07 January 2025 | Whitewater Creative Ltd
Protecting Your Skin Against the Elements: A Brand’s Guide to Cold-Weather Skin Care
Their primary concerns will be the toll that cooler temperatures, dry indoor heating, and harsh winds take on their skin. Smart skincare brands anticipate this by creating a product line-up that not only provides extra hydration, but also protects and soothes, ensuring customers get everything they need to safeguard their skin during the colder months.
Winter skincare products date back centuries and are rooted in the need to protect our skin from harsh climates. Ancient cultures understood this, with Egyptian, Greek, and Roman societies using oils and beeswax to create a protective barrier against the environment. Fast forward to the 20th century, and we saw the rise of petroleum-based moisturisers and cold creams as household staples in colder climates.
Today, winter skin care goes beyond basic protection with sophisticated, toxin-free, gentle formulas that use scientific innovation to keep our skin hydrated, protected, and radiant through even the harshest conditions.
Recommend gentler cleansing routines
Historically, cold creams and cream-based cleansers were the norm for winter skincare because they cleaned while leaving a protective layer on the skin.
Adopting this age-old philosophy, today’s winter-ready cleansers are often creams or hydrating gels that use non-stripping formulas to gently remove dirt and maintain the skin’s natural oils, which is essential for a resilient skin barrier.
Brands can reinforce that in winter this is universally needed whatever the skin type, because environmental factors are more likely to leave skin feeling tight and uncomfortable.
Encourage moderation with exfoliation
Exfoliation has come a long way since the abrasive scrubs of the past, and has evolved into the much gentler, enzyme-based products we have today that support the removal of dead cells without damaging the skin barrier.
Historically, exfoliation in winter has always had an “approach with caution” message, and today’s more savvy consumers understand that over-exfoliation leads to irritation.
Brands that position exfoliants as a “gentle refresh” for winter, align their messaging with the seasonal need for a more sensitive approach, while still promoting the benefits of a smooth, bright complexion.
Emphasise hydration as the foundation
Hydration isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of winter skin care. During the colder months, as a brand, make it a priority to highlight your most hydrating products. Moisturisers and serums rich in hyaluronic acid, glycerine, and ceramides, draw and lock moisture into the skin, which, of course, is a feature that’s essential when battling winter dryness.
Kiehl's Mighty Moisture Essentials Set
This winter skincare kit from Kiehl’s is designed to combat dryness and provide a lasting sense of comfort due to its focus on hydration and soothing ingredients.
For brands, positioning similar products with benefits tied to colder weather as “winter essentials”, can resonate powerfully with your customers, and give them the targeted relief they’re looking for. Bundled as a seasonal set, hydrating products become even more appealing to anyone looking to revamp their skincare routine for winter.
Leverage hyaluronic acid’s appeal
Hyaluronic acid has become a winter skin care staple for its ability to moisturise and fortify the skin’s protective barrier. Modern formulations make it easy for brands to incorporate this powerhouse ingredient into serums and creams, and for customers to experience the immediate plumping and smoothing effects it brings.
L'Oreal's Hyaluronic Acid Serum
This highly acclaimed serum visibly hydrates and smooths, leaving skin with a more toned and radiant glow.
As a brand, more focused promotion of hyaluronic acid during the colder months can resonate with customers who are looking for an extra boost in moisture and hydration, and gives a subtle reminder that your products can adapt to their seasonal needs.
Remain sun aware
Sunscreen might seem like a summer-only product, but UV exposure now remains a year-round concern for most consumers.
It’s now well documented that UV rays can still penetrate clouds, and snow reflects and amplifies their impact. So, winter is an opportunity for brands to educate your customers on the importance of sun protection, whatever the weather.
L'Oreal's Revitalift Clinical Vitamin C UV Fluid SPF 50+ Moisturiser
This product from L'Oreal is a great example of a moisturiser with a high SPF sunscreen that’s lightweight enough for daily use, and still works well under makeup.
For brands, positioning SPF as a year-round essential rather than a seasonal summer product, demonstrates a commitment to complete skin protection, and reinforces your brand’s authority in skin care expertise.
Promote special care for lips and hands
Lips and hands are particularly vulnerable to the harshness of cold-weather conditions, and yet are often an afterthought in skincare routines.
Historically, people have used waxes, oils, and fats as protective balms for these exposed areas. Modern lip and hand treatments combine some of these tried and tested elements with advanced moisturising ingredients, to create targeted products that appeal to winter shoppers.
Kiehl's Butterstick Lip Treatment SPF 30
This lip treatment from Kiehl’s is a great example. Made with coconut oil and lemon butter, this protective, nourishing balm with SPF is perfect for safeguarding lips in the cold.
Brands can use similar products to educate your customers on holistic winter skin care that ensures no part of their skin is left unprotected. By recognising and promoting lip and hand care as essential steps in a winter routine, you can increase sales of these often overlooked products, and encourage customers to create a complete winter skin care defence.
Tips for embracing seasonal marketing
For up-and-coming cosmetics brands, seasonal marketing offers a prime opportunity to showcase your products and connect with your audience.
Positioning your products as the go-to solutions for cold-weather skin care helps customers to see the practical benefits of what you offer.
Here are a few tips to get some ideas flowing:
• Highlight seasonal benefits: Emphasise how your products address specific winter skin needs. For example, spotlight a product’s hydrating properties to appeal to consumers dealing with seasonal dryness.
• Create limited-edition bundles: Like Kiehl's Mighty Moisture Essentials Set, consider offering limited-edition seasonal bundles. This encourages customers to try a carefully curated selection of products that work together, making it easier to see the results of your entire range.
• Leverage user-generated content: Encourage customers to share their cold-weather skin care routines featuring your products on social media. This builds trust and provides real-life testimonials, giving potential buyers an unbiased perspective of how your products can benefit them during the colder months.
• Educate through content: Use blog posts, email newsletters, and social media to share skin care tips for cold weather. When customers view your brand as a helpful resource, it strengthens their connection with you and builds loyalty.
Preparing for winter’s harsh conditions isn’t just about adapting routines, it’s also about finding skincare products that truly meet seasonal needs.
By focusing on hydration, gentle care, and protection, brands can offer customers a complete winter skin care solution. And, when positioned thoughtfully, these products don’t just tackle cold-weather challenges − they help build trust and loyalty by showing your customers that your brand understands and supports their skin’s needs, from one season to the next.
At Whitewater, we pride ourselves on challenging conventional thinking and pushing the boundaries of what's possible for skincare brands with their marketing strategies and designs. If you’re ready to make a big impact and would like the support of an agency at the cutting edge of marketing, get in touch.
Winter skincare products date back centuries and are rooted in the need to protect our skin from harsh climates. Ancient cultures understood this, with Egyptian, Greek, and Roman societies using oils and beeswax to create a protective barrier against the environment. Fast forward to the 20th century, and we saw the rise of petroleum-based moisturisers and cold creams as household staples in colder climates.
Today, winter skin care goes beyond basic protection with sophisticated, toxin-free, gentle formulas that use scientific innovation to keep our skin hydrated, protected, and radiant through even the harshest conditions.
Recommend gentler cleansing routines
Historically, cold creams and cream-based cleansers were the norm for winter skincare because they cleaned while leaving a protective layer on the skin.
Adopting this age-old philosophy, today’s winter-ready cleansers are often creams or hydrating gels that use non-stripping formulas to gently remove dirt and maintain the skin’s natural oils, which is essential for a resilient skin barrier.
Brands can reinforce that in winter this is universally needed whatever the skin type, because environmental factors are more likely to leave skin feeling tight and uncomfortable.
Encourage moderation with exfoliation
Exfoliation has come a long way since the abrasive scrubs of the past, and has evolved into the much gentler, enzyme-based products we have today that support the removal of dead cells without damaging the skin barrier.
Historically, exfoliation in winter has always had an “approach with caution” message, and today’s more savvy consumers understand that over-exfoliation leads to irritation.
Brands that position exfoliants as a “gentle refresh” for winter, align their messaging with the seasonal need for a more sensitive approach, while still promoting the benefits of a smooth, bright complexion.
Emphasise hydration as the foundation
Hydration isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of winter skin care. During the colder months, as a brand, make it a priority to highlight your most hydrating products. Moisturisers and serums rich in hyaluronic acid, glycerine, and ceramides, draw and lock moisture into the skin, which, of course, is a feature that’s essential when battling winter dryness.
Kiehl's Mighty Moisture Essentials Set
This winter skincare kit from Kiehl’s is designed to combat dryness and provide a lasting sense of comfort due to its focus on hydration and soothing ingredients.
For brands, positioning similar products with benefits tied to colder weather as “winter essentials”, can resonate powerfully with your customers, and give them the targeted relief they’re looking for. Bundled as a seasonal set, hydrating products become even more appealing to anyone looking to revamp their skincare routine for winter.
Leverage hyaluronic acid’s appeal
Hyaluronic acid has become a winter skin care staple for its ability to moisturise and fortify the skin’s protective barrier. Modern formulations make it easy for brands to incorporate this powerhouse ingredient into serums and creams, and for customers to experience the immediate plumping and smoothing effects it brings.
L'Oreal's Hyaluronic Acid Serum
This highly acclaimed serum visibly hydrates and smooths, leaving skin with a more toned and radiant glow.
As a brand, more focused promotion of hyaluronic acid during the colder months can resonate with customers who are looking for an extra boost in moisture and hydration, and gives a subtle reminder that your products can adapt to their seasonal needs.
Remain sun aware
Sunscreen might seem like a summer-only product, but UV exposure now remains a year-round concern for most consumers.
It’s now well documented that UV rays can still penetrate clouds, and snow reflects and amplifies their impact. So, winter is an opportunity for brands to educate your customers on the importance of sun protection, whatever the weather.
L'Oreal's Revitalift Clinical Vitamin C UV Fluid SPF 50+ Moisturiser
This product from L'Oreal is a great example of a moisturiser with a high SPF sunscreen that’s lightweight enough for daily use, and still works well under makeup.
For brands, positioning SPF as a year-round essential rather than a seasonal summer product, demonstrates a commitment to complete skin protection, and reinforces your brand’s authority in skin care expertise.
Promote special care for lips and hands
Lips and hands are particularly vulnerable to the harshness of cold-weather conditions, and yet are often an afterthought in skincare routines.
Historically, people have used waxes, oils, and fats as protective balms for these exposed areas. Modern lip and hand treatments combine some of these tried and tested elements with advanced moisturising ingredients, to create targeted products that appeal to winter shoppers.
Kiehl's Butterstick Lip Treatment SPF 30
This lip treatment from Kiehl’s is a great example. Made with coconut oil and lemon butter, this protective, nourishing balm with SPF is perfect for safeguarding lips in the cold.
Brands can use similar products to educate your customers on holistic winter skin care that ensures no part of their skin is left unprotected. By recognising and promoting lip and hand care as essential steps in a winter routine, you can increase sales of these often overlooked products, and encourage customers to create a complete winter skin care defence.
Tips for embracing seasonal marketing
For up-and-coming cosmetics brands, seasonal marketing offers a prime opportunity to showcase your products and connect with your audience.
Positioning your products as the go-to solutions for cold-weather skin care helps customers to see the practical benefits of what you offer.
Here are a few tips to get some ideas flowing:
• Highlight seasonal benefits: Emphasise how your products address specific winter skin needs. For example, spotlight a product’s hydrating properties to appeal to consumers dealing with seasonal dryness.
• Create limited-edition bundles: Like Kiehl's Mighty Moisture Essentials Set, consider offering limited-edition seasonal bundles. This encourages customers to try a carefully curated selection of products that work together, making it easier to see the results of your entire range.
• Leverage user-generated content: Encourage customers to share their cold-weather skin care routines featuring your products on social media. This builds trust and provides real-life testimonials, giving potential buyers an unbiased perspective of how your products can benefit them during the colder months.
• Educate through content: Use blog posts, email newsletters, and social media to share skin care tips for cold weather. When customers view your brand as a helpful resource, it strengthens their connection with you and builds loyalty.
Preparing for winter’s harsh conditions isn’t just about adapting routines, it’s also about finding skincare products that truly meet seasonal needs.
By focusing on hydration, gentle care, and protection, brands can offer customers a complete winter skin care solution. And, when positioned thoughtfully, these products don’t just tackle cold-weather challenges − they help build trust and loyalty by showing your customers that your brand understands and supports their skin’s needs, from one season to the next.
At Whitewater, we pride ourselves on challenging conventional thinking and pushing the boundaries of what's possible for skincare brands with their marketing strategies and designs. If you’re ready to make a big impact and would like the support of an agency at the cutting edge of marketing, get in touch.