Why Winter Causes Dry Skin
Cold air holds less water content than warm air — so cold air is naturally less humid. Our skin is essentially a wrap around our body designed to keep water from evaporating, but it's imperfect. When the surrounding air is drier, it makes the skin's job harder, and dryness follows. There's even a name for this condition: winter xerosis.
As we get deeper into the cold months, a lot of us dread the inevitable itchiness and dryness that comes with winter skin. The good news is that combining the right skincare products with a few small lifestyle adjustments can make a meaningful difference.
Lifestyle Changes That Help
Avoid Fragrances
The first thing to do is stay clear of products that can aggravate irritation and dryness — and fragrances are at the top of that list. I love nice-smelling things, but fragrances and parfum are some of the most irritating ingredients in skincare. Your dermatologist will likely say the same.
Fragrances are a common culprit of contact dermatitis — an inflamed, itchy rash (poison ivy is a well-known example). Because contact dermatitis dries out the skin, it's especially important to avoid these in winter. I skip any product with "parfum" on the label, and I avoid wearing perfume altogether during the colder months.
If you've ever been irritated by a skincare product, 4 out of 5 times it's likely due to added fragrances. Check your labels for "parfum" — and skip it entirely in winter.
Rethink Your Shower Routine
Nothing dries out skin quite like long, hot showers — the hot water strips those natural oils and moisturizing factors right from your skin. Fight the temptation.
I also use about half as much body wash in winter. Even the more expensive cream or gel-based body washes can be drying, and chances are you're not sweating as much in the cold. Using less — or skipping it altogether — helps preserve the natural lipids and natural moisturizing factors on the skin's surface that keep it hydrated.
Never use soap — especially not in winter. Soap makes your skin's pH more alkaline, impairing the acid mantle and harming your skin's ability to produce the lipids and proteins necessary for a healthy waterproof barrier. Use a well-formulated body wash instead.
Use a Humidifier
Humidifiers can make a huge difference. My husband and I have tried a lot of them over the years (neither brand is a sponsor — just what we genuinely like):
The Right Skincare Ingredients
If you live in a very cold or dry climate, you may need to add a few things to your routine. Here's what the science points to:
Niacinamide — Build Your Barrier from the Inside Out
Studies show that niacinamide helps your skin create more of the natural lipids — ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids — that keep skin moisturized from the inside out. This is a foundational ingredient for winter skin.
Emollients — Give Your Barrier Extra Support
Your natural processes may be incomplete in the face of winter dryness. That's where emollients come in. Look for a moisturizer that contains ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, and other lipids like oils and butters (shea butter is a good example). These ingredients soak into the skin to soften it and help it hold in water, supporting your skin barrier directly.
Humectants — Hydrate Before You Moisturize
Often your skin is already dried out before you even apply moisturizer. If you want to quickly plump and hydrate before layering on your cream, a hyaluronic acid serum is ideal. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant — it holds water, essentially turning it into a jelly so your skin can hold onto it instead of letting it evaporate.
Spritz your face with water before applying a hyaluronic acid serum. This way the HA holds onto the water you've applied rather than drawing moisture out of your skin itself.
You may also have heard of natural moisturizing factors (NMFs) — many of these are humectants as well. A well-formulated moisturizer will often contain both emollients and humectants, so it does double duty.
Hydroxy Acids — Preserve the Acid Mantle
Here's a less obvious point worth highlighting: acidifying the skin actually helps keep it moisturized. Your skin's acid mantle needs to stay intact for the enzymes that produce ceramides to work effectively. In addition to avoiding soap, hydroxy acids can help you preserve and restore that acid mantle — keeping your skin's natural barrier machinery running.
The acid mantle isn't just about preventing breakouts — it's essential for ceramide production. Maintaining it with gentle hydroxy acids is one of the most underrated steps in a winter skincare routine.
A Winter Skin Strategy
If you're suffering from winter xerosis, here's what to layer into your routine:
Combined with lifestyle changes — a humidifier, shorter cooler showers, less body wash, and fragrance-free products — these ingredients give your skin everything it needs to stay smooth and comfortable all winter long.
Combine humectants (to hold water), niacinamide (to build your barrier from within), hydroxy acids (to maintain the acid mantle), and emollients (to give your barrier direct support). That four-pronged approach is your best defense against winter xerosis.
Written by our senior scientist Sunbin Song, PhD, and edited for clarity by Bradley Yim, our Head of Formulation. You can read more about them on our Team Page.
- Tanno O, Ota Y, Kitamura N, Katsube T, Inoue S. Nicotinamide increases biosynthesis of ceramides as well as other stratum corneum lipids to improve the epidermal permeability barrier. Br J Dermatol. 2000 Sep;143(3):524–31. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2000.03705.x
