Exfoliate less in winter, and skip the scrubs

In extremely cold climates, exfoliate no more than once a week, and stick to gentle chemical exfoliants over physical scrubs.

Cold air holds almost no moisture, and indoor heating sucks out what little your skin has left. Your skin barrier is already working overtime just to stay hydrated. Exfoliating too often—or using harsh physical scrubs—strips that barrier and leaves you red, dry, and irritated. I see people in places like Minnesota or Alberta wreck their skin by scrubbing twice a week like it’s July.

Chemical exfoliants (think lactic acid, mandelic acid, or a low-concentration PHA) are better because they’re more controlled. They dissolve dead skin without the abrasive friction that causes micro-tears in already-compromised skin. Start with once every 7–10 days. If your skin feels tight or looks shiny in a bad way, you’re overdoing it. And for the love of everything, follow up with a thick moisturizer and maybe a layer of occlusive balm. Exfoliating doesn’t matter if you don’t lock in the hydration.

Your skin is already fighting the cold—don’t make it fight your routine too.