Despite our relatively mild winters in Australia, many of us might notice our dewy summer glow giving way to dryness, tightness, and flakiness. According to Dr. Prasanthi Purusothaman [1], general practitioner and cosmetic doctor in Australia, it's because what happens in the colder months is the perfect storm for damaging our skin barrier.

"When temperatures drop, the relative humidity plummets, often to 10-20% compared to summer's 40-60%," she says. "This creates what we can call a 'humidity gradient'."

Think of it like air being thirsty. In summer, the air has a lot of moisture, but in winter, it's dry and has very little humidity. Because the air outside is much drier than your skin, the dry air acts like a magnet, sucking the moisture out of your skin.

Using a heater inside makes the air even drier. So, indoors and outdoors, you're constantly surrounded by air sucking the moisture from your skin. To fight against that, you'll need to restore the skin barrier — and then maintain that healthy barrier.

Here, Dr Purusothaman shares some of the best beauty swaps you can make to heal a compromised barrier and give you supple, hydrated skin this winter.

Swap Your Cleanser

When it's colder outside, Dr Purusothaman suggests you use a cleanser that's more cream or oil-based, rather than foaming. Look for cleansers with a pH between 4.5-6.5 that contain ceramides, glycerine or niacinamide.

"The research shows that cream cleansers can actually improve barrier function," she says. "They can deposit hydrating ingredients onto the skin while removing impurities, unlike traditional soaps, which can elevate skin pH for hours after use."

For those wearing makeup or sunscreen, Dr Purusothaman suggests you consider double cleansing. She likes to start with a cleansing oil or balm or a micellar water, then follow that with a gentle cream cleanser. This prevents the need for aggressive scrubbing, which can further compromise your barrier.

Swap Your Moisturiser

Winter often demands a shift from lightweight lotions to heavier creams, depending on your skin's needs. Dr Purusothaman says the key to knowing what you need is to understand the three moisturising ingredients: humectants, emollients and occlusives.

Humectants are like sponges that pull water from the air into your skin — or from other products. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are humectants. Emollients are like smooth, soft fillers that fill in any cracks in your skin. Squalene and ceramides are emollients. Finally, occlusives block or obstruct, with examples being petrolatum and dimethicone.

Dr Purusothaman finds that dry, winter skin needs all three, but this can vary person to person. You might have different preferences and likes in terms of textures and finish, and may have a choice for daytime and another for evening — maybe a thicker cream.

"Generally, in winter, look for formulations containing skin-identical ingredients like glycerin, squalane, ceramides, lipids and fatty acids, cholesterol, small amounts of lactic acid, which acts as a humectant, and ingredients like shea butter," she says.

Incorporate More Serums and Oils

Serums and facial oils are key in winter because they can deliver concentrated actives and lipids that your compromised barrier desperately needs. Again, think of your winter skin as being incredibly thirsty.

Dr Purusothaman's favourite serums are lightweight, so they can be easily paired with a thicker moisturiser to really seal in hydration for a winter day or even overnight. She often even then follows that with a face oil. "This layering technique can increase hydration levels compared to moisturiser alone," she says.

An ingredient to look out for in a serum or oil is linoleic acid, which can help restore the lipid barrier, improving your skin's function and hydration. Dr Purusothaman also likes sunflower seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil and chia seeds.

Re-evaluate Exfoliation

It's fine to exfoliate in winter, but you need to be careful not to overdo it, since that can worsen barrier damage. Dr Purusothaman is a fan of gentle chemical exfoliants in winter and recommends avoiding physical exfoliants on the face.

Lactic acid which is 5-10% is particularly beneficial in winter as it's both an alpha hydroxy acid and a natural humectant. In other words, it removes dead skin cells while drawing moisture to the skin and improving skin barrier function. If you have sensitive skin, consider a mandelic acid or polyhydroxyacid as they're gentler. The key is listening to your skin.

"Everyone's skin threshold is different," says Dr Purusothaman. "If you experience stinging with products that normally don't irritate, your barrier needs repair before exfoliation. Go back to basics and don't undervalue the importance of simply moisturising the skin."

Don't Forget Eye and Lip Care

In winter, the areas around the eyes and lips have significantly thinner skin and fewer sebaceous glands, making them more vulnerable to winter damage. Not ideal considering the skin around your eyes is about 10 times thinner than facial skin and lips have minimal sebaceous glands.

"For eyes, look for creams with peptides, ceramides and gentle occlusives like squalene," Dr Purusothaman says. "Avoid products with strong actives near the delicate eye area in winter, unless you're seasoned to them."

If you're using actives around the eyes, sandwiching them between layers of moisturiser can help avoid any irritation. And for lips in winter, use products with ingredients like lanolin, ceramides, peptides or petroleum jelly for occlusion.

Remember to Protect Your Skin

According to Dr Purusothaman, the most overlooked aspect of winter skincare is sun protection. UV radiation is still significant in winter, though it varies state-to-state. In places with snow, the powder can reflect UV radiation, potentially causing even more damage

"While you're less likely to burn on a cold day, UVA rays can still penetrate glass and contribute to skin damage," says Dr Purusothaman. "Skin cancer isn't seasonal. That damage is cumulative. So, just get in the habit of wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen you like with an SPF of 30-50 daily and, if you're outside, reapply regularly."