words and photos by Terembe Cherono

When the weather gets cooler, it’s important to protect your skin against harsh wind and temperatures. A couple of months ago, I noticed that my skin was feeling drier and tighter, so I did some research on what to do to help keep my skin moisturised during these colder months. You definitely don’t need to overhaul your entire routine – with a few tweaks and additions, you skin is ready to handle anything the cold weather brings. Here are the skincare recommendations I gathered.

For context, my skin is oily and acne prone. 

Stay Hydrated

Water is the foundation to glowing skin, even when it’s cold out! You can still get dehydrated in the cold season, so try to meet the daily recommended water goal. I struggle to drink water generally but especially when it’s cold! I prefer hot water which feels easier to down when it’s cold. Whatever your choice, keep your water intake up.

Switch to Moisturisers

Swap your lightweight moisturiser for a richer cream to keep your skin protected. I recently purchased COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream which claims to “boosts moisture content in your skin and seals it inside, protecting your skin from further loss of hydration“. Once I started using it, I could almost immediately feel the extra protection on my skin. I’ve also heard Clinique’s Moisture Surge is good and serves the same purpose. For bodycare, you can try CeraVe’s Moisturising Cream or a simple shea or cocoa butter.

Protect Your Lips

Lips are particularly susceptible to dryness in the cold. Try a lip mask instead of a regular lip balm for extra protection. My favourite is La Neige which is thick in texture and super moisturising!

Keep Your Sunscreen On

Despite the grey clouds, the sun’s rays are ubiquitous. Maintain your everyday use of sunscreen because the sun is always working. If you’re looking for recommendations for sunscreens, check out this post.

Consider Professional Skincare Treatments

If you’ve been wanting to try any skincare treatments like chemical peels or microneedling, cold weather might be a great time to give it a go given the lower exposure to the sun. I’ve been looking into microneedling for a couple of months now and thinking to do it soon before the weather switches up! Will keep you updated.

Your tips and hacks

I asked my community over on Instagram their best hacks for cold weather – this is what they said:

• Before bed: thick later of original Vaseline on lips. And also on feet, socks on.
• COSRX Snail Mucin Essence for hydration
• CeraVe creams
• Brief lukewarm showers. BioOil at bedtime. Sunscreen with moisturiser in the morning.
• The CeraVe Healing Ointment
• Vaseline as the last step! Think of it as a CeraVe healing ointment *chef’s kiss*
• Layering my lotion with shea butter to lock in that moisture and hydration
• Slugging helps especially during the nights
• Use nipple cream as lip balm
• The COSRC Comfort Ceramide Cream is a gamechanger. Thick and moisturising AF.
• CeraVe healing ointment is my gold standards, feels like vaseline and has great moisture
• Retaining ingredients
• Extra sheet masks!
• Shea butter has been my weapon during this cold weather
• I added an essence to my routine. COSRX Snal Mucin. My skin has stayed dewy 🙂
• Lots of sheet masks. Slugging – I use Cica Plast by La Roche
• Layer Vaseline after your moisturiser
• Olive oil and a layer of Vaseline afterwards
• Hydration is key babe. Love the COSRX Snail Mucin Essence
• Moisturiser from Neutrogena
• La Neige cream skin refiner toner. Use it as a 1st step in the AM. 1st and last step PM as a mask
• Finish my routine with an oil – squalene oil (by The Ordinary) is fantastic!
• lunik Beta Glucan Moisture Cream has been so good for me + Vaseline after moisturiser
• Shea Butter @ka’an by tawi really locks in the moisture I use it especially if I’m going outside
• Any hydrating product. My fave is the COSRX Snail Mucin Essence

Any additional advice for skincare in the cold weather? Drop your tips in the comments below!

Terembe Cherono is a creator, curator and convenor based in Nairobi, Kenya. For the last 10 years, Terembe has used her social media platforms (particularly Instagram and YouTube), to share lifestyle content using extremely compelling storytelling formats. In the last two years, she has developed a highly popular technique for Instagram Stories known as a ‘Daily Recap’ used by numerous content creators globally. She has supported several influencers and small businesses to leverage social media for brand building and sales.