow Balm/Moisturizing Body Oil & Facial Cleansing Oil. During dry winter months, I highly recommend incorporating oil cleansing to help retain moisture levels and not further dry out skin. You can alternate between the Clarifying Cleanser and one of our oil cleansing options depending on the level of dryness you have.
- Balancing Toner Mist
- Firming Rose Serum or Awake Coffee Serum (if you have acne-prone skin, stick with the Purifying Serum)
- Blue Tansy Ultra-Rich Moisturizer and the Sweet Dreams Glow Balm OR Baby & Mom Balm. With my very dry skin during winter time, sometimes I will use the Blue Tansy Ultra-Rich Moisturizer AND a thin layer of the Glow Balm/ Baby & Mom Balm on top of that to seal it in. However, the Blue Tansy Ultra-Rich Moisturizer alone does the trick because it draws in moisture from the air onto your face. It's my best friend as a dry-skinned girl!
- Daydream Mineral SPF is a great wintertime companion. Due to ours having non-nano zinc in it, it not only helps protect your skin from harmful rays but also blue lights from our screens.
- The Eye Balm™ is a GREAT multi-purpose product. Have dry spots on your hands or face? Throw it in your purse and apply it during the day.
- Brow Styling Wax & Clay
Weekly applications: Oil cleansing (as mentioned above) as often as needed and our Reusable Eye Mask with the Awake Coffee Serum or The Eye Balm™ several times a week, if not every day! Also, use our Jade Facial Stone with a serum, oil, or the Glow Balm and really work those oils into your skin!
Sensitive Skin:
To all my sensitive skin ladies, you know that prioritizing gentle, soothing, hydrating, and allergen-friendly skin care products is key during the winter. We've highlighted our most gentle products below just for you!
- Clarifying Cleanser or Moisturizing Body Oil & Facial Cleansing Oil (unscented). Depending on how sensitive your skin is during the winter, opting for oil cleansing may be what you need. Our unscented Moisturizing Body Oil & Facial Cleansing Oil is one of our most gentle, hydrating products and may be the boost your sensitive skin needs this winter.
- Balancing Toner Mist. While we do recommend using a great toner on the daily, some sensitive skin types don't mesh well with toners. Feel free to omit this step and go straight to a serum after cleansing if your skin doesn't like toner!
- Awake Coffee Serum. This is our gentlest serum yet due to it being essential oil free.
- Blue Tansy Ultra Rich Moisturizer
- Daydream Mineral SPF
- The Eye Balm™
- Brow Styling Wax & Clay
*Add in the Sweet Dreams Glow Balm (unscented option) OR Baby & Mom Balm between steps 4 and 5 if you need an extra layer of protection!
Weekly applications: Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you may not need any special routines throughout the week. Our skincare is nourishing, but some sensitive skin gals do well just sticking to a more basic routine that works for their skin. If you are dealing with blemish, try our Blemish Balm or Revive Clay Mask as spot treatments. Many sensitive skin gals can handle the Revive Clay Mask on their whole face, but I would start out using it as a spot treatment to see how your skin reacts.
Acne-Prone Skin:
A winter skincare routine that focuses on acne-prone skin should shoot to include moisturizing but low-comedogenic products that help fight bacteria, soothe skin, and protect skin from the harsh winter elements. Also, notice that we still include oils (non-comedogenic oils) because it's a common misconception that ance-prone skin needs less oil. Many times, acne-prone skin is overproducing sebum because it's not getting enough oils and is constantly being stripped and irritated by abrasive products. Also, DIET MATTERS! Anyway, we won't go into all of that here, that's for another email. Here are some of our best products for you this winter!
- Clarifying Cleanser. This is a great cleanser for my acne-prone gals! It deeply cleanses but does NOT strip your face and mess up natural sebum production like alternative cleansers.
- Balancing Toner Mist. Ingredients in this toner can help fight bacteria!
- Repair Cream. This is our most lightweight moisturizer and I am obsessed with the texture. It's almost... fluffy, it's so light! This very low comedogenic moisturizer is packed with nourishing ingredients and a little goes a LONG way.
- OR try the Purifying Facial Serum in place of the Repair Cream and see how your skin does. Try both products and see which one your skin responds to better.
- Daydream Mineral SPF. Don't be afraid of this SPF moisturizer! It's formulated to not clog your pores. It has a balm kind of consistency which is great for sealing in the benefits of a serum.
- The Eye Balm™
- The Blemish Balm
- Brow Styling Wax & Clay
Weekly applications: Detox Clay Mask, Coffee Face Polish, and the Blemish Balm. My recommendation is to use the detox clay mask once a week, and then the Coffee Face Polish once a week. I would start off with no more than two exfoliating treatments in total a week. Keep it simple and consistent! You don't want to over-exfoliate or interfere with your natural sebum production by overusing face masks/clays or scrubs!
Combination/Oily Skin:
Combination and oily skin types often share the same skin care approach, with some minor differences! Oily skin is not synonymous with acne-prone skin, so if you have both oily and acne-prone skin, go with our acne-prone skin regimen above. Here, we're focusing on those who have oil in their T-zone (combination skin) and overall oily skin. Also, you've already heard us say this around here at SBA, but many times, our skin issues are heavily influenced by what eat. Consider eating for the skin that you want! Stay tuned for an email about how diet can directly influence your skin's health and appearance. Anyway, here are our recommended products for you this winter season!
- Clarifying Cleanser. This cleanser does not strip your face, but it does help control excess oil without interfering with natural sebum production.
- Balancing Toner Mist. The ingredients in our toner can help control excess oil!
- Purifying Facial Serum. This one is OPTIONAL, but if your skin does well with it, this is the step that you'd incorporate it into your routine. Read more below to learn about how this serum works with oily skin.
- Repair Cream. Again, this is our most lightweight moisturizer and a little goes a long, long way!
- Daydream Mineral SPF. A mineral sunscreen that is low comedogenic and works well on every skin type. Don't be afraid to use this moisturizing sunscreen! However, if you feel that both the Repair Cream and Daydream SPF if too much for your skin, just omit the Repair Cream and use only the Daydream SPF.
- Brow Styling Wax & Clay
Weekly applications: Try the Revive Clay Mask once, no more than twice a week at first. This helps to gently exfoliate and cleanse your skin! You can also try the Detox Clay Mask and see which one our our masks works best for your skin. You can also alternate between the two. Try incorporating our Purifying Facial Serum periodically throughout the week or as an overnight treatment. This oil is designed to purify the skin (hence the name!) without clogging pores or feeling greasy. See how your skin does with this one. Also, our Coffee Facial Polish could be a good option for you, but just be mindful of how much you are exfoliating with scrubs, polishes, and masks throughout the week. We don't want to strip your skin! Start off with just two exfoliating treatments a week, max.
Aging Skin:
Antioxidant-rich, moisturizing, wrinkle-defying, and sun-protecting skincare products are what we're focusing on here. Yes, your skin still needs adequate sun protection even during the winter! Better yet, it needs lots of moisture to protect your skin from the dry and cold weather conditions winter can bring. Layering rich and nutrient-dense products is key for your skin type. As we age, layering is our friend!
- Clarifying Cleanser or cleansing with Sweet Dreams Glow Balm/Moisturizing Body Oil & Facial Cleansing Oil. During dry winter months, I highly recommend incorporating oil cleansing to help retain moisture levels and not cause further wrinkles or fine lines because of lack of moisture. You can alternate between the Clarifying Cleanser and one of our oil cleansing options depending on what your skin needs.
- Balancing Toner Mist
- Awake Coffee Serum and Firming Rose Serum. The caffeine in the Awake Coffee Serum can help brighten the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines a wrinkles, making it our top pick for our ladies with mature skin to use during the morning time! It's also great for under the eye area... read more about that below. Our Firming Rose Serum is also a great option and is budget friendly too! Try alternating between both, using the Awake Coffee Serum in the morning and the Firming Rose Serum in the evening to get the benefits from both serums!
- Blue Tansy Ultra-Rich Moisturizer and/or Sweet Dreams Glow Balm/ Baby & Mom Balm. Remember, locking in moisture is key for those with mature skin. The cold winter months can cause dryness can lead to more fine lines and wrinkles. That's why layering nutrient-dense and very moisturizing products is essential. The Blue Tansy Ultra Rich Moisturizer needs no help moisturizing the skin, but some ladies with aging skin like to layer the Glow Balm/ Baby & Mom Balm on top as well, to help lock in moisture even further. However, our Daydream Moisturizer SPF does a great job of this as well. Focus on your individual skin needs and try layering different products!
- Daydream Mineral SPF. Not only does this SPF deeply moisturize, but it also provides non-toxic sun protection which is essential for aging skin to prevent further signs of aging and to help your skin age more gracefully. SPF is a must!
- The Eye Balm™. Keep your delicate under-eye area moisturized and protected this winter!
- Brow Styling Wax & Clay
Weekly applications: Coffee Face Polish (1x a week) or Revive Clay Mask/Detox Clay Mask (1x a week). I wouldn't do more than one exfoliating session a week during the winter for your skin type. Focus on moisturizing rather than exfoliating. Also, use the Reusable Eye Masks with our Awake Coffee Serum to treat under-eye wrinkles and fine lines. The Jade Facial Stone with one of our serums or the Sweet Dreams Glow Balm is a great weekly treat for your skin as well. You can do this every day if you want! It helps to increase blow flow to the skin, smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, and really massage in the nutrients from our oils and moisturizing products.
Normal Skin:
How does it feel to have the rarest skin type?! Have fun using any of our products! Below is the basic outline for your skincare routine - simply choose the corresponding products you'd like from our collection and enjoy moisturized, supple wintertime skin! =)
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Serum
- Moisturizer
- Balm/Salve
- SPF
- Spot treatments and The Eye Balm™
- Brow Styling Wax & Clay
Weekly: Under-eye treatment, exfoliate (no more than 2x a week), oil cleanse, and Gua Sha! With normal skin, you can have fun doing an array of weekly treatments!
WHEW! That was a lot. We hope you feel confident about your skincare routine this winter season after reading along.
Please reach out with any questions!
Here for you,
Brier C & Chelsea Henderson (SBA Founder & Herbalist)