Dry skin? Chapped lips? It sends shivers down our spine.
Winter can wreck havoc on your skin — in fact, the problem’s so bad, it’s been nicknamed the “winter uglies.”
But a couple wrong moves can make your dermal disasters even worse, dermatologist Dr. Rodaina Ahmed, M.D., told The Post.
Mistake #1: Using the same products year-round.
“Treating skincare the same in winter as summer is a big mistake,” said Ahmed.
She notes that winter brings cold air, windy days, plus wildly fluctuating temperatures as people move between the brisk outdoors and heated buildings.
“All these conditions compromise the skin barrier,” she explained — and using a lightweight instead of heavy moisturizer can “overwhelm the barrier, leading to increased sensitivity, flaking and breakouts.”
Experts like Ahmed recommend protecting your skin from the cold by using a thicker cream-based moisturizer with Vitamin C and/or a high oil content, which will help balance your own oil production.
“You can even try ‘slugging’ with petrolatum-based products that can help lock in moisture and protect the skin from cold, dry air,” she said.
Slugging is the process of slathering your face with goopy skincare products, specifically petroleum jelly. The term “slugging” is a reference to the thick, slimy layer that’s left on the face, making you look like a slug, albeit a deeply hydrated one.
Mistake #2: Being too harsh.
Exfoliating too often can further stress your skin barrier, she said — as can using too many active ingredients.
Some doctors have even begun calling the problem “influencer inflammation,” with women taking too many cues from social media and loading their faces up with lots of ingredients that damage the skin barrier.
“Focus on skin protection and barrier repair throughout winter,” Ahmed said. “Help your skin recover and stay protected by choosing gentle cleansers, using layered hydrating products and picking high-quality moisturizers that enable recovery and proper function.
“Reduce your usage of acids, retinoids and other aggressive treatments to give your skin a chance to heal during the dry winter months.
“Active ingredients like retinoids or acids can still be used but may need to be reduced to one to two times per week or adjusted based on tolerance,” she added.
What should you use?
“A thick, barrier-repair moisturizer is your most essential winter skincare ally,” said the doc.
She’s a fan of Skinfix’s Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream Refillable Barrier Moisturizer, $54, and Le Balm Skin Savior Solid Serum, $130.
But she also likes some more affordable products that are available in drugstores, including Avène Cicalfate cream, $12, and La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume, $19.
“Vitamin C and sunscreen are musts throughout the year to protect against UV damage, especially outdoors in snow or reflective conditions,” she added.
A little something extra?
Ahmed notes that reduced sun exposure makes winter an ideal time to address sun damage, even out skin tone, and boost collagen production through professional treatments such as Fraxel, Moxi, or BBL.
“With less sun exposure during winter, your healing process will be smoother, and you lower the risk of pigment issues. Consistency is key. Think patience and quality, not intensity, to build a strong foundation that lets you look your best in spring and summer.”
Ahmed added that healthy skin begins within.
“Other key steps include staying hydrated, eating well, and caring for mental health, as overall wellness and mood show up on the skin,” she said.
