From humid summers to dry, heated winters, your barrier needs a different plan. A dermatologist walks through what to keep, swap and skip.
Start gentle
The best routines aren’t the longest — they’re the most consistent. Start with a gentle cleanser that respects your barrier, then layer from thinnest to thickest texture: toner, essence or serum, and finally a cream that seals everything in.
Swap, don’t add
As the air dries out, swap a foaming cleanser for a balm and a gel moisturiser for a richer cream with ceramides. You rarely need more steps — just richer ones.
Keep the SPF
Winter sun still ages the skin. A sheer mineral SPF every morning protects the work your serums do overnight.
When in doubt, simplify
A three-step routine you love will always outperform a ten-step routine you abandon after a week.
Key takeaways
Layer from thinnest to richest texture
Introduce one active at a time, two weeks apart
SPF every morning — even in winter
Patch-test new formulas behind the ear