How to Get a Winter Glow-Up

The days are shorter, the air is colder, and your previously radiant skin now looks duller. Winter can be harsh on our skin. We're bombarded with drying winds, colder temperatures, and indoor heat that sucks the moisture right out of us.

But don't fret! 

With the right healthy winter skin glow-up skincare routine, you can have radiant, glowing skin—yes, even during the harshest months of the year. Read on for all the glow-up tips you need to know about how to get build a winter skincare routine to maintain that natural glow throughout the cold season.

When you’re thinking of your skin and planning a glow-up routine, you’re most likely thinking about the top layer of skin you see. But in order to achieve a proper glow-up, you have to dig a little deeper.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and its primary goal is to protect the body from outside forces like pollution and harsh weather. To maintain skin health throughout the season, stay hydrated to help your skin regulate your body temperature and prevent hypothermia. 

Though it’s easy to forget, staying hydrated is a crucial habit not just for a glow-up, but for the maintenance of your overall health and well-being. Ensure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day by:

• Setting reminders. Use an alarm clock or timer to set up reminders every 2-3 hours. The best part is you can use resources you already have on hand: your phone.  

• Adding a cup of water to a daily routine. Whether it's before dinner or the first thing you do when you wake up, make it a habit to drink a full cup of water. If you have a morning coffee habit, always follow up with water.

• Having a favorite water bottle. Not only will you be more likely to drink water, but over time, your brain will associate this water bottle with drinking water. Eventually, just seeing this water bottle will make you reach for it. 

• Flavoring your water. Many people just don’t like the taste of water, but fortunately, there are many ways to make water palatable. While you could always reach for a flavoring packet, don’t forget that you can also flavor your water with fresh fruits and herbs.   

• Having a diet filled with fruits and vegetables. Drinking water is not the only way to stay hydrated. In fact, about 20% of your water consumption comes from what you eat. Consuming a diet filled with water-rich healthy foods like cucumber, tomatoes, and watermelon can all contribute to staying hydrated. Avoid junk food and other processed, unhealthy foods as much as you can, as these can be dehydrating.    

A good, sustainable self-improvement glow-up journey always involves good hydration and a healthy lifestyle. Not only will drinking water help keep your skin looking fresh and hydrated from the inside out, but staying hydrated will also help flush out toxins from your bloodstream that can cause breakouts or inflammation. Keeping your body hydrated helps keep everything in check and encourages healthy, radiant skin for a winter glow-up.

If you want to glow up during the winter, you have to lean on moisturizers. While you probably already moisturize daily, it may not be enough to for the healthy winter glow-up you’re aiming for. Our bodies are constantly trying to maintain a balance between oil production and hydration levels in our skin, which can affect our physical appearance (and maybe even our self-confidence.)

During the winter season, when we're exposed to harsher climates and temperatures, our skin loses moisture more quickly than in any other season, resulting in dry, flaky skin. And if you already have specific skin concerns, such as uneven skin tone, chapped lips, or dehydrated skin, the weather might just exacerbate them. To glow up and out of cold, dry skin, you need to boost your daily moisturizing game.

For a radiant winter glow-up, prep your skin for the glowiest base by starting your day with clean skin using a gentle facial cleanser such as our Down To Earth Gel Cleanser. Or, on days when you need a deeper cleanse, you can use our Bright Side Cream Face Cleanser to exfoliate dead skin cells, dirt, and grime off of your skin.

Then, pat your skin dry and freshen up with a vitamin-rich serum to nourish dull winter skin, like our Pep Rally Face Serum. Follow up with a hydrating facial moisturizer packed with hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture. Not only can a gentle moisturizer like our Daydreamer Natural Face Moisturizer keep your skin hydrated, but it also has healing properties added to fight inflammation and repair your skin.

While your skin can make do with just a facial moisturizer in other seasons, it will thank you for adding a second layer of moisturization this winter. To boost your glow up, finish your prep with a face cream like our Cloud Whip Face Cream, formulated with antioxidants to protect your skin from outside elements while locking in moisture. (You can also add this to your bedtime routine so that while you’re knocked down for the day, your skin is busy working on your glow-up!)

But after this, you’re not done yet.

While your body may not be exposed to harsh weather, it still feels the effect of winter. Swap your regular all-over body moisturizer for a thicker cream like our Coco Cocoa Creme Body Butter for healthy winter skin.

Not only will you notice the difference in moisturization, cuticles, hands, and feet, but the rich texture of this body butter will leave your cold, dry skin feeling nourished and soft.

For healthy winter skin, make sure you’re applying sunscreen every day (yes, even in winter!) regardless of whether or not you plan to go outside or how cloudy/sunny it looks outside.

Look for sun protection products, such as our Chase the Sun SPF 30 Face Moisturizer, that have SPF 30+ as well as UVA/UVB protection so you can protect against sunburns and wrinkles alike. The same rules for using sunscreen in the summer apply all year round, so be sure to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, especially during long outdoor activities. With this product, you can be consistent with regular exercise even during winter–you can still run outside without worrying about your skin.

If your face is feeling extra dry or tight even after the second round of moisturizer, try adding a face mask into your routine 1-2 times per week for healthy winter skin. An antioxidant-rich facial mask like our No Plans Clay Mask can pack in double the amount of hydration a moisturizer can. Not to mention many face masks also provide additional benefits for radiant skin, like removing impurities and preventing aging. 

But every once in a while, our everyday skincare routine just isn't enough—and that's okay!

You can also treat yourself (and your skin!) by booking an appointment with a professional aesthetician who can provide more intensive treatments tailored specifically to meet your needs.

Whether it's something as simple as a facial mask or something more involved like microdermabrasion or laser treatments, there are plenty of options available when it comes to treating yourself to some extra TLC. Facial treatments are always a relaxing time and is one of the most popular “stress management techniques” that lots of people swear by! So, more than caring for your skin, going to an appointment is one of the ways you can prioritize self care and your mental health, especially through the winter blues.

With the cold weather settling in, you might want to modify your make-up routine to find the perfect balance for a radiant complexion. Thankfully, you don't have to completely restock your makeup bag!

Simple blushing and highlighting can be all it takes to get a good winter glow-up and feel confident in your look. Bronzer can be applied around the perimeter of your face and over those beautiful cheekbones–the key to creating a warm, inviting look when temperatures start to drop!

To really amp up the glow, use a highlighter on key places like the nose, cupid's bow, and cheekbones. A soft kiss of highlighter will have you glistening like you just walked in from a fresh summer breeze–that’s an instant glow-up by itself. With just a few small touches, you can keep radiant skin year-round.

Glow-ups are some of the most exciting things you can do not just for your skin but also for your self-esteem and personal growth. Your winter glow-up journey doesn't have to be such hard work! With these tips in mind, you'll be able to boost your self-confidence, care for your physical health emotional well being, and keep your glow alive throughout the winter season:

• Build healthy habits–hydrate from within with plenty of water, fruits, and vegetables daily
• Give your skin an extra boost of hydration with rich moisturizers like serums, creams, and body butter
• Apply sunscreen daily, especially if you have an outdoor fitness routine
• Treat yourself to a face mask or facial 1-2 times per week
• Modify your makeup routine to amp up your glow

So go forth and get that winter glow-up for clear, radiant skin—you've got this!