“Switching microclimates can wreak havoc on your skin,” explains Youth To The People’s Director of Field Sales + Education, Jacob Tomás del Rosario. “Nobody really talks about it, but winter weather can be really aggressive, and when you escape the cold for a warm break, that can also have pretty intense effects.”
According to del Rosario, the most common signal that it’s time to add more nuanced forms of nourishment to your routine is chapped skin, but he adds that rough patches and an overall sense of dull dryness are also little red flags.
“Every person’s skin speaks its own language, and during the holiday season both the environment and our lifestyle choices can affect the skin and what it needs day-to-day,” he says.
Finding the best approach needn’t be overwhelming, though. With the right cocktail of superhero ingredients and some well-placed ultra-replenishing treatments, healthy, balanced skin is always within reach. Here, del Rosario outlines five ways to refresh your routine for winter.
Shed the excess
It might sound counterintuitive, but keeping a good exfoliator in your back pocket is as important in sub-zero temperatures as it is in the peak of summer.
“When you remove excess dead cells on the skin’s surface, you can get a better understanding of what your skin really needs,” says del Rosario. For snowbirds, he loves adding YTTP’s dual-action Yerba Mate Resurfacing Energy Facial into rotation up to three times a week.
Try out a new texture
Adding more bioavailable emollients to each stage of your regimen is the quickest way to bolster skin against potential chapping—and it starts with cleansing.
“Despite being something that you wash off, the Superberry Dream Cleansing Balm can really help to transform dull skin, imparting lasting hydration in a way that most gel cleansers simply cannot,” says del Rosario.
Dose up on adaptogens
When applied topically, adaptogens contain uniquely soothing properties that help the skin mitigate the negative impacts of stress—and sudden changes in environment.
“Incorporating ingredients like reishi, ashwagandha, and rhodiola will help the skin bounce back from climate shock, along with combatting signs of fatigue from too many late nights,” he says. Find them in YTTP’s Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream and Adaptogen Soothe + Hydrate Activated Mist.
Layer up
As we add more layers to our wardrobe when winter hits, it pays to do the same with your skincare.
“The colder it gets, the more our AM and PM routines should become aligned,” says del Rosario, Tthat way, skin remains comforted, soothed, and protected from the harsh elements.” He likes to begin by layering YTTP’s new and deeply hydrating Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum over clean skin, followed by moisturizer spiked with a few drops of Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Oil, which contains, according to del Rosario, “tons of vitamin C and omegas to help rebalance cellular breakdown from exposure to cold weather.”
Tailor your approach
Once you’ve covered the basics, del Rosario says the focus should stay on keeping winter skin healthy and beautifully hydrated.
“I always recommend the Superberry Dream Eye Cream and Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask as booster products once the season shifts because both work overtime while you sleep to promote skin health and lock in moisture.” For an even richer masking experience, he likes to blend a few extra drops of the Dream Oil in the palm of his hand before applying with the Dream Mask. “Remember, it’s your skin and everything is customizable—it’s up to you to do what you want!”
Written by Elsa de Berker for Youth To The People