5 winter skincare hacks: how to use moisturiser, beauty oils, masks and more to keep your skin supple and healthy year-round

Arctic blasts or not, winter is most definitely on its way and humidity levels in Hong Kong are about to drop. Admittedly from, like, 95 per cent to 70 per cent, but still!

This writer should make clear that she’s no dermatologist or aesthetician – just as she’s no meteorologist. But she is someone who’s made a thorough study of skincare and make-up. So if your skin is suffering from serious dryness, seek a professional, but if you’re after some basic tricks to keep your skin hydrated and healthy this winter, keep reading.

Mix it up

The mistake many people make is to settle on one skincare routine and repeat it indefinitely. Your skin is a living thing and in the same way you change what you wear on your body depending on the weather, what goes on your face must change, too.

Regardless of time of year, learn to take cues from your skin. Pay attention to how it feels – it’ll tell you what it needs. If when you cleanse your skin it starts to feel papery and fragile, or tight and uncomfortable after a few minutes, your skin is likely dehydrated. If it doesn’t, you don’t lack hydration but most definitely should still apply serum and moisturiser to avoid transepidermal water loss: when hydration passes through the layers of your skin and evaporates.

Just because a routine works for you in the summer doesn’t mean it can last you the whole year. Switch to a gentler cleanser so as to not strip your skin of its natural oils, and consider a moisturiser that’s thicker in consistency to help lock in the hydration. A gel lotion may be more than enough in hotter months, but your skin could be crying out for a cream at this time of year, and you should listen.

Pick the right ingredients