Your Winter Skin Care Routine With Clean Beauty Products

Updated November 2020
This year since we’re not going anywhere – we’re focusing heavily on healthy routines at home. One of these routines is our winter skincare routine. As much as we’ve all been stressed – self-care is becoming more and more critical. You’re probably not going as frequently to get facials and your regular personal maintenance, right? That’s not going to change much going into the winter.
P.S. It might seem like this article is geared towards women – but men’s skincare is just as important and sometimes more so because it’s often neglected.
Why You Should By Clean Beauty Products
We have 2 good reasons – and really they’re the only reasons you need.
- Buying clean beauty products is better for you. Toxic components of non-regulated chemicals are linked to cancers and hormone disruptions!
- Buying clean beauty products means that the products aren’t tested on animals, and the ingredients wont impact the earth either!
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How to Find ‘Clean’ Skin Care
‘Green’ is supposed to mean that the products cause no harm to the environment – but you have to go beyond the pretty packaging to find good products. The places I shop online and consider trustworthy are Sephora and Ulta. (+ Any beauty brands who’s core mission surrounds clean, honest self-care!)
Find clean beauty designation standsards for Sephora here and Ulta here.
Think Dirty App
This is the best app I’ve found for while you’re out shopping! When you’re in a store it can be really hard to determine what’s safe and what’s not. This app takes away all guess work!!
P.S. All you do is scan the item and follow the green (good), yellow (ok), and red(bad) reccomendations.
Add Exfoliation to Your winter Routines
PSA: No matter how many moisturizers and creams you rub on your body or face – they will stay dry without light exfoliation.
You should exfoliate all year long – but more in the winter because #chafing !! For the body, we use this eco-friendly bamboo exfoliating brush over both of our whole bodies. Tip: Brushing in circular motions helps blood flow which invigorates/encourages new ski turnover. This cycle keeps your dead dry skin away!
The brush to the left is the one we use! It’s great for men and women so we just leave ours in the shower. (Brush Care Note: You have to sit this brush up and let the water drain off! You don’t want to let it stay wet. This allows mold and mildew to accumulate!)
See the harder white cones in the brush? Those are the key to us really having refreshed skin all winter long. They push into our skin and really get the blood flow going.
**This body brush and any of the other skin care also make great gifts!!**
Find here on Amazon and another good brush here at Sephora.
Winter Skin Care products
I (Shelbs) have eczema and Evan has perfect skin all year round. The great thing about clean beauty products is that they truly are unisex and it’s easy for Ev to just use whatever I use when he wants it. Ev doesn’t use all the products all the time like I do – just when he feels like he needs it (again with that whole perfect skin thing!) I however follow a strict routine because I think women’s skin requires most strict routines as we’re upset by hormones, makeup, etc.
All of these products are easy to incorporate for both men and women. No need for either of us to have that dry itchy winter skin!
Be Gentle, Be Kind Banana + Coconut Nourishing Super-Food Body Cream by Briogeo – You’re going to smell like that tropical vacation you so desperately need.. and if that’s not reason enough to buy it? Then just reap the rewards of having non-chafed smooth skin under all of those chunky sweaters and leggings.

Deep Cleansing Exfoliator by Caudalie – Caudalie is one of our favorite skincare brands. They’re a French skincare company, and every single one of their products has done what it said it would do. My favorite time to use this is in the morning pre-makeup for a smooth makeup application!
Soy Makeup Removing Face Wash By Fresh – Still using this soy face cleanser because it’s the best I’ve found for gentle non-drying. Winter skincare routines demand gentle products that don’t strip your skin and since we’re still wearing makeup – even under the masks, you really need to wash off your makeup more than ever. + Guys can use this so it just chills on our vanity for us both to use. (Because you shouldn’t exfoliate everyday!)
FAB Skin Lab Retinol Serum 0.25% Pure Concentrate by First Aid Beauty – You best friend in the winter. Combined with moisturizer there really is nothing better than a little anti-aging, anti dry wrinkled skin day! The best way to use this is to apply directly before moisturizing at night.
Superfood Air-Whip Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid by Youth to the People. This is your winter day moisturizer- Especially if you wear makeup – you need to wear moisturizer after cleanser and under your makeup! This one is great because it’s formulated with green-tea. Any product with Green-Tea helps reduce redness that we all experience – and more so in the winter!!
Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask with Vitamin C by Youth To The People – This is your perfect night moisturizer. I’ve found it to be heavy enough to last all night and really help the Vitamin C soak in. (Combining Vitamin C with moisturizer is the best because It can be drying on its own.) In the summer I’ll switch back to something a little lighter maybe and a heavy Vitamin C serum since we’re outside so much!!
Non-Toxic Winter Nail Polish Colors
Obviously, if you’re using a bunch of non-toxic body care and stated to get that self care glow, you want to feel it all over. The last thing you want to do is leave your nails looking flimsy. For men, they look just fine being moisturized and clipped. For women though – we like to dress them up with some colors! Here are a few of my favorite non-toxic nail polish brands and their winter colors.
Tip: Take these polishes in when you get a mani/pedi! You don’t have to do it yourself!

Olive & June: This is one of my favorite brands because it’s so affordable ($8 a bottle) and has a big range of colors. Fall favorite: CN – A Silky Sable Brown
Sally Hansen: They have a new line of plant-powered colors and some of them are great for winter! My favorite: Lava Rocks
Smith and Cult: This beauty favorite is not only clean but a really pretty bottle. (Gift worthy and vanity pretty!) Favorite Winter Color: Lover’s Creep and Dirty Baby.