Dry Winter Skin SOS: My GRWM Routine for Dryness, Redness & Fine Lines

Dry winter skin always hits me the same way: One day my face is fine, and the next I’m dealing with dryness, redness, irritation, and those fine lines that suddenly look a little more obvious.

In my Dry Winter Skin SOS GRWM video (below), I walked through what I’m actually doing right now to calm my skin down and get moisture back in. My goal: Get my skin back without using harsh products that make things worse.

My Winter Facial Skin Concerns

• Dryness

• Redness

• Irritation

• Fine lines & wrinkles

What Causes Dry Winter Skin?

Winter skin isn’t “just dry.” It’s usually a combo of environmental stress + products that are too aggressive. 

• Cold winter air

• Wind against skin

• Dry air from indoor heating

• Harsh soaps, exfoliants, and cleansers

• Skincare with alcohol-based perfumes

My Winter Skin Solutions (Tested in My GRWM Video)

Step 1: Exfoliate (gently) to get flakes under control

My first order of business: Get these skin flakes under control, without stripping my skin barrier.

In my GRWM video, I used what I already had on hand: Lush Papaya Enzyme Scrub. It gently removes dead, flaky skin cells from my face (and hands) without leaving me feeling tight and dry. I love trying new solutions, but it’s always less wasteful if what you already own works for you.

Pro Tip: Scrub Gently

It can be tempting to go for a harsher “natural” scrub like sugar, apricot, or almond. In my experience, those can remove more than just dead skin—stripping away your moisture barrier and protective outer skin cells that are still alive and doing their job. When you overdo it, your skin can end up even more vulnerable.

Gentle Exfoliators to Try for Dry Skin

If you want a gentle scrub option that also supports hydration, EpiLynx Exfoliating Face Scrub contains hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and biodegradable jojoba beads for a smoother cleanse. It’s also gluten-free and includes antioxidants.

Another gentle exfoliating favorite: Acure Brightening Facial Scrub* with sea kelp and French clay.

Step 2: Use a gentle moisturizing cleanser

Because my enzyme scrub isn’t also a moisture wash, I followed up with Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser.

Pro Tip: Save Time with a Cleanse/Scrub Combo Product or Skip the Scrub

If you use a combined cleanser-scrub like EpiLynx or Acure, you may not need a separate wash, which is a huge advantage when you’re short on time.

Unfortunately, the papaya enzyme scrub has a shorter shelf life than typical, which is why I’m sticking with my two-step solution for now. But I’m going back to a combined cleanser-scrub for my next round, because the time savings really add up (especially in the morning).

A gentle moisturizing cleanser can also be Step 1 if you have few to no flakes. I keep Youth to the People Kale + Green Tea Spinach Vitamins Superfood Cleanser* in my gym bag for a non-drying post-workout cleanse. 

My favorite recommendation (and a great option if you’re looking for a natural, small-batch cleanser) is Laguna Herbals Hydro Clean Gel Cleanser. It’s handmade with aloe, watermelon extract, cucumber, coconut, and antioxidants to cleanse, lightly exfoliate, and lock in moisture.

Step 3: Lock in moisture with a toner

Toner is the perfect first step after cleansing to help lock in moisture. Using a toner with moisturizing ingredients to balance your skin’s pH is especially helpful after exfoliating and cleansing, because it helps your skin rebalance before you add serum and moisturizer.

My Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner Water has been great. The formula contains mineral sea water, aloe, rose, and seaweed among its potent ingredients. Really, the only downside is that I have to go into a Lush shop to buy it, which was easy when I lived within walking distance, but now it's 45+ minutes and only by car.

Pro Tip: Soak and Pat Your Toner for Better Efficiency

I spray toner directly on my face (as you may have seen in my TikTok/Reels), but Women’s Health Magazine recommends soaking a reusable facial round in toner and patting it in for a more efficient application.

pH-Balancing Toners to Try

If you want to try a trendy toner with lots of skin-supporting ingredients, Nature Skin Shop MUSHROOM + KOMBUCHA Essence Toner is a probiotic + antioxidant powerhouse. Customers even report that it helps with winter rosacea. This is on my gym bag list, since I tend to get really red after exercise.

To keep my morning routine shorter, when my Lush set is done, I’m planning to try the Glimmer Goddess Hyaluronic Set, which is designed to mildly exfoliate, cleanse, tone, and hydrate in just two steps. Will definitely be reviewing these soon!

Step 4: Bakuchiol Serum (my retinol alternative for Winter)

Daily retinol is way too drying for my delicate skin to handle daily in the winter. But I love the effects of retinol. What to do?

Enter bakuchiol (pronounced buh·koo·chee·owl), a retinol alternative that tends to be less irritating for dry and sensitive skin types. Bakuchiol is naturally derived from the babchi plant and has a long history in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. It’s also pregnancy-safe and doesn’t make your skin photosensitive. Retinol’s side effects, aka dryness, flaking skin, redness, and irritation, are all the things I’m trying actively to avoid, so bakuchiol seems like a great alternative to add to my morning routine.

I tried Oyu Botanica Bakuchiol Booster Serum, which also includes hydrating ingredients like squalene and vitamin E. My skin felt hydrated and supple afterward.

Pro Tip: Pat In, then Roll

Best practice is to pat serum in with a reusable facial round, but I used my fingers this time. I applied it separately (instead of mixing with moisturizer) to let the active ingredients do their thing first. However, adding a few drops to your moisturizer will save you time.

Then I used my SJC Bodylove Jade Roller (I keep it in the freezer) to massage it in and activate blood flow to the facial skin and muscles. This helps the serum absorb more quickly and start working right away, which I definitely noticed. If you're patting in with a facial round, you could skip this step, but I find it well worth the extra minute.

Step 5: Facial Serum + Moisturizer

For clean, cruelty-free, and non-irritating facial moisturizing, I used the EpiLynx Ageless Hydrating & Firming Rejuvenation Serum and EpiLynx Ageless Hydrating & Firming Face Cream Moisturizer. They’re designed to add moisture without greasiness and support sensitive skin with ingredients like niacinamide (great for fine lines and overall skin barrier support). Oh, and these are also gluten-free, which doesn’t affect me, but IYKYK. (Get the full Epilynx Rejuvenating Trio I used here.)

I tried mixing the serum and moisturizer together, and the rumors were true: they stayed light, glided on easily, and didn’t feel heavy. The scent was light and citrusy, like sniffing a ripe orange in Summer. The face cream itself is thicker than expected, so a little goes a long way. But mixing the serum and moisturizer creates a thinner, more easily absorbed blend.

Most importantly: No irritation. That was my biggest concern, especially after adding bakuchiol. Within a few minutes, I could see a natural glow coming back.

Step 6: Eye cream

Finally, don’t forget eye cream. I was totally out, so I tried another Wearing Conscious customer favorite: EpiLynx Ageless Rejuvenate Eye Cream.

After trying it, my under-eyes looked noticeably more hydrated and not puffy at all. Following it with my ice-cold jade roller? Honestly… perfection.

Step 7: Sunscreen (don’t skip this)

As Baz Lehrman said, "Don't forget the sunscreen." For morning skincare, sunscreen is essential! I used the Agency SilkScreen Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 in my GRWM video because tinted sunscreen can also serve as my base layer for makeup, so I don't need added foundation. Most days, I only wear light, natural makeup, so this works perfectly.

Whether there's any visible sun, your delicate facial skin can still be damaged by UV rays, especially in the snow. Choose a natural SPF 30+ that's lightweight, gentle on your facial skin, and reef-safe. (If you'll be outside for an extended time, in direct sun or snow, choose SPF 40+.)

A Wearing Conscious customer favorite (and another product on my 'next to try' list): EpiLynx Illuminating Mineral Moisturizing Suncare SPF 50. It's moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and tinted, everything I'm looking for!

Final Thoughts (and What I’m Doing Next)

Dry winter skin can feel like an endless cycle, but for me, the biggest difference comes down to two things:

• Gentle exfoliation (not harsh scrubbing)

• Layering hydration (toner + serum + moisturizer)

As mentioned near the beginning of the post, I'm close to running out of my staples and ready to experiment with some new options! Hopefully, my honest reviews will save you the trouble and help you skip directly to your best skin ever. Stay tuned for follow-ups as I continue on this Dry Skin SOS journey.

Note: Affiliate links are denoted with an asterisk (*)