How should different skin types adjust their skin care routine during the winter months to improve signs of aging?

Dry Skin types should adjust their regimen during winter months to include a gentle form of exfoliation such as Lactic Acid. Lactic Acid exfoliates, increases collagen, and adds hydration into the skin. I would also recommend using a heavy night time moisturizing cream that contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which is a moisture binding molecule, that hydrates, heals, and firms skin. Dry skin can wrinkle faster so adding a thick moisturizer at night will prevent that from occurring. Urban Skin Rx's Eventone Night Cream contains Lactic Acid and the Hydrabalance Moisturizer has hyaluronic acid in it.

Combination skin types should add a retinol serum into their nightly routine or if they are already using one, bump up the strength of retinol. Retinol increases cellular turnover of skin, making the skin more even toned, firmer, and lessens breakouts. Retinol causes photo sensitivity, so a stronger strength is more ideal during winter months. I also recommend incorporating a hyaluronic acid serum. This moisturizing ingredient, helps prevent winter dryness as well as the dryness that retinol can cause. The Derm Renew Retinol Complex and Hydrafirm Serum would be excellent for someone with combination skin to use during the winter time.

Oily skin types should also add retinol into their nightly routine, however in the day time I recommend using salicylic acid. Salicylic acid controls oil production and offers breakout prevention that often oily skin suffers from. Salicylic Acid is also photo sensitizing, so using it or increasing the strength is more ideal during winter months. The Clear Skin Cleansing Bar and Clarifying Gly Sal pads 10% from Urban Skin Rx both use high levels of salicylic acid and would be ideal for someone with oily skin to use during the winter time.

Normal Skin types during the winter can benefit from a oil based cleanser. Olive oil is very hydrating and offers antioxidant protection during the harsh elements and temperature drop of the summer. Using retinol is also ideal at night to increase cellular turnover and remove sun damage caused by the previous summer months. The Dry skin Cleansing bar from Urban Skin Rx uses essential oils as well as salicylic acid to hydrate and exfoliate normal to dry skin during the winter time. The Derm Renew Retinol Complex would also be great to use.

To summarize, all skin types should use exfoliating ingredients such as Retinol, Lactic Acid, or Salicylic acid during the months that we spend the most time out of the sun. The process of exfoliation increases the cellular renewal process of the skin. This process instigates new collagen which improves fine lines and wrinkles.

Winter is an ideal time to use these corrective photo sensitizing ingredients to remove sun damage from the previous summer and get your skin flawless for the upcoming summer, when it's hot and people like to wear less makeup. However these exfoliating ingredients can cause dryness which many people already battle during winter, so adding in a hyaluronic acid serum or cream can combat this and also firm the skin.