This time of year seems to wreak havoc on my skin. The cold, dry air outside coupled with the warm heat inside makes my skin so dry and and my skin texture rougher than normal. The key to taking care of my skin in winter is through a combination of gently exfoliation and thin, hydrating layers. Below is my winter skincare routine!

Wash face with cleansing balm

I love starting my evening skincare routine with an oil based cleansing balm. Currently I am using the Banila Clean It Zero balm – an old favorite. It takes off all of my makeup and leaves my skin so soft.

Double cleanse

After the cleansing balm I will do a low pH cleanser. My favorite of all time is Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. It feels so soft and hydrating and cleans my skin without leaving my face feeling stripped.

Toner

I like to use an acid toner after every cleanse. I just started using The Ordinary Glycolic Acid toner. It contains Alpha Hydroxy Acid to gently exfoliate and prep my skin for the actives in my routine.

BHA

My pores tend to get congested with dry skin in the winter. Beta Hydroxy Acid is a gentle acid based exfoliant that clears out the pores. I’ve been using the Paula’s Choice BHA liquid for years.

Retinol

I wait about 20 minutes and then apply a Retinol serum for anti-aging. I’ve worked up to using it every night and am currently using Ultraceuticals Mild Vitamin A. I also use a Retinol eye stick to help with the lines around my eyes.

Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Hyaluronic Acid holds 100X it’s weight in water. I especially make sure to do this step in the winter!

Eye Cream

I top my Retinol eye balm with a hydrating eye cream to keep my eye area from getting dry overnight. I find that the lines around my eyes stand out more when my skin is dry so this is an important step!

Moisturizer

I like a thick, hydrating moisturizer in the winter – the more I look like a glazed doughnut the better. I’ve been using the Augustinus Bader Rich Cream and loving the results.

Facial Oil

To keep my products from evaporating into the dry air overnight I top everything off with a few drops of facial oil. I love the BeautyBio Rose Hip Seed Oil. It smells so good!

Hand cream and lip balm

Finally, I slather on hand cream and lip balm. I love this La Roche Posay Cicaplast Hand Cream for repairing dry hands and cuticles. And the BEST lip balm of all time – Sara Happ. I’ll never be without it.

I hope that helps! Check out my other beauty posts for more skincare. Let me know what you think about my winter skincare routine!

I get asked a lot about my skincare routine and how to put one together. I like to take my time and use my evening skincare routine to unwind and get ready for bed. My goals with my evening routine are to treat any skin troubles I am having and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I love waking up with clear, glowing skin! Today I’m sharing the correct order for your nighttime skincare routine.

STEP 1: OIL OR BALM CLEANSER

This is the first step of my double cleanse. The purpose of this step is to remove makeup and sunscreen before cleansing my face. My favorite cleanser for this step is the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm. It has clean ingredients, it’s affordable, and it’s readily available at Target.

STEP 2: GENTLE, LOW PH CLEANSER

A cleanser with a PH over 6 can strip your moisture barrier and invite breakouts so I always go for a gentle, low PH cleanser. My favorite of the moment is Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. It feels so soft and gentle on my face and leaves my skin feeling supple!

STEP 3: ACID TONER

After rinsing I use an acid toner applied with a cotton round. This helps to prep my face for acids and PH dependent products. I am currently using COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner.

STEP 4: ACIDS AND PH DEPENDENT PRODUCTS

I use a BHA serum nightly, which performs best at a PH under 3.5, so this is when I apply it. This smooths away the top layer of dead skin cells and clears out my pores for soft, glowing skin. I’ve been using the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA for almost a decade. Even when I’ve tried other BHA products I always come back to this one! I wait 20 minutes after I apply so it doesn’t interfere with other products.

STEP 7: GloPro

Before I move onto my next step, I use the BeautyBio GloPro microneedling device. This step helps your skin absorb your products better, smooths fine lines and wrinkles, and reduces the look of pores. I swear by it!

STEP 6: RETINOL

Retinol or a Retinoid is the number one product you need for anti aging. Retinol helps firm the skin, reduce the look of pores and fine lines, and keep breakouts at bay. Twice a year I use the BeautyBio R45 boost and in between I use the BeautyBio Nightly Serum to maintain. I wait 20 minutes after using before applying my next step so I get the full benefits.

STEP 7: SERUM

This is where I add in a nightly serum. I like to use a more concentrated anti-aging product at night. Recently I’ve been using The Ordinary Agireline Serum to help further reduce the fine lines around my eyes, mouth, and forehead. It’s been described as “baby botox!”

STEP 8: EYE CREAM

I started using the LaRoche Posay Toleriane eye cream a few months ago when I received the product in a PR box. I love that the texture isn’t too thick so it sinks in well, but is still super hydrating. My skin even showed no dehydration on a skin camera from using this product! (Get 25% off at Skinstore with code LAURENH25.)

STEP 10: MOISTURIZING CREAM

Lastly I seal it all in with a moisturizing cream. I’ve been using the Strivectin SD Advanced Intensive Moisturizer for Wrinkles and Stretch Marks. It’s a thick and hydrating moisturizer and does a great job of fighting physical signs of aging. My skin feels plump and moisturized when I wake up!

And now it’s time fore bed! I hope this post helps you put together the correct order for your nighttime skincare routine. Let me know if you have any questions or try any of these products. I’d love to hear!

You can always find links to my products here!

In the past we’ve covered using a low pH cleanser and double cleansing. Today we’re going to talk about how often you should wash your face.

Even on days when you don’t wear makeup, washing your face is important for removing sunscreen, dirt, and oil. If you skip it you may see a rise breakouts and oil.

On the other hand, over washing is also detrimental. You need to wash your face every evening to remove makeup, sunscreen, dirt and oil. But whether to wash your face again in the morning depends on your skin type.

For most skin types, as long as you are doing your evening skincare routine, there is no need to wash again in the morning. In fact, you could be stripping your skin. Which leads to an over production of oil. It’s also important to make sure you are sleeping on a clean pillow case if you decide to forego a morning wash.

If your skin feels dry and tight over washing may be part of the problem. It’s also important to stick to a low pH cleanser. Foamy cleansers with a high pH can dry out your skin and make and produce even more oil. Surprisingly, oily skin can be dry and dehydrated!

If you think you might be over washing, give your skin a break. Try only rinsing your face with water in the morning. And in the evening use an oil cleanser followed by a low pH facial cleanser.

How many times a day are you washing your face? Let me know if you’re going to forego your morning cleanse in the comments!

Every season I make changes to my skin care routine to make sure it is meeting my skin’s needs. The cold temps outside coupled with the warm heat inside has zapped the moisture out of the air and my skin. We also try to get outside when we can, so it’s even more important that I protect my skin from the cold wind. Today I’m sharing some of my winter skin care tips!

First, I don’t over wash my face, which can leave it feeling stripped. I start each morning with a splash of water and then layer on hydrating products. I love adding a hydrating essence to my damp skin before applying serums and moisturizers. I’ve also been really into facial oils this winter. I add a drop or two on top of my moisturizer to seal it in. The last step in my morning routine is sunscreen. It not only protects your skin from sun damage, but also environmental elements and pollution.

In the evening I take off my makeup with an oil cleanser. This also helps to soften my skin. Next I use a hydrating gel cleanser to clean my skin. A hyaluronic acid serum before my moisturizer helps to lock in moisture. Again, I use a facial oil on top of my moisturizer. And finish it all off with a sleeping mask.

A few other items I always keep on my bedside table are lip balm, hand cream, and cuticle oil. These are the last things I use before I go to sleep to keep my lips and hands from drying out overnight.

I hope this helps you with your winter skin care routine. Let me know in the comments if you try any of these winter skin care tips!

Find more great beauty tips here!