A Winter Skincare Guide You'll Actually Follow

Winter doesn’t care about you or your skin, so step up that morning regimen with a few simple changes. (Image: 20th Century Fox)

Old Man Winter.

The second worst thing to happen to men’s skin since UV Rays.

When that mercury drops and air gets bone—dry, even the healthiest of us can crack like stale cookies.

Winter can suck, and the men who labour in Fort McMurray’s unforgiving tundra know what we’re talking about. Out there, chapped lips are child’s play. Then again, for millions of men in the office world, indoor heating and it’s drying effects on skin is as silent a dermal killer as cold air.

That’s the thing about cold weather—unlike the refuge of an air-conditioned home during summer, there’s no escaping winter, that bitter, unrelenting psycho. Even when you’re inside and warm, your skin’s still at risk of getting dry and flaky.

But, gentlemen, there are ways to beat winter. Actually, contrary to popular opinion on the Internet, there are three simple ways (not 50 you won’t remember).

Here they are.

1. No Hot Showers. Seriously. In fact, never take hot showers. The dry air outside does enough to strip your skin’s moisture, so why let hot water do the same? The hotter the water, the more you’ll disrupt your keratin cells, which live right on the first layer of our skin. The more disruption to these guys, the harder it is for your skin to retain that precious moisture. What’s worse, hot showers can irritate per-existing skin conditions, like eczema. Shower with colder water; it’ll calm itchy skin, boost blood circulation, and more importantly, wake you the hell up every day. By the way, when you do shower, use a product that’ll help keep your hide smooth. Our Deluxe Hair & Body Wash is packed with great stuff for your skin, with Olive Leaf Extract taking top billing. If you didn’t know, olive leaf is a herb with antiseptic properties that fortifies and moisturizes skin.

2. Speaking Of, Stock Two Different Moisturizers. We men know moisturizing in the winter is a must. Hey, we’re not neanderthals anymore. Still, even with the best of intentions, many of us still get this part of our mornings wrong. Here’s why—generally, face moisturizers are not the same as the ones for your body; they’re lighter in mass since men’s faces have more sebaceous glands, which produce natural oil. Not to mention our faces are more sensitive. Body moisturizers are thicker since they usually have oil or butter. In other words, keep both kinds on hand. And get this: Did you know our Soothing Aftershave Lotion easily doubles as a daily moisturizer? Yes, even if you don’t shave. That said, our Beard Balm’s a no-brainer if you’ve got facial hair. We put a some Shea butter in it, which penetrates beard hair with ease, then sets up a last line of defence for frigid winds. You’re welcome.

3. Forget Those Exfoliators. Your skin cells die out faster when the air’s always dry, but exfoliating buffs that dead skin out of the way so new cells can grow. That’s why it’s key for good skin in the winter. And there’s nothing inherently wrong with exfoliating products. It’s that men who shave just don’t need them; Shaving, in and of itself, is a natural way to exfoliate since a high-quality blade will slough off dead skin and built-up bacteria with ease. In fact, shaving exfoliates so well that even women swear by it, and according to popular American skincare entrepreneur, Kate Sommerville, Marilyn Monroe shaved, too. Save your cash and stick to a good quality safety razor. We’ve made our own custom DE razor in collaboration with MÜHLE Shaving Culture out of Stützengrün, Germany, where they make some the best shaving razors on earth.

Back in 1965, Legendary American creative director, George Lois, convinced men’s magazine, Esquire, to run a cover with a woman shaving her face. Lois is well-known for pushing the limits in his work, and when he offered the gig to an Italian actress in New York, Virna Lisi (who’d been filming a movie with Frank Sinatra at the time), she loved his idea and jumped at the chance. (Image: Esquire.com)

In sum, winter skincare shouldn’t feel like a drag.

It should come as naturally as eating, or crushing an IPA.

When winter comes, special care’s needed. And all men, regardless of their lifestyles, can heed all the above and come out of the cold unscathed.

Also, remember—don’t be a hero and bundle up when you go outside.

Otherwise, what’s the point of all this?