The Season to Glow
Discover TGQ’s winter skincare rituals to nourish, protect and restore your glow.
As the clocks fall back and twilight arrives a little earlier each day, our rhythm naturally slows. The soft hush of autumn has its own beauty — golden leaves, candlelit evenings, the promise of rest. Yet this shift can play havoc with our skin. Lower humidity, central heating, hot showers and biting winds all conspire to draw moisture from our skin, leaving it dry, tight and dull.
But this season can also be a time of renewal. With thoughtful care, nourishment, and a little ritual, you can keep your complexion glowing with the same quiet light as the season itself. TGQ offers tips to winter-proof your skin for the colder months.
“The clocks may have gone back, but your radiance doesn’t have to.”
The Hydration Imperative
Changes in season affect the skin’s ability to retain moisture. As temperatures drop, humidity levels fall. This helps evaporate moisture from the skin more easily. By November, we can begin to feel and see the effects of dehydration, including flakiness and an uncomfortable tightness. A simple but essential antidote is to hydrate, replenish and protect. Our skin barrier cannot function optimally in the winter months because we lose more water through it. A deficiency in the protein filaggrin further weakens our natural barrier.
TGQ Suggests:
Try opting for gentle, non-stripping cleansers and moisturisers rich in hyaluronic acid, glycerine, and ceramides, which help the skin retain precious water.
Water, Water
There is nothing like water as an antidote to skin dehydration. It has no additives and is easily absorbed. Keeping a glass of water by your side is one of the best ways to regularly intake water throughout the day. Whilst coffee is essential to some of us, swapping it for green tea, rich in antioxidants, can be a great alternative. Many foods are rich in water, such as tomatoes, melons, avocados and spinach, while celery, cucumbers and romaine lettuce are 95% water (Harvard Medical School, July 2024).
TGQ Suggests:
Try smoothies for breakfast, salads for lunch, homemade soups for supper and herbal teas throughout the day.
Bath Time!
It is so tempting to sink into a hot bath, but these can very easily strip out natural oils from the skin. There’s plenty of research to back it up, sadly. A warm shower will cleanse just as effectively without leaving the skin parched. Using harsh soaps can damage the skin’s barrier. Instead, use fragrance-free shower gels, and if exfoliating, use more sensitive products to avoid irritating the skin.
TGQ Suggests:
Moisturise immediately after with a rich moisturising cream or oil to seal in the water from your shower or bath.
Invest in a Humidifier
Most of us will be turning the heating on soon, which has its downside: it creates dry air in the home. A humidifier can make a quiet but remarkable difference, restoring moisture to the air. On those winter walks, protecting your skin with hats and gloves not only keeps you warm but also shields delicate skin from cold winds that can sap hydration.
Upgrade your Skin Care Routine
Your skin will thank you for giving your skin care routine an extra boost during these colder snaps. Switching to a richer moisturiser may help keep the skin nourished throughout the day. Using hyaluronic acid, as well as a serum, can help draw moisture into the skin and boost elasticity. Using a serum with antioxidant-rich oils may help seal in and strengthen the lipid barrier. Avoid potentially irritating ingredients such as retinoids and exfoliating acids. Most importantly, learn to understand your skin and how specific environments and products affect it. You may only need to change a couple of products for this season to maintain a healthy glow.
TGQ Suggests:
The Skin Barrier Duo from Desavery — created with natural ingredients such as rosehip oil to nourish and hydrate.
Nourish from Within
Nourishing the skin from within is just as important. As daylight decreases, supporting the skin’s natural defences with a rich, nutrient-rich diet can help.
Your skin reflects what’s happening beneath the surface, making it all the more important to nourish from within. This is the time of year for homemade soups made with vegetables that can benefit your skin. Whilst the image of a Mediterranean diet is in the sunshine, the diet itself is rich in olive oil, fish, fruit, vegetables and nuts, supporting every layer of your skin.
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, walnuts and flaxseeds, strengthen the skin barrier and help lock in moisture. Think of each meal as skincare from the inside out.
A lack of sun exposure can deplete the body’s ability to produce Vitamin D. As daylight hours diminish, Vitamin D levels drop, affecting everything from skin health to mood. Supplements can help bridge this seasonal gap, particularly during the darker months.
Vitamin C is equally vital — supporting collagen production and helping to protect against UV-related damage that lingers long after summer.
Vitamin A is your skin’s quiet hero, encouraging cell renewal for a smoother, more luminous complexion. You’ll find it naturally in sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and carrots — the colours of autumn itself.
TGQ Suggests:
It’s worth understanding what your body needs to get through the winter months, which may mean adjusting the supplements you take.
Movement and Ritual
Our skin thrives on routine and rhythm. Maintaining an exercise routine, even if this means adapting or changing a sport for the colder months. It’s so tempting NOT to go to the gym. Even a brisk walk among falling leaves can brighten the complexion and lift the mood.
Movement encourages blood flow, increasing circulation, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the surface. It’s no coincidence that your body feels warmer and your skin glows after exercise. The oxygenated blood can promote a vibrant glow to your skin. Aside from managing stress, it’s part of your lifestyle that shouldn’t be compromised if you want to maintain your skin’s health.
Don’t forget SPF
Before you step out for that glorious walk amongst the autumnal colours, the harmful UV rays can still harm your skin. This is not the time to put away your suncream. UVA levels are still high enough to have a significant effect on our skin and promote anti-ageing.
TGQ Suggests:
Using moisturisers with SPF makes it easier to keep your skin protected and hydrated.
Be Kind to Yourself
This time of year can add extra stress for most women with the upcoming festivities. The stress can undermine not just our skin but also our bodies and minds. Stress activates our nervous system, which increases cortisol levels. Cortisol can reduce the skin’s ability to retain water. These emotions pave the way to dehydration as anxiety and sadness deplete our reserves.
Help your body and mental health by adopting meditation and gentle exercise, such as yoga and Pilates. And prioritise sleep. We can hibernate and use these winter months to embrace a slower pace of life.
Beauty Sleep
And then there’s sleep, actual “beauty sleep”. When we rest deeply, the body goes to work repairing and replenishing, optimising nutrients such as collagen, which keeps skin supple and resilient. Poor sleep and high stress, on the other hand, can accelerate dullness and the appearance of fine lines. Gentle movement, a soothing night-time ritual, or even a few mindful breaths before bed can make a visible difference.
TGQ Suggests:
As you sleep, try introducing masks into your skin’s evening routine to support recovery through the night as it repairs its natural properties.
Treat Yourself
Regular facials from a professional are recommended to help keep your skin clear, clean, and hydrated. Skin cell turnover takes around 4 weeks, so a facial can boost your skincare routine and help prevent the skin from becoming dull during these months.
Pucker Up
Your lips can become very sore with biting winds, often exacerbated by licking. Sore lips can also occur due to winter sun. Keeping lips moisturised helps prevent unnecessary dryness.
Hands Down
As for our hands, they are more likely to become chapped and sore. At night, try using a rich hand cream under cotton gloves. When out walking, wrap up warmly; gloves protect as much as they comfort.
The World at Your Feet
Our feet also suffer in the colder months, so consider nourishing them with a pedicure or an effective moisturiser. Skin on our feet can become dry and cracked. A foot peel can bring your feet back to baby soft.
“A facial is like a big drink of water for your skin,” Kanaan says. “After a treatment, your skin will look healthy, hydrated and radiant.”
Aesthetic, Amanda Kanaan; Cleveland Clinic
Party Time
If your diary is filling up with seasonal and festive parties, it’s worth understanding the impact alcohol can have on the skin. It will generally dehydrate the skin and worsen any underlying conditions. It can also disturb your sleep and undo all the good that you so tirelessly achieve. The skin can look dull, tired, and puffy.
TGQ Suggests:
Limiting the amount we intake and remembering to drink water alongside as a precaution.
Pamper nights
If staying in is your new going out when the weather looks too uninviting to put a foot outside the door, there is nothing more luxurious than creating time for yourself. A warm bath filled with essential oils to help hydrate the skin is the perfect way to unwind and destress. Relaxation after a day can help reset your thoughts and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. Follow up with moisturising, and your skin will thank you the next morning.
On Balance:
Winter invites us to slow down and replenish. Think of your skincare as a form of self-respect, not vanity, but care. As you nourish, hydrate and rest, your skin will mirror the calm and beauty of this quieter season.
- Content from this article is provided as general information, and seeking advice from a healthcare professional or doctor is an important conversation to have to find what works best for you.
