Between blustery winds outdoors and drying heaters indoors, your skin can feel parched come wintertime. However, a thoughtful winter skincare routine can keep your moisture barrier hydrated and nourished all season long, come rain, snow or shine. Looking to pamper your skin and treat it with extra kindness this time of year? We'll guide you through every step of our simple skincare routine with recommendations for our favorite winter skincare products, breaking down how different plant-based ingredients help replenish and moisturize skin.  

Step 1: Cleanse Your Face 

Every proper winter skincare routine starts with cleansing the face, which you can do once a day at night, or twice a day in the morning and at night. The benefit of cleansing your face in the morning is washing off any sweat or buildup from sleeping on your pillow. During the nighttime, washing your face helps remove makeup, product and excess oil — it's also a soothing way to pamper yourself after a long day! 

For cleansing moisture, lather on Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Sea Kelp Face Wash. This plant-based formula harnesses olive oil-based Castile soap and tea tree oil for a deep clean without a drying effect. Mineral-rich sea kelp also delivers a hydrating boost to combat dry winter skin. All you have to do is apply the wash and rinse it off.  

Of course, you've got other nourishing cleanser options as well. Desert Essence Cucumber & Aloe Micellar Cleansing Facial Water is a rinseless cleanser that features tea tree oil to lift off impurities without drying your skin. Plus, the aloe component helps hydrate and soften skin. 

If you want a quick spruce up in between your winter activities, Desert Essence Cannabis Sativa & White Ginger Facial Cleansing Pads are also great for removing oil or makeup while nourishing and soothing skin — there's no need to follow up with more cleanser. That said, you can use these wipes before a rinse-off cleanser for deeper cleaning.  

Step 2: Go in with Toner

If you have oil-prone skin, a gentle toner can be a helpful solution for balancing your skin before you apply moisturizer. Without drying out the skin, tea tree oil and witch hazel in Desert Essence Cucumber & Aloe Facial Toner help tighten pores and control oil. Plus, you get other botanical benefits, as the cucumber helps calm irritation, and aloe brings a burst of hydration. Apply this soothing toner to your skin with a cotton pad — there's no need to wash it off. 

Step 3: Moisturize Your Skin Thoroughly

Moisturizing your skin is a must during the winter. Moisturizers can give your skin a hydrating boost while locking in moisture, and you can moisturize twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. One of our go-to’s is Desert Essence Daily Essential Facial Moisturizer, which is packed with good-for-you botanical ingredients that combat dry winter air while giving you a radiant glow. Jojoba oil and organic aloe soften skin as safflower oil helps smooth over dry skin. For dry or mature skin, Desert Essence Revitalizing Oils Facial Moisturizer is another powerhouse formula rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids for a beneficial surge of moisture. Evening primrose oil and avocado oil support the moisture barrier as argan oil soothes the skin. 

Both Desert Essence Daily Essential Facial Moisturizer and Desert Essence Revitalizing Oils Facial Moisturizer work well as daytime and nighttime options. As daytime moisturizers, you can rest assured that they sit beautifully underneath makeup without pilling or flaking. 

Step 4: Boost Hydration with Face Oil 

Face oil is the perfect follow-up to your nighttime moisturizing because it's a blend of botanical oils that give your skin a supple feel and radiant glow. It works as an occlusive, helping your skin seal in moisture. You can layer it on top of your moisturizer or even mix it into your moisturizer — remember that just one to three drops can go a long way. 

One of our favorites is Desert Essence Restorative Face Oil. This lightweight formula joins organic evening primrose and marula oils, which feature fatty acids that restore the skin's glow. Additionally, organic jojoba oil balances moisture levels without leaving a greasy residue, while organic argan oil soothes the skin. 

Step 5: Use Treatments as Desired 

All the steps above are part of a daily skincare routine, but you can switch things up with facial treatments a few times a week or as needed. Below are a few items that are helpful to have on rotation. 

  • Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick: Besides dry skin, you may experience blemishes and other minor skin irritations during the winter. This cleansing and soothing formula blends tea tree oil, chamomile and lavender to deliver comfort and clarity. It comes in a convenient rollerball, and you can apply it to clean skin as often as you need. 
  • Desert Essence Gentle Facial Scrub: During winter, you'll want to remember to exfoliate to slough off buildup of dead skin cells. In this scrub, walnut powder, jojoba seed powder, almond meal and oatmeal will help buff away dry skin, while jojoba oil, aloe and cucumber leave your skin radiant and smooth. To use it, massage it onto your damp neck and face and rinse it off. You can exfoliate about two to three times per week to replenish your skin. 
  • Desert Essence Cucumber Charcoal Facial Mask: Winter air can leave the skin looking dull, so restore your radiance with a detoxifying face mask. This face mask helps draw out impurities while boosting clarity with tea tree oil and hydrating your skin courtesy of cucumber and aloe. Use it anywhere between two to three times a week — all you have to do is apply a thin layer, wait 10 minutes and rinse off the mask. 
     

General Winter Skin Care Tips 

Now that you've got your facial skincare routine down, what are other ways in which you can keep your skin smooth and radiant during winter? Here are a few tips to keep in mind: 

  • Consider using a humidifier in your home. Outdoor winter air can be low in humidity, and indoor air can feel dry from central heating. Turning on a humidifier in your home will boost the humidity and help keep your skin hydrated. A good rule of thumb is to keep the humidity in your home between 30 to 50 percent — you can use a hygrometer to measure the moisture in the air. 
  • Avoid hot showers. A long, hot shower may seem tempting on a cold winter day, but hot water can dry out your skin. Instead, wash your hands, body and face with warm or lukewarm water. 
  • Remember to moisturize other parts of your body. While there's a strong emphasis on the face when it comes to winter skin care, don't neglect your hands and body. You can find the best lotion for dry winter skin by checking out Desert Essence's body lotion collection. Use lotion after you shower and wash your hands to lock in as much moisture as possible. Following up with a nourishing body oil can boost your skin’s barrier, too. 


With plant-powered skin care full of nourishing ingredients, you can keep your skin soft and supple throughout the chilly season. Shop Desert Essence Skin Care to pamper and soothe dry winter skin.