Shopping·9 min read

The Best Hydrating Products To Keep Your Skin Soft and Glowy This Winter

Hydrating Skincare
Design: theSkimm | Photo: Loops, Glossier, Supergoop!
January 22, 2024

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Maintaining hydrated skin is important all year round, but that can be especially hard to do in the winter. When harsh winds, cold temps, and dry indoor heat are constantly chipping away at your skin barrier, take your skincare routine to the next level with some of our favorite hydrating products for winter. From serums packed with ceramides to facial sprays you can carry with you for midday touch-ups, these are the best products for keeping your skin refreshed and nourished. 

Face oil
Sephora

An HQ’r-approved face oil made with hemp…

One of our shopping editors swears by this face oil for keeping her dry, sensitive skin feeling plush in harsh winter weather. Rub a couple of drops onto your skin morning and night, and let the hemp seed oil and squalane fight off dryness and redness. It also looks good as a base for makeup, especially if you’re into a dewy look. Just be sure to let it sit for a few minutes before applying your foundation or concealer. ($50, Sephora)

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geologie vitamin c serum
Geologie

A vitamin C serum for a brightening boost...

You should be using a vitamin C serum all year, but we especially appreciate how it rejuvenates dull winter skin. It contains a super-stable form of vitamin C — plus ferulic acid to enhance its potency even more — and vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and aloe for an added dose of moisture. Altogether, it'll keep your skin protected from environmental aggressors and help enhance collagen production for a dewier complexion. Reviewers give it a near-perfect 4.9-star rating. Psst...use code FIRSTTIME15 to get an extra 15% off your order. ($40.80+, Geologie)

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medik8 night cream
Medik8

A cream that treats your skin overnight...

This luxury, science-backed moisturizer is made with a special ceramide complex that actively rebuilds your skin barrier. It also has a blend of antioxidants that helps your skin repair overnight. This is a great option to slather on over your retinol, exfoliator, or other active ingredients you use at night to keep skin calm and lock in moisture. ($76, Medik8)

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weleda skin food
Amazon

An iconic moisturizer beloved by celebrities and makeup artists...

Look inside any beauty insider's makeup bag, and you'll probably spot a bottle of Weleda Skin Food. The classic German moisturizer is made with botanical ingredients like chamomile, pansy, and sweet almond oil. It's quite thick, so a little goes a long way — use it to spot-treat flaky, chapped skin anywhere on your face and body, or even as a lip mask. Victoria Beckham and Julia Roberts count themselves as fans, as do several HQ'rs. ({{dynamicPrice}}, Amazon)

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mutha body botter
Mutha

A bestselling body butter made with all-natural ingredients...

If you're contending with very dry skin, Mutha's popular Body Butter is your best bet. The secret is in the unique texture: Unlike most body butters that can be hard or crumbly, it has a whipped consistency that melts right into your skin to heal cracks and chapped skin. Peep the ingredients list, too — it contains entirely recognizable botanical ingredients, including shea butter, mango butter, and coconut oil. ($45+, Mutha)

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Humidifier
Carepod

A humidifier for the dry months ahead…

It’s not rocket science — if the air around you is dry, your skin will be dry, too. This stainless steel humidifier pumps the room with hydration to help with dry, itchy, and sensitive skin. Plus, it’s filterless and easy to clean (all three pieces are dishwasher-safe), so you won’t have to worry about mold or mildew. ($275, Carepod)

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Moisturizer
Amazon

A daily moisturizer packed with peptides…

We love a hard worker. And this moisturizer puts in overtime to visibly hydrate and smooth your skin, plus strengthen your skin barrier so it can lock in moisture over time. That's down to a dream-team combination of peptides, panthenol, and vitamin C. It'll feel soft and nourishing on your skin, but not greasy. Psst…snag this one that has primer and SPF 50 for your morning routine. ({{dynamicPrice}}, Amazon)

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Face Mask
Loops

A two-piece mask that’ll balance your skin…

After a long day, we like to curl up on the couch with one of these. Unlike most sheet masks, this one has a top half and bottom half, so it’s easy to put on and take off. It’s packed with an anti-sebum complex that helps reduce the look of pores and honey extract for hydration. Don’t mind if we do. ($30, Revolve)

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Essence
Rhode

Our new favorite essence for achieving that glass skin look…

This one is meant to be the first step after cleansing. It’s packed with ceramides that strengthen and prep the skin to better absorb any subsequent products you layer over the top, and polysaccharides that lock in moisture and reduce redness over time. Use it on your face, neck, and chest for fully hydrated skin. PS: This is one of our favorite Rhode products, but we’ve tested lots of them. Read our full review here. ($30, Rhode)

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Serum
Glossier

Our go-to hyaluronic acid serum…

If locking in moisture is the goal, you can never go wrong with a hyaluronic acid serum. We like this one from Glossier. It sinks into the deepest layers of your skin for instant hydration that lasts all day long, while the added pro-vitamin B5 keeps your skin smooth and soft. This one’s been dermatologist-tested, and is fragrance-free for all skin types. ($32, Glossier)

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Facial spray
Amazon

Facial spray for any time of the day…

This facial spray has been a cult-favorite for decades, and for good reason: It contains just two ingredients (rose oil and purified water), and a big bottle costs less than $10 on Amazon. Use it as a hydrating toner, to prep your skin for makeup, or to re-up your skin’s moisture level throughout the day. ({{dynamicPrice}}, Amazon)

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Toner
Sephora

An HQ’r favorite for tightening pores…

This one might be our skincare holy grail. The thick, jelly-like formula is packed with glycerin and hyaluronic acid that deeply hydrates, and PHA- BHA- infusions that lightly exfoliate and tighten pores. Clarifying and hydrating in one go? Yes, please. ($16+, Sephora)

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Sunscreen
Supergoop

A cult-favorite sunscreen with an extra hydrating boost…

Stay protected from UV rays and hydrated at the same time. This sunscreen is actually an oil so it’s inherently moisturizing. It’s also packed with moisture-retaining ingredients like ceramides, squalane, and hyaluronic acid, and even has rice germ extract to help filter blue light and fight pollution. ($48, Supergoop)

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Skincare set
Womanness

A skincare set designed to rejuvenate mature skin…

This set comes with one of our favorite products — the Let’s Neck cream — that utilizes microalgae extract to hydrate and lift the skin around your neck. You’ll also get a full-size The Works cream for all-over body use with the same tightening ingredient. Finish off your routine with the overnight mask, which uses a gentler, plant-based alternative to retinol that hydrates and penetrates while you sleep. Psst...use code SKIMM20 for 20% off at checkout. ($69.99, Womanness)

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