As the chill sets in and the heaters go on, your skin starts telling a story of its own tightness, flakiness, dullness, and an overall loss of glow. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. At Chris & Alley, we always say: beautiful skin isn’t seasonal, but your skincare should be.
During winter, the air becomes drier and colder, and indoor heating pulls even more moisture from the skin. This drop in humidity and temperature affects your skin’s natural lipid barrier, leaving it vulnerable, sensitised, and depleted of essential hydration.
In other words, your skin is thirsty. And if you don’t adjust your routine accordingly, you may experience dehydration, increased sensitivity, or premature ageing.
Let’s clear this up, because this is where many clients get stuck.
Hydration = water content in the skin
Moisture = oils that lock that water in
You need both, especially in winter. Without enough hydration, your skin may overcompensate with oil, or worse, become tight and flaky. Without moisture, that hydration simply evaporates.
Hydrating your skin isn’t just about avoiding discomfort, it’s about maintaining a strong, resilient skin barrier, supporting cell renewal, and giving your skin the tools it needs to glow through winter, not just survive it.
Here’s a step-by-step winter skincare ritual curated by our in-house somatologists, designed to deeply hydrate and protect your skin barrier:
🌿 Step 1: Gentle Cleanse
Use a nourishing, non-stripping cleanser with soothing ingredients like aloe, oat or chamomile to cleanse without compromising the skin barrier.
We Love:
Nassif MD Pure Hydration Cleanser
Exuviance Gentle Cream Cleanser
🌿 Step 2: Hydrating Mist or Toner
Reach for an alcohol-free hydrating mist that preps your skin and delivers that first layer of water-based hydration.
We Love:
Exuviance Hydrasoothe Toner
Mesoestetic Hydratonic Mist
Kalahari Toning Lotion
🌿 Step 3: Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Apply a humectant-rich serum with multi-molecular hyaluronic acid to draw water into the deeper layers of your skin.
We Love:
Dermaquest B5 Hydrating Serum
Nassif MD Hydro-screen
Optiphi Intense HA Serum
🌿 Step 4: Antioxidant Serum (Optional)
Vitamin C or niacinamide can brighten and protect, but choose one in a gentle, hydrating base.
We Love:
Lamelle Vit C Lipid Serum
Mesoestetic AOX
Optiphi Restore Therapy - (A steal, with Hyaluronic acid, Vit C and Vit B3)
🌿 Step 5: Barrier-Restoring Moisturiser
Look for moisturisers with ceramides, squalene, or shea butter to lock in hydration and support the skin barrier.
We Love:
Dermaquest Essential Moisturiser
Lamelle Barrier Repair
Endocare Renewal Comfort Cream
🌿 Step 6: Broad-Spectrum SPF
Yes, even in winter. UVA rays are present all year round and contribute to skin ageing. Choose a hydrating sunscreen with added antioxidants if possible.
We Love:
Colorescience Face Shield Flex (they come in a range of tints)
Colorescience Face Shield No-show (non-tinted)
Heliocare Ultra 90 Gel (non-tinted)
🌙 Step 1: Double Cleanse (if wearing makeup/SPF)
Use a gentle balm or oil cleanser first, followed by your morning cleanser to ensure a clean canvas without stripping.
(use same as AM Routine)
🌙 Step 2: Hydrating Mist or Toner
Repeat to rehydrate post-cleanse.
(use same as AM Routine)
🌙 Step 3: Hydrating Serum
Focus on hyaluronic acid, peptides or beta-glucan to replenish and calm the skin.
(use same as AM Routine)
🌙 Step 4: Night Cream or Repair Balm
Winter skin needs extra TLC, opt for a richer cream with soothing ingredients like centella asiatica, niacinamide, and panthenol.
You can also use the same moisturiser for AM and PM Routine but here are a few extras we love:
Mesoestetic Fast Skin Repair
Optiphi Barrier Repair
🌙 Step 5: Overnight Mask (2–3 times a week)
A sleeping mask with occlusive ingredients will lock in moisture and help your skin regenerate while you sleep.
Lamelle Serra Lipid Mask
Kalahari Nourishing Face and Neck Mask
Mesoestetic Hydravital Mask
🌙 Step 6. Treatment Options (once a week - PM only)
Exfoliators (AHAs/BHAs/enzymes):
Gently remove dead skin cells and help your hydrators and moisturisers absorb more effectively.
Dr Schrammek Perfect Skin Peeling
Retinols or Retinoids:
Stimulate collagen, smooth texture, fade pigmentation, and speed up cell renewal—especially beneficial in drier seasons when your skin may need a regeneration boost.
We Love:
Mesosestetic Skinretin 0.3%
✨ Use a humidifier at home, especially while you sleep.
✨ Avoid over-exfoliating; once a week with a gentle enzymatic exfoliant is plenty.
✨ Stay hydrated internally. Your skin reflects your overall hydration levels.
✨ Book a winter skin consultation or hydrating facial with us for professional support.
Winter doesn’t have to mean dull, dry skin. With the right hydration-focused routine and a little expert support, your skin can stay radiant, plump, and happy, even on the coldest days.
If your current routine isn’t quite cutting it, we’d love to guide you with personalised product suggestions or a remote consultation.
