Cold-Weather Skincare

Introducing The Products Your Skin Needs To Survive The Cold

Why should you care about cold-weather skincare? There’s lots to love about the winter. Like the holidays. Parties. Presents. Indulgent food and drink. A more versatile wardrobe (because in the summer, you can only get so creative with tees, jeans, and shorts).

But you know what’s not so lovable? How the extreme temps wreak havoc on your otherwise handsome mug. Between the artificial heat pumping through your home and office and the bone-chilling air and wind swirling outdoors, your skin can take a serious beating.

We all know that winter’s dropping temps are rough on complexions, but have no fear, for it’s not a losing battle. In fact, there’s plenty you can do to keep your skin in tip-top shape. And it won’t take a dramatic overhaul of your current grooming regimen. We promise. That’s why we enlisted the expert help of celebrity dermatologist Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank.

What you already know is that cold and dry weather naturally dry out your skin. And on top of that, “most men shave,” says Frank. “And this kind of daily exfoliation can also increase dryness and irritation.” All of this makes cold-weather skincare a winter survival necessity.

But what you might not know is that dry skin also makes wrinkles look more obvious and dramatic. In short, you’ll look older. That’s why moisturizing is especially crucial come winter. Frank recommends upping your moisturizing game to two times per day, morning and night. Look for something that’s both rich in emollients and calming agents — they help reduce weather-induced redness and irritation — like Lab Series Age Rescue+Water-Charged Gel Cream, a personal favorite of Frank’s.

And despite what many of you think, you must wear sunscreen every day, even in the winter. Frank says to “look for one that says ‘broad spectrum’ — which means you’ll get both UVB and UVA coverage — and an SPF 30 or above.” Lab Series Men Power Protector SPF 50 not only offers comprehensive sun protection, it also contains mulberry root extract and caffeine, which brighten and tighten skin.

Beyond moisturizing, continue to cleanse morning and night, but stick with something simple and mild. Cetaphil has long been a cult favorite of dermatologists and celebs. It’s affordable, gentle, and effective on even the most sensitive faces, the ideal tool in your cold-weather skincare survival arsenal.

If you’ve never used one before, now’s the time to invest in a quality mask: one that isn’t clay-based and strips the skin, like lots of versions you’ll find in drugstores. La Mer’s Intensive Revitalizing Mask isn’t cheap, but leaves even most the most beat-up mugs looking and feeling renewed, healthy, and glowy (trust us, this is a good thing). Plus, you can reap its intensely awesome benefits by using it just once or twice a week, and a little goes a long, long way.

Don’t underestimate the power of sleep, either. “Getting a full night’s rest is beneficial,” says Frank, “because at night the skin is in repair mode and can tolerate deeper hydration.” Guys with particularly parched skin should enlist the help of a humidifier, which “will also help keep skin hydrated.”

Now if you plan on being outdoors for an extended period of time — it’s ski and snowboarding season, after all — you must enlist extra protection. “For windy weather, I always tell people to put on a very thin layer of ointment such as Aquaphor,” says Frank. “As long as you’re not acne prone, this is a great way to protect against the elements. A moisturizer gets readily absorbed, but an ointment leaves an extra layer of protection.“