Top Picks for Hydrating Winter Skin

We are well and truly into the midst of Winter now, especially for those who live in the southern states of the country.

This means we're exposed to heating when indoors, and to harsh winds and dry air when we go outdoors. All this is taking a toll on skin with the constant and abrupt changes in hot/cold temperatures.

But fear not, with the right products, we can cocoon ourselves top-to-toe from the effects of this harsh winter. In no particular order, here are my top picks this year:

1. Clarins Hydraquench Cream - 50ml RRP $A65
If you have very dry skin or suffer from dry patches, a hydrating moisturiser is a must during cold winter months. I love this moisturiser as it's light and requires very little effort to have it absorbed into skin. The almost gel-like creamy texture, light floral scent and non-greasiness provides instant hydration that lasts throughout the day. Great for wind or sun over-exposure, I recently used this after having my Palomar facial laser treatment and it helped to keep the peeling effects to a minimum which meant my skin recovered much quicker from the procedure.

Available at Clarins counters and AdoreBeauty online.

2. Uriage Cleansing and Nourishing Cream - 500ml RRP A$39.95
A must for those with sensitised dry skin, this non-foaming cream is more a lotion in consistency and is so gentle and non-irritating, it didn't even sting when I used it over broken skin. It does a wonderful job of cleansing and removeing oil, dirt and grimy residue without stripping moisture, leaving skin soft and smooth afterwards without any tight feeling. Made of 1/3 nourishing milk, I reserve this cleanser for my face due to its price (which then makes it amazing value) but if you need a bit of pampering, by all means go for the occasional body wash indulgence.

Uriage products are currently available at selected Terry White Chemists and Adorebeauty Online

3. Nivea Irresistibly smooth body soufflé - 300ml RRP A$9.92
If your skin on your body is looking parched then put the moisture back in with this beautiful soufflé cream from Nivea. Fragranced with the signature Nivea scent, this product is quickly absorbed into skin, leaving it velvety smooth without any greasy residues. The intensive and nourishing formula containing shea butter gives all day hydration and conditions skin, making this a favourite of mine for arms, elbows, legs and feet.

Nivea is available at major supermarkets, Priceline, pharmacies, Target, Kmart and Big-W stores.

4. Endota Nourishing Oil - 30ml RRP A$75
This dry oil has captivated my senses with its exotic scent of frankincense, warm myrrh and mossy patchoulil. The golden blend of plant oil and vitamins nourishes skin, restore its elasticity and instantly softens and rehydrates, making it perfect for dry to very dry skin types. This is honestly the only dry oil I make an exception to for use on my face (I only do this in winter months as I have oily/combination skin).

Endota products are available at Endota Spas and online. For stocklist, check here.

5. Kosmea Skin Clinic Rescue Body Cream - 125ml RRP A$29.95
Intense and luxe in feel, Kosmea's body cream is my top pick for decadent body moisturisation. Made with natural and organic ingredients with healing properties like rosehip and grape seed oil as well as shea butter, it helps to sooth dry chapped skin, relieve minor itches (perfect for my hives) and is a god-send for cracked heels. The fact that it doesn’t irritate broken skin is a bonus and can also be used on minor burn areas.

Kosmea is available at Priceline, selected pharmacies, health food stores and David Jones.

6. Bio Oil - 60ml RRP A$14.95
Bio Oil is an affordable dry oil to bring back skin vitality and helps to improve skin’s moisture barrier. It also helps that there is no greasy residue after the oil is absorbed into skin. With a blend of vitamins and natural plant oils, it has uses in softening of fresh scars and the prevention stretchmarks during pregnancy as well as for its treatment (which I have to sadly say, didn’t work for me) but my limbs just love it for maintaining suppleness.

Bio Oil is avaliable at Priceline, major supermarkets, Kmart, Big W and Target.

I hope this list provides some pickings for you to try if you are feeling the dryness of the winter season. I'd also love to hear how else you're keeping hydrated this winter. Until next time, stay warm!

x A

Products featured were provided for editorial consideration.

How to: Keep Skin in tip-top Shape During Winter

The extreme winter weather currently experienced by many parts of the Australia can be very harsh – your health starts to falter with the gripping flu, your energy sapped with the weather and you just feel like hibernating till Spring comes around. Worse yet, your skin suffers from a lack of vitamin D, dry and scaly skin and chapped lips.

And hydration is key to combat these conditions in these cold and chilly season so make sure to drink up on water and for your skin, keep them hydrated these products. They will be a saviour for the remainder of this winter.

Khiel’s Rosa Arctica Youth Regeneration Cream - 50ml 

A rich moisturiser that creates a thin veil of protection on the skin to lock in the moisture – it has a faint chocolate scent thanks to the cocoa butter and contain plant based squalene (olive source) to moisturise, vitamin E for anti-oxidising properties and the extract of rosa arctica the resurrection flower Haberlea Rhodopensis to help increase cell vitality for skin renewal. I had a small sample that I used for a week and it helped to keep my skin bouncy, moist and looking fresh. I personally love this in extra the mornings before the applying the SPF for its smooth matte texture or on top of a treatment serum at night.

RRP A$84 online or at Kiehl's counters at selected department stores

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturise - 50ml 

For skin that need an extra helping hand, this is the one of the champion of night creams – slap this non-greasy but easily absorbed moisturising treatment all over the face before going to bed and this to help increase cell turnover and brighten dull winter skin. While is a great hydrating moisturiser, it’s name to fame is the time release salicylic acid that gently exfoliates to re-texturises skin, help fade blemish marks and smooth unevenness so your skin feel brand new in the morning again. With a week of use, you get velvetly soft skin with a healthy radiance that keeps your looking fresh. It seriously is that good that I’d say it’s made its way into my HG list of treatment products! 

50ml RRP A$90 online or at Clinique counters in department stores.


Uriage Thermal Water for Sensitive Skin 

Sourced from the thermal spring capital of France in Uriage-les-Basin, the name-sake water spray has highest percentage of trace mineral in any thermal water spray on the market. This thermal water not only hydrates and refreshes but has therapeutic properties and in France, patients with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis go in droves to the French Thermal Centre to soak and bath in its mineral rich water.

Uriage thermal water is so soothing on irritated skin, even the most sensitive skin type will benefit from its calming and healing effects and the fine mist is just perfect to set your makeup – what a multi tasker! 

RRP A$10.95 / A$26.95  for 50ml / 300ml. Available at selected Melbourne or Sydney Stocklists or contact the company to order online.


Now lets not forget the body during the winter months, even if you cover it up under layers of clothing

L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Body Cream - 200ml

This lightly fresh scented whipped texture body cream with 25% shea butter is a dry and dehydrated skin sufferer’s dream come true as the emollient cream is readily absorb by the body without leaving a greasy residue and keeps skin moist all day long. Along with linseed, marshmallow extract and apricot oil, you get all day hydration and within 3 days, any scaly parts of skin is transformed into the soft smooth skin, without any dry patches in sight. 

RRP $59.95 at  L'Occitane counters in selected departments, L'Occitane concept stores or online.                                                                              

Soap and Glory: The Breakfast Scrub - 300ml 

Exfoliation is another key factor to banish dull dry skin so this Soap and Body salt body scrub is the perfect aide for the job. This is my favourite because it smells like crème caramel thanks to its sugar and cupuacu scrubs particles to polish and buff while the almond and milk extract softens and nourish skin. Best of all, there is no hint of film or residue on skin after washing off unlike other salt body scrubs I’ve used before (I’m looking at you Body Shop body scrubs!)

RRP A$18.95 at Kit Cosmetics counters and online.

Uriage Bariederm Soothing Repair Barrier Lip Balm - 15ml 

Chapped lips are a common occurrence in winter and there is no better way to sooth and repair it than with an intensive lip balm. Bariederm barrier lip balm is a paraffin based product that forms a film over lips to lock moisture in and cold air out and prevent further dryness whilst provide relief from any cracked lips or chapness. The best thing is that an application last through light eating and drinking so meaning that you don’t have to re-apply frequently to the appearance of flakies at bay.

RRP A$19.95. Available at selected Melbourne or Sydney Stocklists or contact the company to order directly with them online.  

Refresh PLUS Everyday Dry Eye Drops - 30x0.4ml applicators

And finally, if you suffer from dry eyes because you are a frequent flyer, have been staring at a computer screen for way too long like I have or have foreign matter get stuck into your eyes, you will welcome this refreshing eye drops to relieve irritated or dry eyes. The innovative packaging resolves the problem with normal eye drops bottles where they can become contaminated very quickly and need to be thrown out after 6 weeks. You’ll appreciate these Refresh PLUS eye drops which come in single applicator so that you always have a fresh and sterile dose of eye drops every time. 

RRP A$15.70 at selected pharmacies and optometrists.

How have you been keeping your skin hydrated this winter?

Products features in this post were provided for consideration.