fbpx

It’s almost Winter! Here are the Best Skincare Products to Protect & Prepare Your Skin.

best moisturiser for winter
Photo by Artem Bali

Winter Skincare 2020

How is it almost Winter again? The year is flying by (perhaps not for those in isolation or home schooling), and it will soon be time to start on those warming soups and stews. April/May is also the time of year I usually start to swap my Summer clothes over for Winter, put a heavier doona on the bed, and look at moving my skincare routine over to more nourishing and moisturising products for Winter. According to Nivea Skin Expert Ken Lee, “skin can tend to be more on the drier side during winter compared to summer as wind, cold air and heating can affect the skin’s natural moisture balance, leaving the skin dehydrated and dry. To ensure your skin stays hydrated during winter exfoliate the skin regularly to remove dry skin and moisturise every day. For moisturising, look for products that contain Glycerin, which is a powerful ingredient already naturally found in the skin which helps the skin attract and retain moisture. Acting as a humectant, the ingredient draws water into the skin and helps to slow down evaporation.” Luckily there are a plethora of beauty products suitable to keep your skin hydrated and glowing over Winter. Here are the products we’ll be using this Winter.

best moisturiser for winter

QED Skincare Wrinkle Rewind No Rinse Cleanser

The QED Skincare Wrinkle Rewind No Rinse Cleanser is a lusciously creamy milky cleanser, with an added serum that leaves skin wonderfully soft and nourished. Ultra hydrating oils of Jojoba, Macadamia and Sweet Almond combine to gently cleanse skin, removing makeup and impurities, and lock in moisture all at the same time. The line and wrinkle targeting anti-ageing properties of this cleanser are just brilliant, and as a bonus, I’ve had mine personally scented to suit, (from one of 12 options), with the wonderfully relaxing and comforting Rose Damask and Lavender, which has a combination of 9 essential oils. Designed to be used without water, the cleanser simply wipes off with a cloth or cotton pads.

Retreatment Botanics Refining Face Polish

If you read the blog often, you’ll know I’ve loved this brand since it launched, so it’s no surprise I’m using it this winter. We love the natural, cruelty-free, vegan and palm oil free philosophy of the brand, and the gorgeous Australian native botanicals that make the products so efficacious are a huge bonus. As winter skin can look dull enough, without the build up of rough surface cells, we’ll be using the Retreatment Botanics Refining Face Polish, with gentle fruit acids and AHA-rich native Lilly Pilly to help gently dissolve dead skin cells and Kaolin Clay to gently draw out any impurities. Manual exfoliation is done with eco friendly Jojoba Beads, which gently buff skin, helping to reveal softer, smoother skin underneath.

Vegetalement Provence Hydrating Lotion

While some don’t bother with Toning any longer, I’m still a huge fan. Toning your skin after cleansing and exfoliating helps to remove any last traces of dirt and makeup, and it helps to soften your skin so the products you use afterwards work better. We love the French beauty Vegetalement Provence Hydrating Lotion, used after Cleanser to freshen and soften skin. Packed full of goodies – essential oils, and plant extracts to cleanse and soften, ingredients Honey, Calendula and Aloe Vera (which smell absolutely divine), comfort and soothe dry dehydrated skin.

Nivea Q10 Power Facial Oil for Mature Skin

As I’ve aged, I’ve found a facial oil a must throughout Autumn and winter (and fairly useful the rest of the year). Mature women rejoice – the new Nivea Q10 Power Facial Oil for Mature Skin has been developed especially with our skin in mind. While the packaging says 60+, I’ve found it’s really good for 50+ Australian skin. Formulated with skin identical Q10 (which declines with age and leads to signs of skin ageing), and 100% organic Argan Oil, the non-greasy facial oil deeply nourishes skin leaving it feeling soft and comfortable, while antioxidants to go work to help prevent further skin damage. Formulated to be added to the moisturisers in the range – the Nivea Q10 Power Day Cream SPF15 or Night Cream for Mature Skin, you can add one drop for a subtle glow, two drops for extra night care, or three drops to create a quick pick-me-up mask.

best moisturiser for winter
Nivea 30ml RRP $24.99.

Paula’s Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask

Speaking of Masks, winter is the perfect time for a bi-weekly mask, to give your skin a burst of extra hydration, helping to keep skin calm, soothed, and nourished. And while we’re all house bound, it’s the perfect time to treat your skin. I’ve fallen in love with the Super Hydrate Overnight Mask from Paula’s Choice. The soothing cream-gel mask is packed with plant extracts, and hydrating ingredients like Shea Butter and Glycerin, and melts into your skin to help quickly calm and nourish dry, stressed skin. Used over time, the mask helps to protect your skin barrier, to help it handle external stressors and better resist dryness. I awaken in the morning to skin that is super soft, plumper, and just glowing. The mask can also be used as a rinse-off after 20 minutes if you just want a quick burst of moisture before a night out.

SuKin Hydration Biomarine Facial Serum

A serum all year round is a must as we mature, and a hydrating serum is perfect for winter months. I’ve just become a convert to the new Sukin Hydration Biomarine Facial Serum (part of the new 5 piece Sukin Hydration range – just in time for Winter). Formulated with Sea Algae, Hyaluronic Acid and Maize Complex, the Australian-made cruelty-free silky serum gives a burst of instant hydration, and up to 72 hours hydration for plumper, nourished skin. The result – soft skin that just glows with hydration.

La Mav Antioxidant Rich Nightly Repair Nectar

Giving skin a bit of extra TLC over Winter is a no-brainer, and doing it while you sleep is multi-tasking at its absolute best. I love the plant based La Mav Antioxidant Rich Nightly Repair Nectar, with 98% certified organic ingredients. The nectar feels silky smooth when it’s applied, and it’s absorbed so quickly by my skin. Formulated with CoQ10 and Vitamin E (to provide antioxidant help), flower nectars (to moisturise and enhance radiance), essential fatty acids (to help boost skin tone and plump skin), and  plant based oils (to help minimise fine lines and wrinkles). The effect – awaken the next morning to radiant, dewy looking nourished skin.

Inika Organic Phytofuse Renew Maca Root Rich Day Cream

Moisturiser is an essential part of any skincare routine. As the name suggests, moisturiser hydrates your skin, and helps to create a barrier to help seal in the products that have gone before it. For Winter hydration, I love the vegan cruelty-free goodness of the new 100% Natural Inika Organic Phytofuse Renew Maca Root Rich Day Cream. Powerful botanicals Maca Root and Rose of Jericho combine to hydrate and nourish skin, and help to stimulate collagen production, helping to firm and protect your skin. Antioxidants help to protect your skin against pollution, and help your skin to heal. You only use a pea sized amount, so it lasts a very long time.

Mavala Nutri-Elixir Anti-Age Nutrition Absolute Night Balm

It’s a fact of life that our skin loses elasticity and density as we age. Loss of collagen and the time we spent in the sun when we were young combine to age our skin. Enter the new Mavala Nutri-Elixir Anti-Age Nutrition Absolute Night Balm (part of the Nutri-Elixir skincare range of Ultimate Cream and Essential Serum). Knowing that mature skin is frequently dry, as well as suffering from a loss of density, this clever range contains a pro-lipid booster, with Swiss Linseed Oil (rich in Omega’s 3, 6, and 9), which helps natural lipid replenishment, nourishing and improving skin elasticity. The Anti-Age Nutrition Absolute Night Balm is a super-soft cocooning balm, that I use to help replenish and redensify skin each night. This is really something special – I love waking up to super soft, comfortable, plumper, bouncy skin each morning.

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Hydrating Eye Gel

Nowhere feels the dryness of winter more than the delicate skin around our eye area. With no oil glands, the area is unable to produce its own moisture, and is reliant on the moisture you apply via an eye cream. It’s worth using a super hydrating eye cream over Winter (and whenever skin is dry), to keep skin nourished and hydrated. I love the new super hydrating Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Hydrating Eye Gel (part of the Water Drench skincare collection). With wonder ingredient Hyaluronic Acid attracting and retaining up to 1,000 times its own weight in water, and the addition of Pentavitin, the Eye Gel can hydrate your delicate eye area for up to 72 hours. The powerful formula helps to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles, and dark circles and puffiness. This is a brilliant multi-purpose Eye Gel.

Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

One area you can’t neglect over Winter is your lips. Like your eye area, your lips contain no oil glands, and with our propensity to lick them throughout the day, and cold and dry winds, they can get very dry and cracked. Keep lips hydrated by keeping a good lip balm in your pocket or handbag, and apply frequently throughout the day. I love the classic Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, with Vitamin E and peppermint (I confess I do switch to the Watermelon variant for Summer). Infused with Beeswax to help condition lips, and Vitamin E to richly nourish and soften lips, my lips are kept soft, supple and hydrated when I use this throughout the day and before bed. If you prefer, there are flavoured and tinted lip balms too.

Natio Spirit Hand & Body Care

Winter generally means our bodies are hidden away under clothes, but this doesn’t mean we can neglect the hydration – it’s needed more than ever. It’s worth taking the time to moisturise your body over Winter to ensure it doesn’t become over dry, and of course, investing in a hydrating body wash is a must. If you’re safe at home at the moment, and missing the great outdoors, the new Natio Spirit range could be just what you’re looking for. I love the Natio Spirit Lemon Myrtle + Banksia Body Wash, with its powerful hydrating and revitalising essential oils (from far North Queensland – where I’d rather be right now), combined with the Kakadu Plum + Almond Body Lotion packed with antioxidants, Vitamin C, and Almond Oil, to keep skin protected and hydrated. For hands this Winter, I’ll be using the Natio Spirit Lemon Ironbark + Olive Hand Wash, to keep my hands clean and revitalised, and the Hemp + Muntrie Hardworking Hand Cream, rich in antioxidants and natural oils and waxes to nourish and hydrate overworked hands.  

Nivea Aloe & Hydration Body Lotion

If your body skin is super dry, and dehydrated, and needs a little TLC, the new Nivea Aloe & Hydration Body Lotion just brilliant. The formula is infused with a deep moisture serum and natural Aloe Vera extracts that help to soothe and hydrate your skin to make it softer and smoother for up to 48 hours. The addition of Aloe Vera helps to repair skin and boost cell renewal, calming irritated skin and inflammation to give your skin a healthy glow. It’s my go-to body lotion when my skin is super dry and scaly, and I need it looking its best fast.

Dermal Therapy Body Care

If you suffer from super dry, itchy skin, eczema or psoriasis, Winter can be especially difficult. Try to limit heating, which can over dry skin, and wear natural fibres such as cotton and linen close to your skin, as they will let your skin breathe. Treat your skin with specialised products, and look for a brand that make products for dry, sensitive skin. I love the Australian-made Dermal Therapy trio of Anti-Itch Soothing Cream (for small areas), Anti-Itch Soothing Lotion (for larger areas), and Very Dry Skin Lotion (for skin that is super dry, but not yet sore and itchy). Both the Anti-Itch Soothing Cream and Soothing Lotion are pH balanced, and formulated with Collodial Oatmeal, Canadian willowherb, and Menthol to help calm, soothe and relieve dry, itchy skin. Both are suitable for sensitive skin, and can be used on children over 2 years of age (always patch test first). The non-greasy Very Dry Skin Lotion, with Urea and Dimethicone absorbs quickly to help hydrate dry, cracked and sore skin. Moisture is locked in for up to 24 hours, helping your skin to calm and soothe your skin.

What products do you use over Winter? Which have you found most effective? Do you use any of the products listed above? Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks again to the knowledgable Lara from Beauty Over 40 (follow her here) for her great insights.  Want more from SCC? Click below!

Leave a Comment