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Winter Skincare Routine for Dry and Acne Prone Skin

I’m told it’s my ripe bold age of 26 that has changed my skin. I used to be the oiliest gal around, almost never using moisturizer and packing on the powder like a mad woman. Now I am dry, dry, dry. And to top it off, I still break out like I did when I had oily skin!

With Winter creeping its way in, I had to learn how get my skin comfy for the cold, fast.

Here I’m listing my routine that has been helping me for the cold days, and I hope it gives you ideas for yours!


The Winter Routine

1. Remove makeup with a balm/oil
Start off your nightly routine with something moisturizing! What I like about using balms/oils to remove makeup is how I turn my regular routine into a mini pamper session. I take the time to not only remove my makeup, but to gently massage my face a well. You can even tell after you wash/wipe the balm/oil off that your face looks glowy and healthier. Lately I’ve been using Clinique’s Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm – it’s scentless, creamy, and easy to wash off with no hot towel needed.

2. Use a creamy cleanser in the morning.
Using a creamy cleanser is a nice kickstart to hydration for the morning. Right now I’ve been using a small brand called Oxygel – a cleanser my boyfriend’s mom gifted. My skin feels clean, soft, and not tight after use! I can see the difference in my skin from using it for a minute or so while massaging it lightly on my face. Sometimes I don’t even follow up with a toner because the cleanser does not strip away moisture.

3. Exfoliate.
With dry weather, comes dry, flaky, skin. If we don’t exfoliate that extra dead skin, our products won’t be able to work properly! I find the infamous Italy Towel majority of Koreans use is best for a nice exfoliating session; you can actually see the dead skin on the cloth! (gross, but very satisfying).

4. Use a moisturizing serum.
A serum has a high concentration of specific ingredients to tackle a certain skin concern. Pick ones that specifically target holding moisture to your skin. I just started using one from Odacite with Moringa and Petitgrain essential oil mixed with Vitamin E. Just a couple of drops are needed in your daily moisturizer; I definitely feel like it amps it up!

5. Add in a facial oil.
Using a facial oil before your moisturizer really adds an *umph* to your skincare routine for extra moisture. It is not the most necessary step, especially if your serum does the job, but I don’t mind getting that extra glow. I like Sweet Almond Oil for the day because it’s light and sinks in to the skin very quickly. I save Avocado Oil for night because it’s a bit thicker and I usually like using it without a moisturizer.

6. Use a thick moisturizer with gentle ingredients.
It’s tricky finding a moisturizer for acne prone, dry skin. I was definitely scared my pores would be clogged and my spots would get worse! To my pleasant surprise, by moisturizing my skin well, I feel that a healthy environment has been created for my skin. I love love love the CV Skin Labs Calming Moisture for the colder months. It actually feels like it’s moisturizing underneath the layers of my skin, and not just making the first layer feel smooth.

7. Use Sheet masks.
These are Asia’s gift to us. It’s a thin sheet saturated in serum, and you leave it on your face for 10-20 minutes. Your skin looks revamped after using one of these. Using one of them even once a week will be a big help to your parched skin. I especially like using them right after a clay mask session to bring back the hydration in my skin. I got a ton of them during my trip to South Korea, so I’m more than well stocked for the year. I’ve been using the Skin Food brand my friend got me during my trip to Busan. What I like about them in particular is that is has a bit of ampoule that you apply before the actual mask to add in extra nourishment to the skin.


So far this routine has been working well for me. It’s been great at moisturizing my skin and relieving any dehydrated or chapped feeling. A very big plus is that none of these items break me out!

Is there anything that’s been helping you with your winter skin woes? Let me know!

xo, M

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