Winter weather can be hard on skin. Whether you live in a dry climate or a wet one, winter conditions can cause imbalances in your complexion like dryness, flaky skin and irritation. In some cases, when your skin loses too much natural moisture, it starts to overproduce oil. This means, your skin can become more prone to acne during the dry winter months.  The colder months can prove challenging for your complexion. If you don’t already have products in your skincare line that help combat challenges posed by harsh winter weather, then it’s time you developed a winter skincare routine! Here’s a look at our must-have winter skincare tips, so you can get the glowing complexion you deserve year-round. 1. Use a Moisturizing Cleanser Many people keep their moisturizing routine the same all year. You might even assume that since winter tends to produce more precipitation than summer, with all the rain and snow, you should worry less about moisturizing. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Indoor heating, hot baths and showers and drier outdoor air sap your skin of its moisture. If you don’t make up for that loss in natural moisture, you will see dryness, flaking, irritation, redness, itching and buildup that can result in acne. The accumulated results of dry skin dampen that healthy glow you’ve been working so hard to attain with expensive products and proper skincare. That’s where moisturizing cleansers come in. These are crucial to battling dry skin, so choose a cleanser that guarantees results. Make sure it is free of irritating ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate, or other unnatural additives like parabens, paraffins, mineral oil or phthalates. Instead, seek all-natural ingredients such as olive oil, ginger and frankincense and gentle exfoliators such as glycolic acid. 2. Cleanse Your Skin Twice a Day Once you’ve got your natural, gentle cleanser in hand, it’s time to implement a routine. Many people scrub their skin too often, or too little. Those who scrub too much are under the false impression that more cleansing is better, but that’s not true. Strip away too much sebum (the body’s natural oil) and your skin will start pumping it out, clogging pores and causing blemishes. On the other hand, if you cleanse too infrequently, you’re leaving dead cells and dirt on your skin for too long, where they can again clog pores. This also dulls your complexion and causes breakouts. If your goal is to implement a winter skincare routine for glowing skin, then you should wash your face twice a day – once in the morning and once at night. Wet your skin with warm water, then rub your cleanser on in calm, circular motions. Cover every inch, making sure to get into often-overlooked places like the creases of your nose. Then rinse away with cool water, pat dry and apply moisturizer. If needed, remove eye makeup first. 3. Hydrate Your Skin with Hyaluronic Acid Now that your skin is clean as a whistle, it’s time to moisturize. This is a critical step during the winter months. While traditional moisturizers are great, Sobel Skin’s moisturizers are designed to meet your skin’s needs. During the winter months, it’s important to moisturize with hyaluronic acid. This natural hydrator locks in your skin’s water to increase its strength and flexibility, which reduces wrinkles and other signs of aging. Hyaluronic acid also helps to heal blemishes faster and it reduces scarring from acne. Just make sure to put it on while your face is still damp. 4. Add Retinol to Your Skincare Routine If there is one ingredient we recommend to help them winterize their skincare regimen it is retinol. If you don’t already use it, you should seriously consider adding a retinol facial cream to your winter skincare routine. This magical ingredient provides all sorts of benefits, including: Exfoliating skin to reduce buildup and boost your skin’s natural glow. Unclogging pores. Increasing cell turnover to maintain more youthful-looking skin. Reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Lending a fresh, plump appearance to your overall visage. 5. Vitamin C Last in your winter lineup is a vitamin C face serum. You already know you should have plenty of vitamin C in your diet to stay healthy, but did you know your skin needs it, too? Vitamin C is critical to the production of collagen, which keeps your skin firm and plump. Over time, collagen production decreases, so to keep your complexion fighting fit in winter – and year-round – make sure you use it! If you feel a little overwhelmed by the number of changes suggested here, that’s okay. Simply choose one winterproofing strategy and go from there. Over time, you’ll build a cold-weather routine to use for life.