A Simple Guide to Fighting the Winter Uglies
Winter has a way of showing up uninvited on your skin, your hair, and right under your eyes. Cold air, dry indoor heat, and shorter days slow visible renewal and moisture retention, leaving skin looking tight and dull, hair limp or visible shedding, and eyes looking tired and puffy.
The good news is winter skin concerns are seasonal and manageable. With the right routine and a few smart adjustments, you can maintain hydration, glow, and overall skin comfort all winter long.
One simple upgrade to start: add a humidifier to your bedroom or main living space. Increasing moisture in the air helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL), supporting skin comfort and hydration during colder months.
What Is Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL)?
Transepidermal water loss is essentially the slow evaporation of water from your skin. Dry air accelerates that process, allowing moisture to escape faster than the skin can replace it.
5 Steps to Refresh Your Winter Skincare Routine
A routine that works with winter, not against it. Use products that do double and triple duty: support your skin barrier, help reduce excess TEWL, and promote long-term renewal, while staying gentle enough to support your skin through the harsh months.
Step 1: Rehydrate and Reawaken Skin
In winter, skin does not just lose moisture. It loses visible vitality. Focus on hydrating, barrier-supportive products that help skin look smoother, plumper, and more radiant.
When applied to properly prepped skin, a science-forward serum can help restore bounce and improve the appearance of tone and texture over time.
Use:
( plated ) INTENSE Serum when skin looks depleted, shows visible signs of aging, is stressed, or is visibly dull
( plated ) DAILY Serum for sensitive or barrier-compromised winter skin
- Always apply ( plated ) products first: This sets the foundation for hydration, smoothness, and glow. After cleansing, use Exosome Enhancer™ Daily Prep Pads if desired, followed immediately by your ( plated ) serum. Allow 5 minutes before applying additional skincare products.
- Mind your cleansing habits: Avoid washing your face with hot water. Hot water can strip surface lipids and worsen dryness. Use lukewarm water and an ultra-gentle cleanser designed to respect the skin barrier.
- Seal, don't stack: After applying INTENSE Serum or DAILY Serum, seal in hydration with a barrier-supporting moisturizer. Winter is not the season for heavy exfoliation or excessive active layering. Think ceramides.
Step 2: Brighten and Refresh the Eye Area
Puffy, tired-looking eyes are one of the most common winter skin concerns. Lightweight hydration and gentle lymphatic massage can help the eye area look smoother, refreshed, and more awake.
Use:
- ( plated ) EYE Serum to hydrate, smooth, and visibly reduce the look of puffiness around the eyes using a gentle, glide-on application suitable for delicate skin. Pro-tip: the EYE Serum applicator can subtly support lymphatic massage.
Step 3: Treat the Scalp Like Skin
In the late fall and early winter, it's typical to see seasonal shedding and limp-looking hair. Cold weather and dry air can disrupt scalp comfort and balance, affecting how hair looks and feels. While conditioning the hair softens the look, the secret to more lush, full-looking hair is supporting hair at its source.
Use:
- ( plated ) HAIR Serum once daily. HAIR Serum delivers nourishing botanicals like sea moss, turmeric, and biotin with hydrating humectants and the renewing power of exosomes.
- Apply 1/2 dropper directly to the scalp, wet or dry, and massage gently. Allow 5 minutes for absorption. A healthy-looking scalp supports fuller-looking, stronger hair through the winter months.
- Weekly, support strands with a nourishing hair mask focused on hydration and strength.
Step 4: Don't Forget the Lips
Lips are especially vulnerable in winter because they lack oil glands and have a thinner protective barrier than facial skin. This makes them more prone to moisture loss.
Actionable tip:
- Use a petroleum-based lip product to help seal in moisture and protect against environmental dryness. Petroleum forms an occlusive layer that reduces water loss and keeps lips looking smooth and comfortable.
Step 5: Don't Forget Skin Below the Neck
Winter dryness doesn't stop at your jawline. Areas like the chest, arms, hands, legs, and elbows can benefit from additional attention. ( plated ) BODY Serum is designed to support the appearance of smoother, firmer, more hydrated skin below the neck.
Actionable tip:
- Apply BODY Serum to clean, dry skin, paying extra attention to areas prone to dryness and crepey-looking skin. Allow 5 minutes for absorption before following with your favorite moisturizer or body oil to help seal in hydration.
Stay Consistent
Winter skin care is about consistency, not intensity. Gentle cleansing, daily hydration, barrier support, and targeted care make the difference between struggling through winter and maintaining healthy-looking skin.
The Bottom Line
Dry skin, dull hair, and tired eyes are common in winter, but they are not inevitable. With the right routine, thoughtful habits, and consistent care, you can support hydration, restore glow, and keep your skin looking its best all season long.
Winter happens. Avoiding the "winter uglies" is a strategy.
Written and reviewed by Josie Capozzi, Wilton, CT, Licensed Esthetician, specializing in regenerative and longevity aesthetics, barrier repair, and blemish-prone skin
