Refresh Your Winter Skin Care Routine With 12 Essentials

If you have acne, you may need an acid-filled cleanser, struggle with redness? Try a tea tree-focused formula. But if you’re just looking for that classic deep clean, First Aid Beauty’s Face Cleanser is the perfect solution. It preserves the oils naturally found in the skin while inducing that mirror-like finish, it calms residual redness and irritation and it’s infused with powerful botanicals and antioxidants that work to scavenger free radicals.  

Repair starts with Murad’s vitamin C-packed cleanser. It soothes environmentally stressed skin with help from allantoin, reverses the lasting effects of damaging free radicals with the brand’s patented Skin Repair System with Co-3 and taps phospholipids (aka plant-derived lipids) to provide a sip of water for dry skin. The combination of these hard-hitting ingredients mixed with botanical extracts of orange and basil extracts are the formula for healthy-looking skin with every wash.  

It’s rich, thick and ultra-clearing—it’s Babor’s two-in-one clay cleanser that removes makeup and impurities and refines the pores without drying the skin or making it feel taut. I also like to use it as a mask once per week, letting it soak into my pores for ten-plus minutes. The result: smooth, poreless skin that looks like you just left a facial.  

Exfoliating Pads

Physical exfoliants are becoming a thing of the past, so this new year we’re focusing on what’s in: exfoliating pads soaked with all the best skin-sloughing acids in the game. Add them to your winter skin care lineup asap so you can reap their benefits.

If you’ve never tried the cranberry toner from Arcona, let these pads be your first foray into the hype. The cotton pads are already pre-soaked in the cult-favorite toner, infusing the skin with protective antioxidants to leave it glowing and refreshed. Ideal when you’re on-the-go or leaving a workout, these easy-to-use skin care essentials keep your skin acne-free and clarified through the rest of your day. 

Get the effects of a medical-grade peel without leaving your house or undergoing the serious downtime. Suitable for all skin types, these clarifying and brightening daily exfoliators accelerate brightening and anti-aging results while boasting a laundry list of effective ingredients. What you’ll find on the label? Everything from red and green tea to soothe and retinol-mimicking peptides to resurface. 

These radiance-promoting pads work smarter, not harder on dull skin. Featuring a hefty blend of cucumber and Indian Gooseberry to tone, and a lemon-licorice combination to leave the skin glowing and bright, achieve just the right amount of exfoliation with this gentle formula. 

Daily Moisturizers  

I’m a sucker for a thick moisturizer, but a light, barely-there hydrator that works through the day is an absolute essential during the colder months if you hate that heavy feeling.

Whenever a friend reaches out with the “save my dry skin” plead, I recommend this moisturizer. Formulated for even the most sensitive skin types, this multi-purpose cream wears many hats. Use it as a priming base for makeup, a plain and simple moisturizer or even an after-sun skin refresher (yes, it’s that effective!) for elastic skin that will thank you with each and every swipe.

I’ve been using this moisturizer for years and don’t plan to stop anytime soon. It’s super lightweight, extra soothing and it rescues my dull skin in need of a pick-me-up. I recommend it to everyone.  

Applying this moisturizer in the morning is so refreshing, and if you don’t have immediate access to an ice roller, this is absolutely a close second. Infused with macro hyaluronic acid to attract moisture and moringa oil from certified fair-trade cultivations, this balancing formula is your one-stop-shop to a youthful-looking complexion.  

Sheet Masks

Lay on your couch, prop your feet up and apply one of these masks while you relax. When you open your eyes, your newly-bright skin will wave back at you in the mirror.

This single-use cellulose face mask drives nutrients straight into the skin barrier and locks in vital moisture. Part of the brand’s Pink Diamond range, the mask offers a luminous luster that’s so bright, you can skip your glow-inducing primer.  

Firm, lift and hydrate the skin with this colloidal gold-infused sheet mask. Inside, you’ll fine hyaluronic acid, elastin and vitamin E to leave your skin looking toned, firmed and lifted naturally.  

Get the benefits of clay without the fuss or the mess with this clean and simple face mask. If you struggle with blemish-prone or oily skin, this one is for you.