You can feel it from the very first autumn mornings: your skin feels tight when you wake up, turns red at the slightest draught, and your lips become chapped without warning. Cold weather is not just uncomfortable, it also puts the skin's protective barrier to the test, especially when the skin is already dry. Caring for your skin in cold weather means understanding what is happening on its surface and adapting your routine accordingly. Here are our experts' tips.
Why does cold weather damage the skin?
When the temperature drops, the small blood vessels in the skin narrow to retain heat, and the skin may produce less sebum. Yet this sebum is part of the hydrolipidic film that protects the skin and stops it from becoming dehydrated.
Wind makes this dryness even worse. Indoors, the dry air of heated rooms takes over. The skin goes from one extreme to the other and its protective barrier weakens.
Cold weather can also disrupt the skin microbiome, the community of micro organisms living on the skin's surface that acts as a barrier. When this balance is weakened, the skin becomes more reactive: it feels tight, turns red and copes less well with external aggressors.
Lips are even more exposed. Their skin is very thin and produces no sebum, so they dry out and become chapped quickly as soon as the cold arrives.
The right habits to protect your skin in winter
In winter, your routine should above all protect the skin barrier. A few small adjustments are often enough to make a difference.
Cleanse gently. Choose soft textures and lukewarm rather than hot water. Very hot water may feel nice, but it can make dryness worse.
Switch to a richer cream. Your light summer cream is not always enough. A formula rich in butters and oils nourishes the skin and helps it rebuild its barrier.
Soothe reactive skin. If your skin turns red or feels tight at the slightest change in temperature, choose a treatment that calms discomfort and respects the skin flora.
Do not forget your lips. A dedicated lip treatment applied several times a day protects them before they become chapped.
Which cream should you choose for dry skin in winter?
Not all dry skin has the same needs. That is why we have created three rich creams to meet each one.
For dry skin with first wrinkles: the Crème Riche Lissante Rides
The result: skin is smoothed, plumped and looks younger.
The little extra? Its creamy, melting texture, infused with Alpine pine bark polyphenols and delicately scented with floral and musky notes.
When to use it? In the morning, right after your serum, on a thoroughly cleansed face and neck.
For dry and sensitive skin: the Crème Cachemire Apaisante
The result: skin is soothed and more comfortable, the skin flora is rebalanced and redness is reduced.
The little extra? Its melting, enveloping oil in cream texture, ideal for normal to dry skin.
When to use it? On a cleansed and toned face and neck, after your serum, avoiding the eye area.
For mature and very dry skin: the Crème Riche Jeunesse
The result: deeply nourished, the skin is smoother and firmer. The complexion is even and glows with youthful radiance.
Our tip: apply it with the PAYOT Gestuelle Anti-rides to boost its effectiveness.
When to use it? Morning and/or evening, on a thoroughly cleansed face and neck.
How to protect your lips from the cold?
The result: lips are instantly plumped, nourished and protected.
The little extra? Its silky, non sticky oil texture, its subtle glossy shine and its delicious honey scent.
When to use it? Whenever your lips need it, on its own or under your lipstick. Applied over lipstick, it gives a glossy finish.
Cold weather does not have to be bad news for your skin. With gentle cleansing, a rich cream suited to its needs and a dedicated lip treatment, it stays comfortable and radiant all winter long.
And because every skin is unique, our skin diagnosis helps you find the ritual that suits you.
Your questions about winter skin
Why does my skin feel tight when it is cold?
Cold weather slows down sebum production and weakens the hydrolipidic film. The skin loses water more easily and dries out. That is what causes the feeling of tightness.
Should I change my cream in winter?
If your skin is dry or feels tight, yes. A cream richer in butters and oils helps it rebuild its barrier and keeps it comfortable all day long.
What should I do if my skin turns red in the cold?
Choose a soothing treatment that respects the skin microbiome. It calms discomfort and helps reduce redness.
How can I avoid chapped lips?
Apply a nourishing lip treatment several times a day as soon as the cold weather arrives. Do not wait for your lips to crack.
Not sure if your skin is dry or dehydrated? Find out in our article dehydrated or dry skin