Winter Skincare Routine

Something about writing a thing down helps to commit to it, or maybe it’s harder to forget the thing. On my podcast, I set a few skincare goals and one of those goals was to find holy grail products for a basic routine: cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. My thought is, if I use the same products for a season, I’ll have a better chance of finding a favorite because my skin will have three months to show a positive result. I said all of that to say, here is the skincare routine I’m using during the winter months. (If you prefer podcasts to blogs, listen to this.)

In the morning, I start off with Rosewater Daily Cleansing Gel and then I add Niacinamide Brightening Toner on a cotton pad and swipe it across my face, neck, ears, and décolletage. Then I shake more of the toner in my hand and pat it into my skin for extra hydration and a boost of vitamin B3.

Shake it.

Next comes the Real Ferment Micro Essence which I pat into my skin, followed by the Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% serum and at this point I usually add another layer of toner to make sure my skin stays moist.

Then comes a thin layer of Supermellow Hydrating Gel Cream Moisturizer and two fingers worth of the Self Reflect Probiotic Moisturizing Sunscreen, which I add on my face in layers. After all the products have been applied, I use my finger pads to massage it all in.

Two finger rule.

In the evening, the routine is similar, except I start off with a double cleanse. I dip my little spatula into the Instant Cleansing Balm and scrape out a generous amount to apply to my dry skin. I massage it into my skin for a minute or two, emulsify it with a little water, rinse it off, and then second cleanse with the Rosewater Daily Cleansing Gel.

Scrape, scrape, scrape.

The next change in the evening routine is the serum. I use the Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane followed by the same moisturizer. I skip the sunscreen in the evening and use an occlusive instead. During the fall I was using Healing Ointment, but for the winter, I’ve switched to using Balancing Gel.

The Balancing Gel has the weirdest texture.

I should probably mention that once (or twice) a week I use Mandelic Acid 10% + HA in my morning routine to exfoliate my skin and that night I’ll use the Rich Moist Soothing Tencel Sheet Mask to relax and strengthen my skin barrier. And that’s it. That’s enough, right? I can’t tell yet whether or not the cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen will become staples, but I should have a better idea in March. Wish me luck. 🤓