Winter Moisturizer from Head to Toe
Photo courtesy of Jim Lafferty/The Licensing Project
At the same time when we’re pulling puffy coats and neck-cosseting scarves out of our closets, even those of us who don’t typically worry about dry skin or hair find ourselves reaching for something—anything—even vaguely moisturizing to soften and nourish everything from our hands to our hair to our lips. A strategy helps, as starting with sometimes-counterintuitive measures like exfoliating can make a real difference in how well your moisturizing efforts work.
1
First, We Exfoliate
Chemical exfoliants, like alpha hydroxy acids and fruit enzymes, and physical exfoliants, like minerals, salt crystals, and even the bristles of a body brush, all serve to sweep away dead skin cells, which can help improve the skin’s barrier function (alpha hydroxy acids were first used to treat an extreme dry-skin condition called ichthyosis). Properly exfoliated skin also better absorbs moisturizer that follows. The key though, is “properly”: Exfoliate no more than what feels comfortable on your skin, because too much of a good thing (overexfoliating) compromises the skin’s barrier. Go slowly and carefully as you try new forms of exfoliation, and always go with what feels right.
Face
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Every-few-days scrub
This clinically proven microdermabrasion exfoliator delivers the benefits of both physical and chemical exfoliation, instantly polishing away roughness, smoothing uneven texture, and revealing a healthy-looking, glowing complexion.
goop Beauty GOOPGLOW Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
Daily tonic
Helps minimize pore appearance and gently exfoliates to refine skin texture.
goop Beauty G.Tox Malachite +AHA Pore Refining Tonic goop, $75/$68 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
Once-a-week peel
An intense exfoliating overnight glycolic acid glow peel that refines, retexturizes, and brightens skin while you sleep.
goop Beauty GOOPGLOW 15% Glycolic Acid
Overnight Glow Peel goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
Body
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Moisturizing body scrub
Leaves behind a velvety-smooth feel and a subtle, beautiful scent.
goop Beauty G.Tox 5 Salt Detox Body Scrub goop, $40SHOP NOW -
Body detox brush
Sweeps away dead skin to reveal glowing and smooth skin.
goop Beauty G.Tox Ultimate Dry Brush goop, $20SHOP NOW
Hair
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Exfoliating shampoo
A unique whipped shampoo that purifies and detoxifies all at once.
goop Beauty G.Tox Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo goop, $42SHOP NOW -
Gua sha for scalp
This gorgeous kit delivers an incredible head massage and a gentle scalp detox, too.
Act + Acre Scalp Gua Sha System goop, $70SHOP NOW -
The ultimate detangling (and scalp-massaging) brush
Made with beechwood pins, this brush smoothly detangles even thick hair and gently massages your scalp.
Crown Affair The Brush No. 002 goop, $62SHOP NOW
2
Cleanse with Care
Harsh surfactants and detergents break down your skin’s natural moisture barrier, so consider going even more nourishing and gentle with your cleansers.
Face
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Oil
This oil made of sacha inchi, sunflower-seed, and apricot-seed oils dissolves makeup, cleanses, and softens all at once.
Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser goop, $86SHOP NOW -
Balm
A skin-coddling cleansing balm made with manuka honey and royal jelly.
Naturopathica Manuka Honey Cleansing Balm goop, $62SHOP NOW
Body
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Sangre de Fruta Garden of Earthly Delights Body Wash goop, $48SHOP NOW
Hydrating shower gel
A gentle lathering body wash that leaves skin soft, moisturized, and smelling subtly of cedar, sandalwood, and bergamot. We especially love the chic, gigantic pump bottle.
Hair
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Rahua Hydration Shampoo and
Conditioner Lush Pumps goop, $99SHOP NOW
Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
This super nourishing, shine-inducing duo made with rahua, ungurahua, morete, and sacha inchi oils now comes in gorgeous, gigantic, limited-edition pump bottles.
3
Layer 1: Serum
Go from thinnest to thickest, texture-wise, when layering moisturizers. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe, and squalane boost moisture in skin or hair.
Face
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The one-stop shop
Made with squalane and a polysaccharide moisture complex, this multitasking milky serum from the legendary German doctor moisturizes, smooths, and calms skin.
Augustinus Bader The Serum goop, $375SHOP NOW -
Two types of ultrahydrating hyaluronic acid
This hyaluronic acid serum is incredibly moisturizing.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum goop, $300SHOP NOW -
Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid
For skin that looks radiant, moisturized, and healthy, this daily glow serum combines two skin-care powerhouses: vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.
goop Beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Glow Serum goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
Body
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Aloe vera and purslane
A cooling, soothing gel made with purslane to really boost moisture in skin.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Aloe Vera Gel goop, $70SHOP NOW
Hair
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Before-you-shampoo miracle
The secret to your shiniest, softest, healthiest-looking hair is this preshampoo glow serum that works like a dream no matter what your hair type or texture.
goop Beauty GOOPGLOW Restore + Shine Hair Serum goop, $48/$44 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
4
Oils Go Under or Over
Oils for skin can layer under or over moisturizer—it depends on your preference. We also love to pat on face oil over makeup to refresh it a bit as the day wears on: Smooth a little face oil across your palms, pat it in (avoiding your eye area), wait a few minutes, and watch your whole face wake up.
Face
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The face oil with (amazing) clinical results
This ultraluxurious active face oil leaves skin firmer, smoother, softer, more radiant, and moisturized—the results on your skin will blow you away.
goop Beauty GOOPGENES All-in-One Super
Nutrient Face Oil goop, $98/$89 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
Body
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Most sumptuous body oil
Smooth on this gorgeously scented, antioxidant-rich restorative oil and it sinks in instantly for supple, plumped skin.
Seed to Skin The Serenity Time Defying Dry Body Oil goop, $162SHOP NOW
Hair
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Most beautifully scented hair oil
Part frizz-smoothing serum, part gorgeous jasmine-inflected hair perfume.
Ranavat Fortifying Hair Serum: Mighty Majesty goop, $70SHOP NOW
5
Let The Rich and Creamy Work Their Magic
Creams and lotions layer on after serums, as they’re more occlusive—they help seal all the goodness in.
Face
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Rich, firming moisturizer
This luxuriously thick supercream significantly improves firmness, elasticity, glow, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and brightness after just four weeks. A single application leaves skin nourished, firmer-looking, and moisturized for forty-eight hours.1
goop Beauty GOOPGENES All-in-One Nourishing Face Cream goop, $95/$86 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
Body
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Ultimate hand cream
Thick and rich, the cream sinks into skin like magic, soothes and nourishes on contact, and works both short and long term to replenish hands so they look their best.
goop Beauty GOOPGENES Nourishing Hand Cream goop, $25/$23 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
Citrusy head-to-toe body butter
This rich, luxurious, clinically proven supercream for body leaves skin ultramoisturized, silky-soft, smooth, firm, and toned.
goop Beauty GOOPGENES Nourishing Repair Body Butter goop, $55/$50 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
Hair
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All-in-one hair miracle
This silky, lightweight styling cream multitasks as a nourishing mask and conditioner.
Sangre de Fruta Botanical Hair Elixir goop, $96SHOP NOW
6
Balms Nourish Intensively
Balms are super thick but, like oils, melt wonderfully into skin and hair. Apply a thin layer for daily use or a thicker layer for an overnight mask.
Face
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Calming
This soothing blue balm from acupuncturist and aromatherapist Annee de Mamiel cocoons skin in precious botanical extracts, oils, and butters.
de Mamiel Skin Recovery Blend goop, $160SHOP NOW -
Renewing
Smooth on this rich, deeply nourishing skin balm both day and night—it’s ultramoisturizing and smells like honey and flowers.
Monastery Made Attar Floral Concentrate Balm goop, $168SHOP NOW
Lips
Three rich, cushiony, ultramoisturizing lip balms—one clear, one a translucent garnet, and the other a sheer rose—all full-size, packed into a chic, limited-edition holiday box.
Hair
This frizz-fighting multitasking miracle smells like flowers, moisturizes without weight, smooths hair, tames flyaways, and adds shine.
7
Sunscreen Makes a Real Difference
Protecting your skin against sun damage has the added benefit of helping prevent moisture loss and preserving collagen. If you’re going without sunscreen, you’re all but guaranteeing drier skin.
Face
This lightweight SPF 30 cream melts into your skin, blocking both UVA and UVB rays with zinc oxide. (And have you ever seen a cuter tube of sunscreen?)
Body
Protects against UVA, UVB, and blue light.
8
Indulge in Masks
The urge to retreat and soothe oneself in a cocoon of calm and hydration is not to be ignored. Flipping open a book or catching up on the latest episode of Insecure while you wait for the moisturizing ingredients to sink in is optional.
Face
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Ultimate moisturizing mask
One of the most soothing, moisturizing, luxurious masks ever.
Tammy Fender Restorative Radiance Masque goop, $195SHOP NOW -
The (full) eye mask treatment
This iconic set includes depuffing, ultrahydrating prebiotic eye sheet masks and the famous twenty-four-karat-gold-plated vibrating T-bar to lift and sculpt.
Jillian Dempsey The Sculpt + Smooth Duo goop, $245SHOP NOW
Hair
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Once-a-week shine-inducer
For shinier, healthier, bouncier hair in ten to fifteen minutes, this super nourishing mask works miracles on dry, damaged, colored, or heat-treated hair.
Rahua Omega 9 Hair Mask goop, $44SHOP NOW
9
Treat Skin from the Inside Out
Supercharge your water with ingredients like the vitamins C and E, grape-seed proanthocyanidins, and CoQ10 in GOOPGLOW superpowder (it also tastes amazing, so it encourages the drinking of more water in general). And all goop vitamin protocols include fish oil, which can be super helpful for dry skin.
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The water bottle
A sleek (and sustainable!) upgrade from single-use plastic.
Larq The LARQ Self-Cleaning Bottle goop, $95SHOP NOW -
Daily vitamins for those forty and over
This supplement protocol contains herbs, adaptogens, phytonutrients, and vitamins.
goop Wellness Madame Ovary goop, $90/$75 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
A.M. cocktail for skin
Drink your way to glowing skin with a power shot of antioxidants and nutrients.2
goop Beauty GOOPGLOW Morning Skin Superpowder goop, $60/$55 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
1. Based on an eight-week third-party consumer-perception and clinical study conducted on thirty-three women ages thirty-five to sixty-five.
2. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
