Less but better: the best winter skincare protagonists
09.01.26
New year, fresh perspectives. Let go of old skincare habits, listen to your skin and rebuild a winter routine based on clarity, not complexity.
It’s that time of year again where mornings feel icy, humidity is nowhere to be found and your skin is stripped of its usual defences. Suddenly, your lightweight moisturisers feel less convincing than usual. So what does it take to fight back? Precision, not excess.
Winter’s Triple Threat: What The Cold Season Takes From Your Skin
The first casualty of January weather is hydration. As cold air pulls moisture from the skin’s surface and low humidity accelerates evaporation, water escapes from the skin more quickly, leaving it feeling tight and thirsty.
On top of that, natural oil production slows and your skin is left with fewer lipids to reinforce its barrier. Your skin’s defences are weakened, allowing irritants in and moisture out, which increases sensitivity and inflammation. Add central heating into the mix and you get a perfect recipe for dehydration, dullness and irritation.
To put it simply,
“in winter, your skin’s top priorities shift to barrier repair, deep, sustained hydration, lipid replenishment and calm, low-inflammation care. All of this means skin needs more cushioning, fewer irritants, and ingredients that strengthen, not strip,” explains Dr Kemi Fabusiwa, skin and body care expert.
And while you may think “new year, new routine” might be the way to go, it’s actually the opposite. Winter skin doesn’t want more. It wants to pause, reset and go back to basics with less steps but more intention.
The Three-Player Squad Behind Resilient Winter Skin
Hydration first: ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, beta-glucan and panthenol act as humectants, binding water to the skin and keeping it there. In winter, hydration needs to be deep and sustained. These ingredients help replenish what cold air continuously takes away.
Barrier repair next: ceramides mimic the skin’s natural lipid structure, helping to rebuild a barrier that’s been thinned by cold weather and fluctuating indoor-outdoor temperatures. Think of these as the structural support team.
Then protection: richer moisturiser textures help seal everything in, reducing water loss and shielding skin from environmental stress. And even in winter, daily SPF remains essential. UVA rays are consistent year-round, regardless of temperature.
A Four-Step Winterproof Routine Is All It Takes
OK, but how do these ingredients actually translate into a routine?
- Start with a gentle, non-stripping cream or milk cleanser to protect your barrier from the very first step.
- Add a hydrating serum packed with water-binding actives.
- Follow with a ceramide-rich moisturiser to replenish both water and lipids.
- Finish with daily SPF (yes, even in January, because UVA is consistent year-round).
“This simplified routine helps your barrier recover from winter weather and holiday stress. Less irritation, more hydration, and a stronger baseline for the months ahead,” says Dr Kemi Fabusiwa, Skin and body care expert.
Can’t Tell What Your Skin Actually Needs?
When it’s hard to pinpoint what your skin is asking for, whether it’s lacking water, lipids or protection, clarity makes all the difference. Noli’s AI skin diagnostic tool helps translate subtle skin signals into actionable guidance, so you’re not relying on guesswork or trends. By identifying what your skin truly needs right now, you can build a winter routine that’s targeted, supportive and refreshingly simple. And yes, your skin will thank you for it.
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