Quick Winter Skincare Routine (Hydrated, Clean Skin In 8 Minutes Or Less)

If You Don’t Have Time For Skincare, But Suffer From Dry Skin, You Need This Lightning Fast Routine

If you’re looking for a quick Winter skincare routine for dry skin, keep reading, because I’m here to help, girl! I got into skincare a while back when I had my third baby and my skin kind of went haywire on me.

Up until then, I was a Clean & Clear kind of girl who barely moisturized, only wore sunscreen when I remembered, and didn’t always wash my makeup off. If this sounds like you, you’re definitely my people(;

As we get older, it’s increasingly important to take care of our skin, especially our faces. But as you may know, it’s also hard to devote time to a skincare routine or any other form of self-care with little (and big!) kids who seem to need you every moment of the day.

This quick skincare routine has everything you need to hydrate and protect your skin against harsh Winter temps AND allow for a little pampering in the process.

*BONUS: I recently moved to El Paso, Texas, and adopted this routine in Summer and Spring because of the dryer climate (and harsh air conditioning indoors!) So, if you have dry skin and live in a dry climate, this quick skincare routine is perfect year-round, not just in the Winter!

Ps. I use a couple of amazing products from Black-owned skincare brands in my routine. (You can read more HERE about my commitment to highlighting Black-owned businesses). Look for * to denote a brand or shop is Black-owned.

DISCLOSURE: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post contains affiliate links from which I earn a commission, at no extra cost to you, when you make a purchase. Read more about it HERE

Short on time? Skip ahead to your WINTER SKINCARE ROUTINE SHOPPING LIST.

Do You Need A Winter Skincare Routine?

It was the Summertime when I first began using a consistent skincare routine. So, when Fall and Winter rolled around, I wondered if I really needed to switch up my skincare routine with the season. The short answer is YES.

As temps cool and there’s less moisture in the air, your skin may need a little help staying hydrated, especially if you have naturally dry skin. So, the foaming cleanser you used over the Summer might be too harsh, and the lightweight moisturizer you wore under your makeup in June might not be thick enough to protect against dry Winter air.

For me, a winter skincare routine is all about hydration and protection.

Skincare Routine For Dry Skin: The Basics

You may already know all of these, but let’s get a few skincare basics out of the way.

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Hydration is not only important for your skin, but for your body as a whole. The truth is, none of the products I’m about to recommend will go very far if you’re not drinking enough fluids. The actual amount you need to drink is debatable, but I find I feel the best when I get at least 72 ounces in.
2. Get your beauty rest. And while you’re at it, use a satin or silk pillowcase. Cotton saps moisture from your skin over time, which means you can wake up with dryer skin than when you laid down. Eight hours is not always realistic as a mom, so I’ll just say get as much rest as you can!
3. Consistency is key. A good skincare routine will work the best when you follow your routine every day, twice a day. The beauty of this one is, it only takes 8 minutes, and you’re done!

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And now…

The Best Products For Your Quick Winter Skincare Routine

CLEANSER

If you’re on the dry side, you’ll want something gentle that hydrates while it cleanses. My morning go-to is La Roche-Posay’s Hydrating Gentle Cleanser For Dry Skin.

It has a gentle, almost milky texture that feels so good on my skin. Ceramides to reinforce your skin barrier, niacinamide to soothe and even tone, and glycerin to help hydrate and moisturize. And you don’t have to worry about harsh soaps, or any other ingredients that will dry out your skin. It cleanses without stripping your skin of its natural oils. I also love Cerave Hydrating Cleanser.

For my evening routine, I love Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Enzyme Foam Cleanser. It doesn’t foam nearly as much as typical foam cleansers, so it’s not drying at all. Plus, the enzymes gently break down dirt and leftover sunscreen without irritating sensitive skin. If you need something a bit more budget friendly, I recently tried Cetaphil’s Oil Free Gentle Foam Cleanser and it does the trick as well.

TONER

So, the jury’s out on whether you actually NEED toner in your routine. Older formulas were closer to astringents that removed leftover dirt and grime, but today’s toners are much gentler. They can be used for extra hydration or to treat issues like acne or hyperpigmentation.

Since my skincare routine is for dry skin, I use my toner as an extra hydration step. My recipe costs less than $10, plus it’s super easy to make!

Homemade Toner Recipe

• 1 Part Glycerin

• 3 Parts Aloe Vera Juice

The glycerin acts as a hydrating agent and helps hold in moisture throughout the day, while the aloe vera juice (which is literally just aloe vera and water) moisturizes and refreshes. I’ve been using this mix for a while now and it has really elevated my routine.

However…

If you’re not a homemade kind of gal, this TONYMOLY Wonder Ceramide Mochi Toner is another great option, no mixing required(;

ESSENCE

What is an essence, you ask? Essentially, it acts as a booster for whatever product you layer it under. So when I layer an essence under my favorite hydrating serum (we’ll get to that in a second), it’s like my serum is suddenly on steroids. Extra hydration is exactly what you need in a quick winter skincare routine, especially one for dry skin.

I really like Peach & Lily’s Wild Dew Treatment Essence. It contains Hyaluronic Acid, Lotus Extract, and Bamboo Extract for supercharged hydration that makes my skin soft and dewy and helps prep it for the next step.

Good Molecules also has a really good budget-friendly version that I really like, the Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Essence. It has three different types of hyaluronic acid and it’s super lightweight formula that absorbs quickly.

SERUM

Serums are potent products that can offer extra hydration or treat issues like discoloration, wrinkles and fine lines, or hyperpigmentation. If you go with a serum with active ingredients, they can also exfoliate. For daily use, I like Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum.

It’s hero ingredients include Niacinamide which hydrates and targets dark spots and a Peptide Complex that encourages collagen production which hides fine lines and makes my skin look firmer and overall healthier.

I also recently started using Hanskin’s Vitamin C Glow Capsule Lotion. It gives me a healthy, natural glow while also offering hydration and moisture. If you’ve tried Vitamin C serums before but found them to drying or irritating, definitely gives this lotion a try! It’s the only thing I’ve found that gives me the glow I want without drying me out.

Depending on how my skin feels, I’ll sometimes layer the Glow Capsule lotion under my regular facial lotion. Most days, though I wear it alone and I don’t have any issues.

*There’s some research out there about not mixing Niacinamide (mentioned above) with Vitamin C. Some articles say they cancel each other out, others say that, mixed together, they cause skin irritation. To be on the safe side, once I started using the Glow Capsule Lotion, I switched my Glass Skin Serum to evening use when I’m not using an active.

For weekly exfoliation, I recommend Peach & Lily’s Lactic Acid Serum. It’s gentler than other types of acid peel, but it does contain Lactic Acid so it’s a great for exfoliating the skin without accidentally overdoing it (which is common with some more potent chemical exfoliants).

I also recently tried DIME’s TBT Serum. It comes with a little dropper for easy application, and it’s a super lightweight formula that feels so nice when you apply it.

The Mandelic Acid helps encourage cell turnover to help reduce hyperpigmentation and treat minor blemishes. There is also Niacinamide and Resveratrol which helps calm redness and brightens.

*I typically use treatment serums with actives (like the TBT Serum and Lactic Acid Serum) 1-3x a week depending on the potency of each product. Everyone’s skin is different, so if this is your first time using actives, I recommend starting out with once weekly use to see how your skin does.

ALWAYS use active serums AT NIGHT. Most acids will make your skin sensitive to the sun, so it’s important to give them time to absorb overnight and to wear your sunscreen religiously during the day.

EYE CREAM

Okay, so I’m still on the lookout for a great eye cream! The company that makes the product I was using when I originally wrote this article has sense closed their doors and I still haven’t found anything that can replace them. If you have dry skin and you’re using an eye cream that you absolutely love, please share in the comments! I’m open to suggestions(:

Looking for Black-owned skincare brands? Check out this list of skincare products designed to hydrate, treat, and protect your skin.

MOISTURIZER

A great moisturizer is KEY to a good skincare routine for dry skin. Look for ingredients that are both hydrating (goes beneath the skin’s surface) and moisturizing (treats the outer layer). I like to switch my moisturizers up every few months, but right now, I really love Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream. It contains five different ceramides to hydrate skin from the inside out and help prevent moisture loss.

As far as night creams, I have a few that I love. Right now, my go-to is Peach and Lily’s Overnight Star Night Cream. As a night cream, I expected it to be fairly thick and heavy, but it’s super lightweight and nongreasy while still offering intense hydration overnight. And a little goes a long way; I’ve had my jar for quite a while and I use it most nights.

I also got a free sample of Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide Firming Moisturizer and I’ve found it’s a great formula for both day and night. It plays well with my makeup and ingredients like Pygmy Waterlily Stem Cell Extract and Soybean Folic Acid Ferment Extract moisturize, soothe, and firm my skin overnight.

Budget friendly options: I’ve also used (and loved!) Mad Hippie’s Triple C Night Cream (the only reason I stopped using is because I added Vitamin C to my morning routine and felt like it was overkill for morning and nighttime use) and Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream.

SUNSCREEN

By now, it’s a pretty well-known fact that you need to wear sunscreen year round, even if you have beautiful, melanin-rich skin, and, yes, even if you work primarily indoors. UVA rays can still travel through windows and cause early aging and some types of skin cancers.

I have a few options depending on what my day looks like. This year, my every day go-to is the Live Tinted Huegard 3 In 1 Mineral Sunscreen, Moisturizer & Primer. It applies beautifully, it’s non-drying, and there’s no annoying white cast.

I will say, it excels most as a primer and sunscreen. As a moisturizer, because I have dryer skin, I still find it works best layered over my regular moisturizer.

On no-makeup days in the past, I have also used Sun Bum Face Mist SPF 45. This is a chemical sunscreen, so I typically layer it under my moisturizer.

It smells slightly like bananas which I definitely prefer to the typical “sunscreen smell”. It also comes in a mini-size that’s super easy to toss into your purse or beach bag for reapplication throughout the day.

If you prefer physical sunscreens, Undefined Beauty* has a beautiful tinted mineral formula that brightens, evens tone, and offers a bit of moisture.

You know how you’re heading out to run errands and you don’t want a face full of makeup but you do want SOMETHING to kind of polish your look? This formula is GREAT for that! (Physical sunscreens are your last step, after your moisturizer).

If I’m wearing makeup that day…

I prefer Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40. It comes in 30 different shades, and it contains Zinc Oxide for physical protection from the Sun. It’s also super hydrating, so when I go with this option, I’m able to skip my moisturizer for the day.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, IT Cosmetics has a dupe formula with SPF 40 that’s really beautiful and long-lasting. In recent months, I’ve actually begun to prefer this one, because I don’t need to use a powder with it. (Less steps is always better!)

NOTE: Remember to reapply your sunscreen throughout the day! On no makeup days, I simply spray another layer of my face mist or I’ll reapply my Live Tinted. If I’m wearing the makeup, I use Pacifica Matte Sheer Setting Mist with SPF 45.

Quick Winter Skincare Routine For Dry Skin

Day Time Routine

STEP 1. Cleanser

STEP 2. Toner

STEP 3. Essence

STEP 4. Daily Serum

STEP 5. Eye Cream

STEP 6. Moisturizer

STEP 7. Sunscreen *If you’re using a physical sunscreen, this is your last step. If you’re using a chemical sunscreen, you’ll apply that BEFORE your moisturizer. Let it absorb for 30 seconds to 1 minute before moving on to the next step.

Night Time Routine

STEP 1: Cleanser

STEP 2: Toner

STEP 3: Serum

STEP 4: Eye Cream

STEP 5: Night Cream

A Few Notes

• You can move through these steps as quickly as you need to; I usually let a product absorb for about 45 seconds-1 minute and then move on to the next step. If I have time, I’ll let the serums absorb for a little longer.

• On exfoliation nights, I only use the Lactic Acid or TBT Serum. You CAN layer your serums depending on the ingredients, but I typically don’t.

• Another note on actives like lactic acid: most need to be applied to COMPLETE DRY skin, so on exfoliation nights, I skip my Toner & Essence. Acids also typically make your skin extra sensitive towards the Sun, so it’s best to use them at night.

• The Ilia Skin Tint is designed to make skin look dewy and hydrated. You can use a powder if you want to tone that down a bit. I recommend Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder OR Beauty Bakerie* Face Flour Baking Powder.

BONUS ROUND: A Few More Hydrating Products I Can’t Live Without

Cicapair Tiger Grass Sleepair Intensive Mask: I use this 1-2 nights per week, usually the night after I exfoliate. I wake up with super soft, glowy, hydrated skin.

Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25: I usually use this one as an overnight mask for my lips. It’s super hydrating, plus the grapefruit & ginger smells so yummy!

I love these sheet masks when I want a night of pampering. They pair well with a glass of wine, just saying(;

Cerave Moisturizing Cream: This is a great all-over cream that I use for me and my kids. I also use as my very last step on those nights when my skin is feeling particularly dry and I really want to seal in moisturizer.

Mad Hippie Cleansing Oil (for easy, yet gentle, makeup removal)

I hope you’ve enjoyed my list of the best products for a quick skincare routine for dry skin. It’s so important for us as women and moms to take care of ourselves and treat ourselves.

Maybe that means a banging skincare routine or a shopping day for new clothes for the season. Whatever it means, consider this your reminder to prioritize yourself whenever you can.

Until next time, babes!

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