Dry skin in winter, dehydration and chapped lips: a step-by-step skincare guide

Dry skin, a dehydrated face and cracking lips aren't "just winter", but a sign of a broken skin barrier and a lack of water in the skin. With gentle cleansing that doesn't dry the skin out, layered hydration (serum + cream) and targeted protection for dry, thin skin (lips, the area around the eyes), your face can become visibly softer, calmer and stop feeling tight within a few weeks. Dry skin or just dehydrated skin – what's the difference? Dry skin means you're lacking sebum, that is, natural oils, so the skin is constantly tight, rough, prone to flaking and fine lines. Dehydrated skin has a lack of water, so it can be both oily and dehydrated at the same time: it looks greyish, dull, and quickly drinks up every cream you apply. In practice, in winter most people have both – the skin is dry and dehydrated at once, and the lips crack at the slightest gust of wind. That's why a routine has to protect the lipid barrier and return moisture to the deeper layers of the skin at the same time, not just "slather on something very greasy". Why skin and lips crack in winter (it's not just about the cream) Cold air outside, dry and warm air indoors and hard tap water all draw moisture out of the skin and lips together, so the protective barrier wears down faster. If on top of that you use aggressive cleansing gels and skip serums, your skin is left with nothing to hold water in, so it reacts with flaking, redness and a burning sensation. Lips suffer even more because they practically have no sebaceous glands, so they can't protect themselves, which is why they're the first to start cracking when you're dehydrated or when you lick your lips in the wind all day. A morning hydrating routine for dry and dehydrated skin Gentle cleansing without stripping natural oils In the morning, skip aggressive foaming cleansers and use a mild face-wash gel with tea tree that removes impurities but doesn't leave the skin "squeaky" dry. This way you preserve the natural oils that are key to the elasticity of dry skin. If you used the 2FACED butter in the evening, your morning can get by with just lukewarm water or a minimal amount of gel, so your skin doesn't start the day already irritated. Toning and preparing the skin After cleansing, use a toner with tea tree as a light, watery layer that restores freshness and prepares the skin to absorb serum and cream better. Apply the toner with your palms or a cotton pad, without rough rubbing, because dry and dehydrated skin is often sensitive too. On top of all that, the toner nicely removes limescale and the hardness of tap water from the skin and pores after washing. A light toner helps the next layers to "lock" into the skin instead of just sitting on the surface and disappearing after half an hour. Layered hydration: serum + cream + the eye area On skin still damp from the toner, apply the Hydrating face serum based on aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and vegetable glycerine – this combination attracts and binds water in the skin, so it's excellent for dehydration. For more severe dehydration, feel free to apply it in two thin layers, gently tapping it in with your fingers. Once the serum has absorbed, normal-to-dry skin moves on to a hydrating day cream, while for very dry or more mature skin you can also use the Immortelle cream in the morning, which is richer, nourishes deeply and helps with fine lines and an uneven complexion. The Immortelle cream leaves the skin velvety, hydrated and soft, while at the same time acting as a mild anti-age shield throughout the day. For the eye area, use a dedicated eye-area serum: the thin skin under the eyes shouldn't be suffocated with heavy creams, but given concentrated yet light care against dehydration lines. This is a zone with fewer sebaceous glands, so it looks tired and lined much faster when it lacks moisture. An evening routine for barrier repair + anti-age effect Double cleansing when you wear SPF and make-up If you wear SPF and make-up, start your evening with the 2FACED cleansing butter, which thoroughly melts away both waterproof make-up and the day's impurities while not drying out the skin. The butter is formulated from coconut, almond and macadamia oils and gently foams on contact with warm water, leaving the skin soft and nourished, without tightness. If you want the feeling of a completely clean face, after the butter you can add a thin layer of tea tree face-wash gel, which cleanses but doesn't strip the natural barrier of dry skin. When to choose a nourishing cream and when a hydrating one After cleansing, toner and hydrating serum go on again, and then you choose your cream according to your skin's condition that evening. When your skin is more dehydrated than dry, stay on the hydrating cream over the serum. When the skin is rough, flaking and itchy, reach for the nourishing cream with peptides, which is richer, nourishes and helps repair the skin barrier and reduce signs of ageing. The peptides in the nourishing cream support the skin's natural renewal process, so this texture is ideal in the evening for dry and mature skin, especially during the heating season. The role of the Immortelle cream for dry and mature skin If your face is dry and prone to flaking, and you also want an anti-age effect, the Immortelle cream can be your main night cream. The hydrosol, macerate and essential oil of immortelle are known for their regenerative properties: they help reduce sun pigmentation, even out the complexion and keep the skin soft and supple. The Immortelle cream is especially praised for dry and sensitive skin – reviews highlight that the skin stops being cracked and dry, becomes velvety and hydrated, and the cream also works well as a base for make-up. Cracking lips and dehydration: SOS tips Chapped lips are often the first sign that you've become dehydrated – a lack of water in the body shows directly on the thin skin of the lips. Drinking water regularly and using a humidifier in a heated room reduce drying of the skin and lips, both from the inside and the outside. For care, use rich, protective textures: you can use 100% shea butter as a lip balm because it retains moisture, protects and softens the cracked areas. Applied in a thin layer, this oily barrier prevents further moisture loss from the lips and protects them from the wind. It's important to avoid constantly licking your lips, because saliva dries them out further and worsens the cracking, even though it briefly feels like relief. The most common mistakes with dry skin (and quick solutions) Washing your face with strong gels several times a day → swap for a gentle gel + the 2FACED butter in the evening. Skipping serum because "I already have a cream" → for dehydration, a serum with hyaluronic acid and glycerine is the key water layer, while the cream is more of a protective one. Too heavy a cream during the day → for dehydrated-oily skin choose a hydrating cream by day and leave richer textures for the night. Neglecting the eye and lip area → targeted textures (eye-area serum + shea on the lips) prevent dehydration lines and painful cracking. FAQ 1. Why does my skin feel tighter and flake more in winter? In winter, cold air, heating and hard water dry the skin out and damage the barrier, so it loses both water and lipids, which causes tightness and flaking. 2. How do I tell dry skin from dehydrated skin? Dry skin has a lack of oils and often flakes, while dehydrated skin has a lack of water, looks grey and tired, and can be both oily and dehydrated at the same time. 3. Can I use the same cream day and night on dry skin? You can, but it's often better to choose a lighter hydrating one by day and a richer nourishing one or the Immortelle cream at night for stronger repair and an anti-age effect. 4. Will the 2FACED butter dry me out further if I have dry skin? No, the 2FACED butter is formulated with nourishing oils and leaves the skin soft and nourished after cleansing, without any feeling of tightness. 5. Why should the serum go under the cream? A serum with hydrating ingredients penetrates deeper and fills the skin with water, while the cream goes over the top as a protective layer that keeps the moisture in the skin. 6. What's better for chapped lips – a balm or a butter? The formula matters most: 100% shea butter nourishes, softens and protects chapped lips beautifully, so it can easily replace a balm. 7. Is the Immortelle cream only for mature skin? No, although it's ideal for dry and mature skin, it's formulated to suit other types that need more hydration and regeneration too.