Beating the Winter Skin Blues – A mix and match guide to clean skincare products for healthy skin

Jamie Sabot·Updated on September 8, 2023

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Organic Face and Body Skincare Products for Healthy Skin this Winter

Hello Beautiful,

It’s that time of year again – the time when our skincare routines really get put to the test.

We’re all about living in harmony with nature around here and adjusting our skincare routines as needed goes hand-in-hand with following the natural rhythm of the seasons.

Below you’ll find a mix and match guide to natural, clean, and cruelty-free face and body skincare products to help keep your skin healthy all winter long.

I’ve broken the guide up into common skincare concerns that can crop up depending on our skin type, climate, genetics, lifestyle, and a whole host of other considerations.

Because we all have a unique blend of internal and external factors contributing to the health of our skin, it makes sense to be able to cherry-pick the products in our winter skincare routine based on what concern you’re trying to target.

This approach to routine building works especially well if you’re currently using products that are working well for you but could just use a little extra support with a particular concern that’s cropped up.

Concerns I cover in this guide include:

facial redness
facial tightness (dehydrated skin – it’s not the same thing as dry skin)
dry skin on the face
flaky skin on the face
having fun outdoors
eczema (dry type)
cracked heels
flaky skin on the body
dry hands

Ready to dive into the guide? Let’s go…

divider

Healthy skin care products to get rid of facial redness this winter - face mask and creams

facial redness

Symptoms:

red complexion (especially cheeks)
burning sensation (including mid-day)
sensitivity
inflammation

Solutions:

soothing botanicals
natural UV filters (zinc or titanium dioxide) during the day
light, fast-absorbing hydration-rich ingredients

Products Mentioned in the REDNESS (FACE CARE) Guide:

divider

When your skin feels tight or dehydrated, use these healthy skin care products to fix it - winter skin care advice

uncomfortable facial tightness (aka dehydrated skin)

Symptoms:

skin feel uncomfortable
skin feels tight
sensitivity
can feel itchy or sore
fine lines are more visible than usual

Solutions:

hydration-rich botanicals
barrier-repair ingredients
deep-absorbing nutrients
applying a hydrating product before your moisturizer

Products Mentioned in the TIGHTNESS (FACE CARE) Guide:

divider

Dry Skin on face product recommendations that are natural, healthy, organic, and will moisturize your skin fast

dry skin (on face)

Symptoms:

skin feels dry to the touch
the skin lacks a protective “dewy” barrier
skin looks dull
skin feels “bumpy” or rough (like there’s a layer of buildup dead skin cells)

Solutions:

lipid-rich botanicals (like shea butter)
skin-identical moisturizing ingredients (like jojoba oil)
using the gentlest cleansing method
natural UV filters during the day

Products Mentioned in the DRY SKIN (FACE CARE) Guide:

divider

flaky skin (on face)

Symptoms:

flaky skin due to protective barrier being damaged
windburn, harsh skincare treatments, exposure to extreme temperatures – including indoor heating
exfoliating with a scrub that’s to rough for your skin (which continues to damage and remove its natural protective barrier)

Solutions:

discontinue use of abrasive scrubs (if using)
barrier repairing ingredients (like ceramides)
skin-identical moisturizing ingredients (like jojoba oil)

Products Mentioned in the FLAKY SKIN (FACE CARE) Guide:

divider

Cold weather natural skin care products for protecting your skin outdoors

outdoor skin protection (without triggering congestion)

Symptoms:

Prolong UV exposure
Extreme temperature exposure
Rapid changes in humidity
Wind exposure
Increased loss of skin hydration levels

Solutions:

Natural UV filters like zinc or titanium dioxide
Skin-identical barrier ingredients like jojoba oil
Hydration loss prevention via lipid-rich ingredients like mango butter

Products Mentioned in the OUTDOOR FUN (FACE CARE) Guide:

divider

Best cream for eczema relief on hands - natural skin care healing balm and body butter with organic herbs for adults

eczema (usually on hands)

Symptoms:

your hands get red, itchy, and dry
your skin may get so dry it cracks
often triggered in the winter
also common year-round for people who work in a job like hairdressing or any position that includes increased hand washing or frequent skin exposure to water or chemicals

Solutions:

calming, anti-itch herbs like calendula, nettle, and chickweed
barrier repairing oils & butters like raspberry oil and soy butter
skin-strengthening vitamin E
moisturizing, antioxidant-rich oils like olive, sunflower, and peach

Products Mentioned in the ECZEMA (DRY TYPE) Guide:

divider

How to fix cracked heels and what causes feet to be so dry

dry, cracked heels

Symptoms:

dry skin on feet
rough skin on feet
skin has gotten so dry and rough on the heels that it may have cracked

Solutions:

soaking feet in oil-infused bath water
lightly polish off dead skin cells
soften skin with moisturizing plant butters like cocoa, soy, and shea
ensure that the personal care products you’re using in the shower aren’t the problem. Avoid sulfates by reading labels – check for ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and swap for sulfate free alternatives

Products Mentioned in the CRACKED HEELS Guide:

divider

Natural lotion for dry legs - organic skin care product remedy to moisturize and exfoliate dry legs. Includes sugar scrub products

flaky skin (on body)

Symptoms:

dry skin on legs
dry skin on arms
visible flaky skin

Solutions:

lightly polish off dead skin cells
moisturize skin with restorative, fatty-acid-rich botanicals like mango butter, shea butter, and cocoa butter
strengthen the protective barrier with vitamin E rich oils like olive, sunflower, and raspberry seed

Products Mentioned in the FLAKY SKIN (BODY CARE) Guide:

divider

Best natural hand cream body butter for extremely dry hands. Winter remedy for cracked dry hands from washing and work related causes

dry hands

Symptoms:

rough texture
dry skin on hands
frequent hand washing has dried out your skin
visible dryness, especially fingertips and thumbs

Solutions:

for itchy, dry hands, see eczema section
restoring moisture to the skin with rich plant butters like shea, cocoa, and soy
repairing your skin’s natural protective barrier with “building block” rich botanicals like raspberry seed oil

Products Mentioned in the DRY HANDS (BODY CARE) Guide:

divider

If this post was helpful, please consider sharing it:

Skincare Recipe of the Month for DIY skin care and handmade beauty

MAKE THE PRODUCTS

Your Skin Craves

Say goodbye to store-bought products and hello to fresh, natural ingredients that your skin will love.

Natural skincare recipes vault for handmade diy beauty and skin care

Skin harmony self paced education course for learning how to identifying the root causes and triggers of acne

Jamie Sabot

Jamie Sabot is the founder of Grounded Sage Skincare. Since she started in 2009, Grounded Sage Skincare has helped thousands of customers with their skin by creating handcrafted skincare products, online workshops, and this blog, which has been a trusted resource for straightforward natural skincare information to over 2 million readers and counting.