Winter Woes: How to Take Care of Skin in the Cold

Beauty may only be skin deep, but it can’t hurt to have that skin looking healthy and beautiful! While proper skincare is a must to keep our largest organ in check year-round, the winter months are especially crucial. Due to the season’s increase in skin issues stemming from facial dryness, Skincerely Rockland Med Spa esthetician Katie McNaughton emphasizes that now is the time to keep skin hydrated and moisturized.

“Skincare in the winter is really hard,” McNaughton, a medical esthetician of five years, noted. “It’s hard with that dry cold outside and with the heat on the inside. Not a lot of people think about that heat.”

Though indoor heaters certainly contribute to wintertime skin issues such as increased acne and rosacea flares, hot showers are a sneakier culprit. While it is common to crave extra heat after a day in the cold, the scalding water and steam strip much-needed hydration from the skin. As such, McNaughton encourages her clients to take shorter, lukewarm showers, following up with a hydrating product that contains hyaluronic acid and a rich moisturizer.

Another winter skincare tip McNaughton shares with her clients is to always use sun protection. Though the days may be colder and darker, UV rays from the sun are still present and can even reflect off the snow. This, McNaughton notes, can make dark spots darker and cause general sun damage, even without that visible summertime “burn.”

When RCT asked if it is necessary to change one’s skincare routine completely during the winter months, McNaughton said tweaking is typically fine.

“With most of my clients, I tell them to at least see me whenever the seasons change,” McNaughton explained. “Because when the seasons change, your skin changes. A lot of times I’ll switch them over to a heavier moisturizer, focus more on hydration…Using (a heavier moisturizer) during the day in the summer is just horrible with all the sweat, but we’re able to tolerate it a little bit more in the winter. Our skin is able to drink it up. So I find that’s the main thing I’m switching over.”

McNaughton’s top piece of skincare advice year-round? If you’re having an issue, seek help from a professional— not TikTok.

“The amount of times I’ve had people come in with reactions, marks on their face from tricks they saw online—there’s always something new coming out,” McNaughton said. “A lot of times I feel like less is more. Come see a professional, even if it’s just for a quick mini facial. Just getting on a good, simple routine and sticking to that routine makes a huge, huge difference.”

To make an appointment with estheticians Katie McNaughton or Laila Fernando, call Skincerely Rockland Med Spa at (845) 358-8878. Visit https://www.rocklandmedspa.com/ to learn more about specific procedures.

Skincerely Rockland Med Spa Esthetician Laila Fernando