As a ski instructor, I have probably tried every type of skin care product to deal with the dry skin, windburn, sunburn, and chapping that happens to my face when I’m out skiing all day. I thought I’d share a few things I’ve found that really seem to help after a day on the mountain, especially if it’s been windy or snowing all day.
I have pretty sensitive skin, and in the winter most of the skin care products I put on my face after skiing all day sting. I went on a mission to figure out which products would feel comforting and moisturizing instead of painful.
I spoke to my dermatologist and she explained that your skin has a lipid barrier that gets broken down by harsh wind, cold temps, and sun reflecting off the snow. This allows moisture to escape from the skin and dries it out. She gave me recommendations for some drugstore products that truly are a lifesaver. But I admit I also like a product that smells great and has fancy packaging… so after lots of trial and error, here are my picks for both high and low options!
No matter what age or stage, maintaining your lipid barrier is a must to protect your skin in harsh winter conditions. And even if it’s snowing, sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!
Pre-Skiing Skin Care Prep: Cleanse and Moisturize
In the winter, I don’t use serums — they always sting beause the barrier has been eroded, so in the morning I prep to try to minimize the damage with just a nice hydrating cleanser and cream. (FYI, all links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, so I will earn a small commission if you purchase through them. The photos are my own, mostly of my personal products in mid-use 🙂
I am a huge fan of Kiehl’s products for wintertime skin care. The Ultra Facial cleanser and Kiehl‘s Ultra Facial Cream are the perfect combo to prep your skin for a day on the mountain.
Another great, affordable pair for morning prep is Cerave Hydrating Cream cleanser and Cetaphil Rich Hydrating Cream Moisturizer.
All of these options are unscented, have no irritating ingredients, and are very soothing when I wake up and my skin feels tight.
Next Up, a Skiing Skin Care Must: Sunscreen!
I am a big fan of Supergoop, and for my less expensive option I keep a small tube of Sun Bum Face 50 sunscreen in my boot bag for reapplication at lunchtime.
I can’t say enough great things about Supergoop. I love the GlowScreen and the GlowStick. GlowScreen is SPF 40, comes in four tints, and is a bit shimmery. I like the Dawn color, it just adds a little glow, nothing heavy. The GlowStick is an oil stick with SPF 50. It’s weirdly not greasy at all, it sinks in super quick, and feels great on my sensitive skin. I LOVE this thing! What’s also great about both of these is they don’t smell like sunscreen.
We use sunscreen religiously, but we still can’t avoid a little color on the cheeks by the end of the season!
My eyes are a problem area for me with sunscreen because they, too, are sensitive, so if sunscreen runs into them it bothers me for the rest of the day. But, if I don’t use sunscreen on them, and because I often teach with my goggles up, I’m dealing with sunburned eyelids. I hate that!
The solution is Supergoop Shimmershade. It’s basically eyeshadow but it’s SPF 30, and it stays put. Plus it’s also a bit shimmery and comes in several colors, so that’s a fun bonus. I like the Golden Hour color. It is a little bit dry in consistency, and can feel a little cakey if you get too much, so that’s my only caveat. Under my eyes I use Supergoop Bright-Eyed as an extra layer to be sure that delicate skin there doesn’t burn.
Skin Protectant is key for your face on cold, blustery, snowy days
I have a Dermatone stick in each of my jacket pockets so it’s always on hand. It creates a barrier that protects your skin from wind, sun, and even frostbite. It comes in lip balm and skin protectant. Kiehls also makes an amazing Barrier Protecting Balm stick, it’s super hydrating and easy to use throughout the ski day, but no SPF.
I always put Dermatone on during the coldest days to give my face an extra layer of protection. And I use it on my lips practically hourly. Can’t live without it. Plus I love how it’s so classic, I remember my dad always had the tin of Dermatone when he’d take us skiing as kids.
Apres Ski Skin Care
I’ve found it so hard to find a skin care product that soothes after a long day on the slopes, and doesn’t sting. My dermatologist explained that after skiing we need to soothe the skin and repair our lipid barrier after it’s been under attack all day from the harsh winter conditions, and she said anything with Niacinamide and Squalene is good for that. After a lot of trial and error, I have a few I really like.
One product I love for this is Ursa Major Golden Hour Recovery Cream. It has healing herbal ingredients, smells divine, and feels very soothing. I love it, especially because it’s made by a small woman-owned company in Vermont.
The Kiehl’s Barrier repair cream and Overnight hydrating mask are also an amazing combo for repairing the damage that harsh winter weather can do during a ski day.
And some great affordable go-to’s: Cerave night cream and Aquaphor. Sometimes if I’m feeling chapped and my skin is really irritated, a thick, heavy cream or ointment is needed and Aquaphor does the trick.
So there you have it– I’ve spent the money on the products that sting or make my face more red not less, so you don’t have to! Hope these recommendations help, and let me know if you have some favorites that work for you; I’d love to hear about them. Happy skiing!
