6 Expert Tips to Bring Winter Skin Back to Life

Good skin—hydrated, supple, plump, and dewy—starts with your skin barrier. Also known as the epidermis, the skin barrier is the outermost layer of skin that acts as a shield against aggressors like pollutants, free radicals, and environmental stressors, says Marnie Nussbaum, MD, FAAD, an NYC dermatologist and clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College. When your barrier is compromised, it can show up as dry, tight, red, flaky, stringing, or irritated skin. “It can even cause or exacerbate eczema, acne breakouts, and rosacea,” she says.

The problem is that skin barrier aggressors, which can be internal or external stressors, are everywhere. “Internal stressors include genetic predispositions like eczema or ichthyosis, high levels of illness or stress, poor sleep, and diet,” says Nussbaum. External stressors, on the other hand, include excessive dry heat (think: central heating) and harsh weather conditions (think: wind, sun, or extreme changes in temperature), she adds.

“During the cold months in New York City, freezing, blustery winds combined with next to no humidity in the air really sucks the life out of skin, leaving a lot of my clients with irritated skin barriers,” says lead esthetician at ONDA, Kristen May Lee.

The good news is that you don’t have to do a lot to keep your skin barrier happy—in fact, you can even overdo it by layering too many “barrier-supporting” ingredients. “One of the most common causes of a disrupted barrier is the overuse of skin actives, including harsh irritants and chemicals like retinols, AHAs, and BHAs—or using too many products at once,” says Nussbaum. “You don’t need a 20-step routine to make a difference.”

If you think your barrier is suffering, it’s important to focus on repairing and restoring the skin. Nussbaum and Lee agree on a less is more approach. “I like to start with a gentle skin reset,” says Lee. “Limit retinoids, AHAs, BHAs, exfoliants (both chemical and physical), and harsh treatment masks.”

Instead, keep your day-to-day routine simple with gentle cleansers, hydrating serums, replenishing creams, and SPF packed with humectants and emollients. “Humectants draw moisture in while emollients seal in the moisture, to strengthen the epidermis,” says Nussbaum.

If you can’t make it in to try a bespoke treatment with Lee in person (if you can, you must—her facials combine all the good stuff like sculpting face massage, masks, serums, balms, LED light, and cooling oxygen infusions), she gave us all her brilliant tips for an at-home facial to support your skin barrier. Do it weekly and your skin will sail through the transition from winter to spring.

1

Double Cleanse with Oil

Harsh scrubs and surfactants can break down your skin’s natural moisture barrier, so consider going even more nourishing and gentle with your cleansers. Lee likes the double cleanse method for fresh, clean skin—first with a milk or foam to gently remove makeup, and then with an oil like Monastery Made’s Rose Cleansing Oil. “Take your time massaging the oil cleanser in so it cushions skin while thoroughly sweeping away any lingering makeup, dirt, or dead skin on the surface,” says Lee. “Remove it gently with a soft, lukewarm washcloth.”

Tip: Make sure your washcloth is soft and plush and not at all abrasive—a textured washcloth can further irritate a compromised barrier.

2

Massage in a Hydrating Mask

Lee never personally exfoliates more than twice a week and if a client’s barrier is overly compromised, she recommends skipping it altogether. Instead, opt for a super hydrating mask (Lee is obsessed with the manuka honey mask from Activist) that soothes irritation, restores moisture, and softens texture.

Tip: If you’re in a rush, you can simplify the steps by applying a moisturizing sheet mask to freshly cleansed skin followed by a massage with Jillian Dempsey’s Gold Bar. “Glide the vibrating bar over the sheet mask about 3-5 minutes after applying it to drive all the hydrating goodness into skin,” says Lee. “It feels so good and instantly lifts and soothes skin.”

3

Treat with Toner

Veer away from astringent toners if your skin is feeling stripped. Instead, go for toners with humectants to lock water into skin. Lee loves Tammy Fender’s Roman Chamomile Tonic for its soothing, balancing benefits. “It calms and preps the skin for all the nourishing ingredients to come,” says Lee.

4

Drench Skin with Serum

Apply a serum that both protects the skin from long term damage and supports and replenishes the skin barrier. “I love a multitasking serum that softens, plumps, and can be tolerated on even the most sensitive skin,” says Lee. When it comes to serums, moisturizers, and balms, Nussbaum recommends products with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, fatty acids, squalene, as well as antioxidants like niacinamide to calm any inflammation.

5

Layer on Moisture to Seal it All In

Moisturizer makes skin look better immediately—smoother, dewier, more alive—as well as in the long term. Again, choose a formula with hydrating, barrier-loving ingredients that best suits your skin type. Lee finishes her treatments with Bonjout’s Le Balm. “It’s a cold pressed skin salve with a velvety finish made of ingredients that are noncomedogenic, antibacterial, soothing, and barrier building,” says Lee. “I love that it can be worn on its own but it’s also layered with other products—kind of like a security blanket for skin.

6

Don’t Forget Sunscreen  

Protection is essential when repairing or rebuilding your barrier so along with an antioxidant-rich serum or moisturizer, always wear SPF.