Extreme cold means skip the astringent

Astringents and alcohol-heavy toners are not advisable in extremely cold climates because they strip moisture from skin that’s already fighting dry air, wind, and indoor heating.

Here’s the thing: cold weather already damages your skin barrier. The air holds less moisture, wind physically dries you out, and blasting the heat indoors pulls what little hydration you have left. Your skin’s natural oils are doing triple duty just keeping you from looking like a cracked desert. The last thing you need is a product that’s designed to dissolve oil and tighten pores.

Astringents (think witch hazel, high-alcohol formulas) are basically a chemical invitation for irritation, redness, and flaking in these conditions. Even “balancing” toners often have drying ingredients that feel fine in humid summer but wreck you when it’s -20°F.

If you want to keep a toner in your routine, look for hydrating ones — glycerin, hyaluronic acid, ceramides. No alcohol, no harsh exfoliants. Apply on damp skin, then seal with a thick moisturizer. But the classic astringent? Put it away until spring.

Your face is not a piece of leather. Treat it like it’s already fighting for its life out there.