When the colder months roll in so do dry, dull, and sensitive skin, making winter skin care more essential than ever. Just as you swap out your wardrobe for the season, it’s time to refresh your skincare routine to protect and nourish your skin through the colder months, keeping it healthy and hydrated until spring’s return.
In case you’re new here, we’re The Derm Lab Rx—a premier medical spa in Chandler, Arizona, led by an aesthetic nurse & team with 20+ years of experience. Our mission is to demystify medical-grade skin care and empower you with expert advice, tailored treatments, and dermatologist-recommended skincare products all year round.
The *current* mission: Giving you a winter glow-up!
The Science Behind Your Winter Skin Care Woes
It happens every year. Flaky, tight skin feels uncomfortable. Dry patches are itchy and sore. Red blotches have replaced your usual glow. No, it’s not just you. Everyone’s flocking to Google asking…
“Why is my skin so dry in winter?”
“Why is my skin so sensitive in winter?”
“HOW DO I FIX IT?”
(Though, honestly, everyone should be flocking to their local medical spa instead.)
As the cold winds blow and indoor heating cranks up, your skin faces a tough environment. The lack of humidity and harsh conditions quickly strip away natural oils, allowing moisture to escape your skin’s protective barrier. The result? Dull, dehydrated, often irritated skin.
But you don’t have to suffer through it. These seasonal skin challenges can be managed—and reversed—with a few simple tweaks to your winter skincare routine. Here’s how to revitalize your skin this season…
Visit Your Medical Spa for Targeted Treatments
With so many skincare products and technologies out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure about what your skin really needs. That’s why we always recommend turning to the experts—your local medical spa! A consultation with a skilled specialist will help you pinpoint the right treatments for your unique skin concerns and goals.
Winter is the ideal time to treat your skin with professional care. From hydration to exfoliation and overall rejuvenation, our medical spa treatments are designed to restore your skin’s radiance and balance. Here are a few medspa services we’re swearing by this season:
For dull, lackluster skin:
- iS Clinical Fire & Ice Facial: Ideal for gentle exfoliation and boosting radiance! This treatment (famously called the Red Carpet Facial) is the best facial for dry skin, making it a winter favorite for achieving that lit-from-within glow.
With dry, damaged skin:
- Chemical Peels: These powerful treatments rejuvenate your skin by removing dead cells and stimulating renewal, leaving you with a plumped, even tone. Fun fact: Winter is the best time for a chemical peel, as UV rays are less harmful and your skin has ample healing time! We recommend the SkinBetter Science Peels (the best chemical peel for sensitive skin) and The Perfect Peel!
For uneven tone or texture:
- Clear + Brilliant Laser Treatments: This gentle laser treatment creates thousands and thousands of tiny treatment zones in the upper layer of your skin, stimulating collagen production and regenerating a fresh, revitalized look —perfect for combatting the effects of winter dryness and dullness.
These professional treatments are the best way to restore your skin’s glow and health during the winter months. But to maintain these results and keep your skin feeling nourished all season long, it’s important to complement your clinic visits with a personalized at-home skincare routine.
Revamp Your At-Home Skincare Routine in Winter
Hydration is the real hero when it comes to healing dull or dry skin in winter! That means adding products that:
- Replenish lost hydration
- Strengthen the skin’s natural protective barrier
- Prevent moisture loss
- Soothe winter-induced sensitivity
Unlike summer skincare, which focuses on lightweight formulas, winter skincare is all about richness, nourishment, and protection. This means opting for products with thicker textures and more soothing ingredients!
Ready to revamp your at-home skincare for winter? Let’s get started!
Add Hydrating Serums.
Look for serums that are packed with hyaluronic acid! This ingredient draws moisture into the skin and locks it in, providing an immediate plumping effect and long-lasting hydration. Apply these serums after cleansing and before moisturizing, to give your skin a deep layer of hydration that will carry you through the winter months.
The Derm Lab Rx Product Recommendations:
★ Best Serum for Dry, Dehydrated, Dull, or Post-Procedure Skin: Alastin HA Immerse Serum
★ Best Serum for Sensitive, Blemish-Prone, Irritated, or Aging Skin: iS Clinical Pro-Heal Advance + Serum
Opt for Gentle Moisturizers.
Cream-based moisturizers are perfect for restoring the skin’s barrier, keeping it nourished and soft throughout the day or night. Look for thicker, richer textures (rather than gels or water-based), but steer clear of any pore-clogging ingredients! Apply after your serum to lock in hydration and maintain a smooth, glowing complexion.
The Derm Lab Rx Product Recommendations:
★ Best Moisturizer for Winter All Around: SkinBetter Science Trio Luxe
★ Best Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin: SkinBetter Science Hydration Boosting Cream
Switch to a Cream Cleanser.
Gel or foaming cleansers, often formulated to exfoliate, can strip away natural oils and leave your skin with that squeaky clean feeling—but in winter, they may also lead to redness and dryness. Cream cleansers, on the other hand, provide gentle cleansing while replenishing moisture. Packed with hydrating and soothing ingredients, they leave your skin soft, balanced, and perfectly prepped to absorb the nourishing products in your winter skincare routine.
The Derm Lab Rx Product Recommendations:
★ Best Cleanser for Dry Skin: Alastin Gentle Cleanser
★ Best Cleanser for Sensitive Skin: EltaMD Skin Recovery Amino Acid Foaming Cleanser
For more personalized advice on what medical-grade skincare products might be most beneficial to you, stop by for a 60-minute skincare consultation with our team in Chandler. Use this online booking link to easily schedule yours today!
But before you go off to shop these products or book your medspa services, there are a few more important winter skin tips that will help you combat the winter woes and get back to enjoying the coziness of the season!
Some Not-So-Obvious Winter Skin Care Tips From Your Favorite Medspa
Pro-Tip #1: Invest in a Humidifier.
Combat dry indoor heating by adding moisture back into the air, which helps prevent skin dehydration. This is perfect if you also live in a particularly dry climate (shout out to our Phoenix metro area medspa patients)!
Pro-Tip #2: Never skip sunscreen.
Yes, even in winter! A lightweight sunscreen helps shield your skin from harmful UV rays. Don’t make your hydration products work twice as hard!
Pro-Tip #3: Layer your skincare correctly.
Too often, the powerful properties of your products are blocked due to misuse! Make sure to apply products from thinnest to thickest consistency, starting with serums and ending with rich moisturizers, so that each one can penetrate the skin and do what it needs to do!
Pro-Tip #4: Support skin health from the inside out
While we love our hydrating products, nothing is more important than simply drinking plenty of water. If you struggle with super dry skin, you can also add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet to stimulate oil production!
Your winter season glow-up starts now!
The air may be dry and cold, but with our guidance, your glowy skin doesn’t have to hibernate!
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May your winter season be extra healthy & hydrated!