How to Improve Your Complexion in Cold Weather

Here are five tips to keep your skin soft and moisturized all season long

By Stephanie Gray

Posted: January 18, 2022 12:50 PM ET

Winter is rough on your skin. As Canadians, we’ve come to know the signs—dry, flaky skin, chapped lips and cracked hands and feet. Thankfully, there are five simple solutions to prevent these common problems and provide quick relief when you need it.

Improve the air in your home

A woman is sitting on a dark coloured couch with a bright orange pillow behind her. She is nursing a baby with dark hair, who is wearing a white shirt and dark pants. She is wearing an olive green shirt with a white towel draped over her shoulder. She is smiling at the cellphone she is holding in her other hand. In the background, steam from a humidifier is visible.

Dry air leads to dry skin. The heat in your home may keep you cozy, but it also sucks the moisture out of the air—and your skin. To improve the air quality, run a humidifer to keep your skin hydrated.

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Change your moisturizer

A close up of a woman grinning. She has a white towel wrapped around her head, covering her hair. She is holding up a small dark coloured jar up to one eye. There is a white cream in the jar that is visible. She has a smear of white cream on her forehead above her eyebrows.

Like swapping T-shirts for sweaters, your face needs a heavier moisturizer in the cooler months. Look for a cream with ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid acts as a sponge and infuses the skin cells with water, while ceramides help to lock in moisture.

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Use a hydrating serum

An overhead view of a clear glass bottle with a glass spout. It is filled with a light yellow liquid. Next to it on the white table is a single dark green leaf.

Introducing a hydrating serum into your skin routine can help rejuvenate that dull winter complexion. Look for formulas with antioxidants to combat toxins or Vitamin C to help with brightening.

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Heal chapped lips

A close up of a person's lips. There is a hand holding up a white tube of lip balm up to the lips.

Frigid winds and icy temperatures can turn your lips into sandpaper. Apply a lip balm or moisturizer during the day and consider a hydrating lip mask before bed to speed up healing. When you’re outside, make sure your balm has at least SPF30, as the sun burns chapped lips easily.

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Fix cracked heels

A oval-shaped bowl in a light wood holds several different items in it. There is a larger brush with bristles on both sides in a light wood colour. There is also a smaller brush with bristles with a darker wooden handle. There is a wooden comb and a circular wooden object.

In winter your feet can become cracked, rough and even painful. Exfoliate your skin—including your feet—in the bath or shower. While your feet are still damp, use a pumice stone or foot file to remove dry skin. Then apply a thick moisturizer to lock in the hydration.

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Image credit: PamelaJoeMcFarlane/iStock, visualspace/iStock, LaylaBird/iStock, Anastasiia Pokliatska/iStock, Olga Chetvergova/iStock, kazmulka/iStock

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