Winter Skin Care Routine for Glowing Skin: A Complete Guide

When you feel and look good, you gain a significant boost of confidence. Having glowing and healthy skin is not solely dependent on your genetics. Your skin care routine and daily habits significantly impact your skin’s appearance and health. 

However, just like the weather, the skin changes every season, and so should your skin care. Scroll further to learn more about the proper winter skin care routine for glowing skin. 

Winter Skin Care Routine for Glowing Skin

With a smooth texture, glowing skin reflects light and glows. To achieve this, be meticulous with your skin care ritual and use products that suit your skin. Avoid chemically laden products such as those that contain sulfates, dyes, phthalates, parabens, and fragrances. (1)

Start with the lightest skin care product and end with the thickest, and at the end of the day, remove your makeup before bed. 

Here’s a beneficial morning and nighttime skincare routine for winter. 

Morning Skin Care Routine for Glowing Skin in Winter 

A proper morning skin care routine prepares your skin for the day.

1. Cleanse your face

Cleansing is not just removing dirt, cosmetics, dead skin cells, or oil. It is also an initial step in the skin care ritual, preparing your skin for moisturization and further treatments. (2)

Cleanse your face with milk cleanser: Milk cleansers don’t need a water rinse as it is not used with water. Milk cleansing is beneficial as it deposits favorable agents on the skin, such as petrolatum, humectants, and vitamins. It suits dry skin and keeps it glowing and healthy in winter.

How to apply:

1. Apply milk cleanser all over your face and neck like a lotion.
2. Massage it lightly.
3. Wipe off the excess product with a tissue or towel. (2)

Note: Apply mild face wash if your skin feels oily or sticky.

2. Exfoliate once a week

Exfoliating skin once a week improves skin’s quality and tone, removing dead skin cells. (4)

Apply herbal exfoliators: Use herbal exfoliators to remove the dead cells of the outer skin layer and to show the new skin beneath. Herbal exfoliators let moisturizers penetrate deep into the skin.

Herbal exfoliators benefit the skin in the following ways:

• Improve skin texture
• Makes the skin healthy and more radiant 
• Reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and brown spots
• Prevent acne and skin aging and cleanse and unclog pores 
• Boost collagen production and improve skin cell renewal and thickness
• Removes the dead skin cell layer 
• Transfer active ingredients to the inner skin layer to vitalize it 
• Make the skin glow 

Use tree tomato or tamarillo face exfoliator: You can also apply a tree tomato or tamarillo face exfoliator. Tamarillo is rich in pectin and flavonoids with cleansing and antioxidant actions. It gives you a smooth and glossy skin texture. (4)

Note: Native tribes have been using tree tomatoes as a skin colorant. 

How to apply:

1. Cut tamarillo in two halves. 
2. Dip one-half in granulated sugar.
3. Gently use it to scrub your face.

3. Use a toner

Toners are used after face cleansers to eliminate excess facial sebum as they have anti-sebum activity. They also hydrate the skin and retain its moisture. (5)

Herbal face toners have no side effects. They balance the skin’s pH, tighten pores, rehydrate the skin, make it germ-free, and relieve irritation. Additionally, they boost blood circulation, make the skin elastic, and rejuvenate it, resulting in a glowy look. (6)

Use a pomegranate-rich toner: Pomegranate slows skin aging (by reducing fine lines and wrinkles due to sun exposure) and shields the skin against oxidative stress. (7)

A pomegranate-rich toner also regenerates skin cells, prevents hyperpigmentation, and reduces dark spots. It also makes your skin more youthful, smooth, firm, and glowing, and it increases collagen and elastin production. (8)

How to apply:

1. Steep 1 tea bag in ½ cup of boiled water for at least 5 minutes. 
2. In another bowl, add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of pure pomegranate juice.
3. Add the brewed green tea to the water and juice mixture. 
4. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle using a funnel.
5. Spray it on your face and neck. 

4. Use a serum with an active ingredient

Serum is a lightweight gel or lotion that penetrates the deep levels of the skin, supplying active ingredients that make the skin glow.

A good serum gives skin a smooth texture, shrinks pore size, makes the skin firmer, and increases the skin’s moisture levels. (9)

Use aloe vera face serum: Apply an aloe vera face serum to achieve glowing skin. Fresh aloe vera gel treats eczema, pimples, acne, heat burns, radiation dermatitis, damage due to sun exposure, and other skin disorders. (9)

Aloe vera gel contains numerous minerals and vitamins with moisturizing properties for glowing skin. Its antiaging effects promote cell growth, restore damaged skin, and can lead to fresh-looking, healthy skin.

How to apply:

1. Take 1 tbsp of aloe vera gel and rose water in a bowl.
2. Add 2 capsules of vitamin E.
3. Mix all the ingredients to create a serum. 
4. Gently massage it on your face and neck.
5. You can wash it off if you don’t want to leave it on your face. 

5. Apply a face mask/pack once a week

Face masks or packs enhance skin quality. (10) Face packs contain a smooth powder and are applied in liquid or paste form on the face. It is left on the skin for 10–20 minutes until it dries off.

Face masks or packs strengthen, tighten, and cleanse the skin. They rejuvenate the face. The colloidal and absorption clays in face masks or packs eliminate grease and dirt from the face. 

When you remove the face pack, you also remove the deposited dirt and debris. (11)

Use green papaya, grape seed oil, and pomegranate face mask: Try face masks that contain green papaya, grape seed oil, and pomegranate to achieve glowing skin. 

Green papaya is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and papain (an enzyme) that benefit the skin’s overall health. (12)

Grape seed oil is abundant in vitamins, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that shield the cells against oxidative damage. (13)

Pomegranate juice is a powerful antioxidant and is replete with glucose, fructose, flavonoids, sucrose, simple organic acids, alkaloids, anthocyanins, and ellagitannins. It has anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and anti-atherogenic properties. (14)

How to apply:

1. Mix 2 tsp of powdered green papaya, 2 tsp of grape seed oil and extract, and 4 tsp of pomegranate juice.
2. Apply the mixture to your face, and let it rest for at least an hour.
3. Wash it off with lukewarm water. (8)

6. Apply Moisturizer

Moisturizers are important skin care products. Consumers view moisturizers as products that increase water content, whereas dermatologists regard them as bland oleaginous substances (having oily properties). Moisturizers’ occlusive properties inhibit transepidermal water loss.

One of the most commonly used ingredients in moisturizers is squalane. Squalane imitates the skin’s natural oils, and using it can lead to radiant, supple, and youthful skin. It protects the skin from lipid peroxidation caused by UV exposure and other ionizing radiation sources. 

Note: Squalane, technically an oil, doesn’t give an oily feel. It is antibacterial, noncomedonal, odorless, and safe for sensitive skin. (15)

Apply comfrey root moisturizer: Use comfrey root moisturizer to achieve smooth and glowing skin. Confrey roots contain allantoin, which acts as a moisturizer. (16)

Comfrey cream can regenerate skin cells quickly. (17) It hydrates the skin effectively and treats skin irritation. (18) It also smoothens the skin and gives it a glow. (19)

Use peanut oil: You can also apply a drop of peanut oil to your skin to condition and moisturize it. (20) It softens the skin due to its emollient properties. 

Moreover, peanut oil is abundant in vitamin E and phytochemicals. It has an antioxidant profile and well-balanced fatty acids that shield against free radicals (a harmful substance). (20)

How to apply:

1. Apply peanut oil to your face, neck, and other body parts. 
2. Leave it on for 20 minutes. 
3. Wash it off with lukewarm water. 

Night Skin Care Routine for Glowing Skin in Winter

Nighttime is the best time for the skin to heal and repair itself from the day’s damage.

A proper nighttime routine for the skin can help with cellular regeneration, increased collagen synthesis, improved blood flow, and more. It restores skin function to keep it glowing in the morning. 

1. Remove makeup and cleanse your face

Regular cleansers contain a lot of oil-based elements and do not remove makeup effectively. Therefore, an effective makeup remover is needed. You must remove your makeup before going to bed. (21)

A tea tree oil makeup remover is a great product as it doesn’t irritate the skin. (22) It is stable and has nutritional properties. (23)

How to apply:

1. Combine 10-15 drops of tea tree oil and ¼ cup of olive oil. 
2. Store the mixture in a jar.
3. Take some oil on a microfiber cloth, and use it to wipe your makeup off. 
4. Use a mild cleanser or milk cleanser to cleanse your face gently.

2. Use a night cream to moisturize your face

Night creams reduce environmental-induced skin damage. Using them regularly improves photodamage and aging signs and diminishes cutaneous reactivity in sensitive skin.

Night creams suit all skin types. (24) They are applied and left on the skin overnight or for several hours. (25)

Apply aloe vera-rich night cream to achieve glowing skin: Aloe vera treats sunburns, scratches, irritation, and wrinkles. It removes dead skin cells by boosting skin circulation. It also reduces wrinkles due to its moisturizing quality and makes the skin youthful. (26)

How to apply:

1. Extract 1 tbsp of fresh aloe vera gel.
2. Add 4-5 drops of lavender oil and 1 tbsp of primrose oil. 
3. Keep the cream in a container. 
4. Apply it daily before going to bed. 

Note: Every skin type differs, so following other people’s skin care routine is not the best idea. It is highly advised to consult a dermatologist for the proper skin care products to use on your skin. 

Tips to Maintain Healthy and Glowing Skin in Winter 

Follow these tips to maintain healthy and glowing skin in winter:

• Keep your skin hydrated by consuming plenty of water. 
• Apply sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays that may damage collagen and elastic tissue and lead to tanning. 
• Maintain a healthy diet to keep your body active and nourished from within, giving you a healthy glow.
• You can take beauty supplements upon consulting a healthcare provider to keep your skin healthy and strong by enhancing its quality. 
• Have a proper skin cleansing routine before going to bed.
• Get enough sleep to rejuvenate your skin and allow it to release its natural oil. 
• Exercise regularly for healthy and young-looking skin. 
• Manage your stress as it dulls your skin and reduces its shine, making it dry. 

Why Is Winter Skin Care Important?

The cold weather can make your skin flaky and dry, but a proper winter skin care routine can combat the dryness during the freezing days and give you glowing skin. 

Final Word

If you want to keep your skin glowing and healthy in the cold season, follow a proper winter skin care routine meticulously. After all, healthy skin is glowing skin. 

Additionally, instead of using chemical-laden products, switch to natural ingredients to help your skin look as young as possible, even in old age.