winter skin, skincare essentials — Design by Danielle Campbell

Winter Skincare Essentials to Get You Through the Rest of the Season

Dryness, sensitivity, texture or dullness—whatever your cold-weather skin concern, we’ve got you covered.

Date February 18, 2026

Copy link

Winter never arrives quietly in Canada. From whiteout snowstorms to biting winds that sweep through the city, the season instantly makes its presence known—especially on our skin. The impact is often severe and long-lasting: Dryness sets in, sensitivity flare ups manifest and dullness overtakes any last lingering traces of a warm-weather glow.

The antidote lies in a strategic skincare routine—think rich hydrators to fortify the skin barrier, soothing ceramide-packed formulas to calm reactivity and radiance-boosters to restore luminosity. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the very best winter skincare essentials—from Korean skincare favourites to made-in-Canada formulations—that will help you get through the final stretch of these cooler months.

Dryness

When temperatures drop, dryness is often the first—and most stubborn—skin issue to appear. Cold air and indoor heating strip the skin of moisture, leaving it tight, flaky and just overall uncomfortable. To protect and replenish, turn to rich creams and hydrating gels that restore balance and reinforce the skin’s barrier.

SHOP NOW

Bioré UV Aqua Rich Weightless Moisturizer

This weightless moisturizer hydrates effortlessly while delivering powerful SPF-50 protection, leaving skin soft, smooth and protected all day.

Biotherm Aquasource + Electrolyte Dewy Gel

This dewy gel promises to deeply hydrate for up to one hundred hours (yes, a hundred!) with the help of an enriching electrolyte mix.

Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream Moisturizer

Packed with a barrier-boosting ceramide blend, fatty acids and cholesterol that mimic moisturizing lipids, this rich, ultra-hydrating cream effortlessly melts into the skin for long-lasting nourishment.

Dermalogica Pro Collagen Banking Water Cream

This seriously nourishing moisturizer not only supports the skin barrier but it also diminishes signs of aging with long-lasting results.

Sensitivity

As the season takes its toll, heightened sensitivity often arrives in the form of redness, tightness or a lingering (and sometimes even painful) irritation. In these moments, round up gentle skincare staples like ceramide-rich creams and nourishing facial oils to help soothe stressed skin while strengthening its barrier. With consistent use, these calming formulas bring stability and resiliency back to your complexion—two things so many of us desperately need during these frigid months.

SHOP NOW

StriVectin Barrier Restore+ Soothing Ceramide Cream

This moisturizing cream is clinically proven to reduce redness while soothing sensitive areas and strengthening the skin barrier. Plus, its hydration-locking technology helps skin looking healthier in just one use.

Elemis Superfood Facial Oil

Infused with soothing flaxseed oil, ultra-nourishing daikon radish and several other superfood extracts, this nutrient-rich facial oil visibly brightens and firms, resulting in healthier-looking (and feeling) skin.

Glow Recipe PDRN+ Toner Pads

Caring for your skin has never been easier thanks to these apply-and-wait toner pads. Infused with vegan PDRN+ and Korean prickly pear, they’re ideal for skin barrier repair, reducing redness and soothing irritation.

Texture

When dry winter air leaves your skin feeling uneven or too textured for your liking, targeted treatments can make all the difference. Lightweight creams and gentle serums work to smooth the surface, soften rough patches and support the skin barrier’s natural reset. The best part? Over time, these nourishing formulas help restore balance, leaving your complexion feeling more renewed and prepared to take on the rest of the season ahead.

SHOP NOW

Dermalogica Phyto Nature E² Treatment

Thanks to its powerful exosome and enzyme formula, this at-home treatment reduces the appearance of fine lines and other unwanted textures by accelerating the skin’s natural resurfacing process.

Hanyul Red Rice Hydrating Cream

Infused with fermented Korean red rice and three types of ceramides, this rich moisturizer helps to reduce fine lines and improve firmness while providing lasting nourishment to the skin.

Clarins Double Serum

This beloved serum is a best-seller for good reason. Packed with organic plant extracts and longevity-boosting molecules, it works to simultaneously reduce fine lines, decrease texture and increase radiance.

Beverly Hills MD Deep Regenerating Stem Cell Moisturizer

Utilizing the brand's breakthrough and highly effective plant stem cell technology, this daily moisturizer addresses uneven skin textures and signs of aging while providing a youthful glow.

Dullness

Dullness may not always be our most urgent winter skin concern, but its effects catch up quickly. A buildup of dead skin and an overall slowdown of natural cell turnover can rob the face of its usual vibrancy, making you appear tired even when you’re not. To help bring some life back into the skin, glow-boosting serums, energizing masks and even the occasional self-tanning product can encourage a fresher, more luminous look that’ll uplift both you and your skin during even the coldest months.

SHOP NOW

Rhode Caffeine Reset Mask

This sculpting cream is clinically proven to help skin look less puffy, more lifted and more awake within minutes. With caffeine and poppy extract, it’s the equivalent of a “coffee for your face.”

Skinfix Brighten + Firm 15% Vitamin C Serum

Proven to reduce the appearance of dark spots and fine lines in just one month, this powerful serum utilizes a strong blend of vitamin C and peptides to reduce discoloration while brightening and hydrating.

Tanologist Self Tan Drops

There’s nothing like a little tan to help you get through winter. These customizable and sensitive skin-safe drops easily mix into your favourite moisturizer for an effortless, do-it-yourself glow no matter the season.

Elemis Pro Collagen Hydrating Cleansing Mousse

This silky, cream-to-mousse cleansing product effortlessly removes makeup without drying out the skin. Plus, it works to replenish and rehydrate dullness thanks to nourishing earth marine water and padina pavonica ferment.

Stephanie Davoli

Stephanie Davoli is the editorial assistant at FASHION Magazine. With a passion for all things fashion, beauty and pop culture, she’s inspired by fashion psychology, sustainability and industry innovations. Her previous bylines include The Toronto Star, Chatelaine and The Quality Edit. When she’s not working, you can find her shopping, taking a Pilates class or combing through the Vogue archives.

Copy link

Fashion FWD:

The next best thing to being a fashion editor - BTS access to trends, products & news.

Subscribe to FASHION!

FASHION magazine inspires and empowers with fashion and style trends, aimed at all sizes, ages, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations.