Best Products to Keep Your Skin Hydrated During the Winter Season

By Brooke Marbach

As a native Floridian trying to make it through the Wisconsin winter season, I have struggled with dry skin to an extent I have never seen before. Growing up in heat, I never struggled with dry skin and found basic moisturizers to be effective enough for me. However, after spending a winter in Wisconsin, my face and hands have never felt so dry, and I knew I needed better, stronger products to keep my skin hydrated throughout the winter season.

1. Sonya Dakar Blue Butterfly Balm

This is my absolute favorite moisturizer that has transformed my skin ever since I started to use it! Before using Blue Butterfly Balm, I could not get foundation on my face without my skin starting to peel because it was so dry, but now I can apply makeup on my face with no problem. It only gets better from here; Blue Butterfly Balm prevents windburn, has 12-24 hours of hydration, protects against extreme or dry weather, helps heal sunburns, and is not only for facial use but also for hands, neck, chest, elbows, and more.

2. Sonya Dakar Nano Clarifying Hydrator

If you cannot already tell, I am a huge fan of Sonya Dakar. The Nano Clarifying Hydrator is perfect for anyone with oily, acne-prone skin. This lightweight moisturizer protects and moisturizes your skin while simultaneously limiting oil production and fighting acne. Personally, I have struggled with oily skin and acne in the past, and this is the perfect solution for dry winter skin that is also oily and acne-prone; trust me, I know this type of product is hard to come by.

3. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask & Lip Glowy Balm

Recently, I’ve seen people raving about Laneige all over TikTok, and I am sure you have too. Of course, I had to go out and buy their products, just to see what the hype was all about. I would say that their most popular product is the Lip Sleeping Mask, and it is perfect for keeping your lips hydrated and moisturized through the night. Although the sleeping mask is the product getting all the talk, the Lip Glowy Balm also needs recognition. That being said, I am an avid user and lover of the Lip Glowy Balm during the daytime. This product hydrates my lips extremely well during the dry winter season and, as a bonus, leaves my lips looking shiny and smooth. This is the perfect little balm to throw in your pocket or backpack and easily apply throughout the day to keep your lips hydrated and shiny.

4. Tatcha Water Cream

Tatcha Water Cream uses Japanese botanicals to create a moisturizer that improves pores, smoothes skin, controls oil and clarifies. This moisturizer is great for daytime use and prep the skin before applying makeup. Additionally, it comes with a little spatula attached to the container to help you scoop just the right amount out onto your skin. Overall, Tatcha Water Cream is one of the best products to help you keep your dry winter skin hydrated!

5. Keihl’s Ultra Facial Cream Squalane

I have always been Kiehl’s advocate, and I genuinely believe this facial cream is an amazing 24 hour, lightweight hydrator. The Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane works with all skin types, including sensitive skin, and works to keep skin hydrated and smooth all day long. Besides the fact that this product hydrates for 24 hours and works for all skin types, it also balances the skin’s driest spots, protects the skin’s moisture barrier and is fragrance-free.

6. Keihl’s Lip Balm #1

Another one of my favorite lip balms is Lip Balm #1 by Keihl’s. This lip balm has been hydrating dry winter lips since the 1960s and certainly does the job well. This lip balm actively soothes and hydrates dry lips and is available in cranberry, mint and mango scents. Again, it is the perfect size balm to bring to class or carry with you throughout the day during the winter months.

7. Dramatically Different™ Moisturizing Gel by Clinique

Clinique is one of my favorite brands when it comes to skincare and makeup products. As I discussed earlier, I have dealt with oily skin before, and I know how frustrating it can be when your oily skin is all of a sudden extremely dry too. That being said, Dramatically Different™ Moisturizing Gel is an amazing solution for oily and dry skin, especially during the dry winter. Dermatologists developed this oil-free moisturizing gel to help individuals with oily skin improve and soften their skin while avoiding making it more oily.

8. Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser

Name brands and expensive products are not always the best option. As someone who has used and loved Cerave products for years, I would never overlook drugstore cleansers and moisturizers. Hydrating Facial Cleanser by Cerave is a cleanser that removes dirt and makeup from the skin while avoiding removing the skin’s natural moisture. Therefore, this is a perfect wintertime cleanser because it results in less dryness occurring after washing your face, compared to other cleansers, and improves the skin’s natural moisture. Other cleansers may cause your skin to become drier after use, and the winter weather will only worsen the dryness. This is why starting with a cleanser, like Cerave’s, that works to maintain the skin’s natural moisture is essential in the winter.

9. AM and PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

I already expressed my love for Cerave so that I won’t ramble on, but one thing I need to say is that their products have never failed me. Growing up in the Florida sun, it was important to me to use a facial moisturizer that had SPF sunscreen. My dermatologist recommended AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion, and I used it after I washed my face in the morning every day in high school. However, this is also a great product to use in the winter season as well on those sunny but cold winter days. All in one bottle, the AM facial moisturizer works to keep your skin moisturized, safe from dry patches and protected from the sun. Moreover, after a long day outside in the cold, dry winter, the PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion helps restore your skin and keep it moisturized throughout the nighttime. PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion is a lightweight and oil-free nighttime moisturizer that you need to add to your nighttime routine. The AM and PM facial moisturizers are great products to improve hydration day and night.

10. Cetaphil Cracked Skin Repair Lotion and Moisturizing Lotion

When the damage is already done, it can be difficult to revive your skin. Here to save the day is another drugstore brand I know and love: Cetaphil. Cetaphil has been my go-to for gentle skincare products for as long as I can remember. Since I was a little girl, I have been using their Gentle Skin Cleanser. When I came to Wisconsin and saw my hands cracking, my first stop was Walgreens for Cetaphil lotion. This was when I discovered Cracked Skin Repair Lotion, and it saved my skin and, well, my life in the winter, not to be dramatic…Anyway, this lotion has helped recover my skin when it suffers from cracking and extreme dryness in the winter. I apply the lotion to the cracked areas on my skin, and they quickly heal and feel brand new. Additionally, I am also a fan of Cetaphil’s basic Moisturizing Lotion, which I use daily all over my body after I shower. This lotion is perfect for any skin type, even sensitive skin, and helps me keep my skin more moisturized and smoother during the dry winter. Although this moisturizer is not the strongest solution, it is a great base and helps improve the moisture across my entire body gently. Anything helps during the winter, trust me.