A crowded ingredient list can look impressive, suggesting abundance and better value. But the skin does not count the names printed on a bottle.
For many of us, skincare at the end of the day is simply another task to tick off before bed. Cleanse, moisturise and call it a night. But there is something to be said for slowing the process down.
Night-time has long been considered the most important window for skincare. While you sleep, your skin shifts its focus away from defending itself against the day’s environmental stressors and towards recovery. It’s the perfect opportunity to replenish moisture, support repair and give hardworking formulas the uninterrupted time they need to perform.
That philosophy sits at the heart of Chanel’s Sublimage collection. Rather than relying on a single hero product, the range is designed as a complete ritual, with each formula building on the last.
Tying the collection together is Chanel’s signature polyfractioned Vanilla Planifolia, an ingredient developed from a rare variety of vanilla grown in Madagascar. Found throughout the range, it’s combined with complementary ingredients to help support regeneration, improve skin quality and leave the complexion looking smoother, stronger and more radiant over time.
Just as the end of the day offers a chance to reset, so too does your skincare routine. Each step in the Sublimage ritual has been created with a specific purpose, working in harmony to cleanse, prepare, repair and nourish skin while you sleep, so you wake up looking as refreshed as you feel.
A good night routine starts with a proper cleanse, and this one makes the process feel far more indulgent than your average make-up remover. The silky gel melts into an oil as it’s massaged over the skin before transforming into a light milk when water is added, effortlessly lifting away make-up, sunscreen and the day’s impurities.
Often overlooked, a lotion can make all the difference to how the rest of your skincare performs. L’Extrait de Lotion acts as the bridge between cleansing and treatment, flooding skin with hydration while preparing it to better absorb the next layers.
Its lightweight texture is dotted with thousands of micro-droplets that deliver both freshness and nourishment, leaving skin feeling immediately plumper and more comfortable. It’s one of those products that doesn’t necessarily shout for attention, but quietly elevates everything applied afterwards.
If there is one product that truly defines the evening ritual, it’s L’Extrait de Nuit. Created specifically for night-time use, this concentrated treatment works alongside the skin’s natural overnight repair cycle, helping it recover while you sleep.
Promising eight hours of sleep in a bottle, the formula combines polyfractioned Vanilla Planifolia with Swertia extract and a naturally derived chronopeptide, creating a treatment that’s focused on supporting skin when regeneration is at its peak. Despite its potency, the texture remains beautifully lightweight thanks to millions of micro-droplets that deliver both hydration and comfort.
The final step is all about sealing in the benefits of everything that came before. Rich without feeling heavy, La Crème wraps the skin in lasting comfort while helping maintain hydration throughout the night. Over time, it works to improve the appearance of firmness, smoothness and radiance, leaving skin looking healthier with continued use.
One of the best things about the moisturiser is that it isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula. Chanel offers two different textures: Texture Fine for those who prefer something lighter, particularly in warmer, more humid climates, and Texture Suprême for anyone who enjoys a richer, more cocooning finish. It means the routine can be tailored to both your skin type and the changing seasons without compromising on the benefits of the formula.
The eye area is often the first place to reveal the effects of long days and late nights, making it worth giving a little extra attention before bed. La Crème Yeux targets the delicate skin around the eyes with the same regenerative philosophy as the rest of the collection, helping to improve the appearance of fine lines while leaving the eye area looking smoother, brighter and more refreshed by morning.
Like the rest of the Sublimage ritual, it’s less about chasing overnight miracles and more about consistency. Night after night, the small moments of care add up, transforming an everyday skincare routine into a ritual that feels just as restorative for the mind as it does for the skin.
Looking back, I cringe thinking about how much I neglected my skin throughout my 20s and 30s. Honestly, I don’t think I owned so much as a drugstore moisturizer, let alone a multi-step routine or a bottle of facial sunscreen. It simply wasn’t something I gave any thought to.
My come-to-Jesus moment happened in a brewery bathroom on a summer afternoon. I’d stopped to wash my hands and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Something above my lip — dirt from my bike handlebars, I assumed. I scrubbed at it with wet fingers, grateful I’d noticed before heading back out into the sunshine. But it wouldn’t budge. Swipe, swipe, swipe. Still there. Oh my god. How had I not noticed before? Years of benign neglect had finally shown up as melasma, shaped like a dirt mustache that was suddenly the only feature of my face I could think about.
Fast forward to now, at 44. I have an arsenal of well-curated products, sunscreen in every form (lotion, spray, powder) in every bag I own, and a quarterly facial appointment I look forward to more than almost anything else on my calendar.
That said, I’m also a woman on the internet, which means my algorithm fires a constant stream of products and treatments at me. Slugging. Tallow balm. Skin cycling. LED masks. Retinol before 30, never before 30, only on alternating Tuesdays. The line between actually caring for your skin and quietly harming it is thinner than the before-and-after creators want you to believe.
If you’re in your 20s or 30s, I want to save you the particular horror of a brewery bathroom mirror moment. And I don’t want you wasting time, money, or energy on things that don’t matter. So I talked with Kristyn Smith, esthetician and founder of Practise NYC, who has spent over two decades working at the intersection of clinical aesthetics and holistic skin health. She gave me the clearest framework I’ve heard for cutting through the noise.
The first thing Smith wants you to know is that the 10-step routines and viral skin-cycling schedules are largely a distraction. “Your skin is an organ, not a project,” she says. “If a product doesn’t serve a specific function for your unique barrier, it’s just noise.”
What does serving your barrier actually look like? For someone in their 20s with no existing routine, Smith’s list is almost aggressively short. A gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip your natural lipids, a quality moisturizer to prevent water loss, and SPF. “Everything else is an ‘extra’ until you have this foundation,” she says.
It’s a deflating answer if you’ve already built a shelf full of actives, but Smith’s reasoning holds. The most common mistake she sees in clients in their 30s is an obsession with aggressive correction — too much retinol, harsh acids, overcrowded routines — at the direct expense of their skin barrier. “The skin is resilient, so it seems fine now,” she explains. “But you are essentially borrowing from your skin’s future health.”
Here’s the part nobody making money off your skincare routine wants you to hear. Products account for maybe 20% of how your skin ages. The rest comes down to sleep, stress management, diet, and hormones.
“You cannot ‘product’ your way out of a high-stress lifestyle or a lack of sleep,” Smith says. “I see the skin as a mirror of what is happening internally. If you are depleted, your skin will look depleted.”
This lands differently when you’re a mom in your 30s navigating real hormonal flux — postpartum, sleep-deprived, or bumping up against early perimenopause sooner than you expected. Smith says this is exactly the moment to shift your routine toward soothing and stabilizing rather than correcting. Hormonal changes make skin more reactive and more prone to melasma (yep, that’s the one). “This isn’t the time for aggressive peels,” she says. “It’s the time for hydration, Vitamin C, and gentle botanicals.”
For busy moms who want to actually build these habits, Smith recommends habit stacking. Apply your serum while the kids are in the bath. Treat a five-minute LED mask session as your reset. “It’s about making self-care feel like a necessity, not a luxury,” she says.
There is perhaps no skincare topic more polluted with conflicting information right now than sunscreen. Mineral vs. chemical. Oxybenzone concerns. The wellness-adjacent crowd suggesting you actually want more sun exposure for collagen and vitamin D. I asked Smith to just tell me what she tells her clients.
“Whether you choose mineral or chemical, the best sunscreen is the one you will actually wear every single day,” she says. If you have sensitive skin or you’re pregnant, mineral is often the better bet, more soothing with fewer variables. But the priority, full stop, is protection — from UV rays, DNA damage, and the cumulative sun exposure that adds up over decades.
And what exactly are you protecting beyond that? Your collagen, mostly. “Once it’s gone, it is very hard to rebuild,” Smith says. SPF is part of it, but so is a nutrient-dense diet and avoiding what she calls pro-inflammatory habits like smoking and excessive sugar. This is where the unsexy long-game stuff lives.
Retinoids are treated as a near-universal recommendation for anyone over 25, but Smith’s take is more nuanced than most. “Not every skin type can handle Vitamin A,” she says, particularly people with rosacea or a compromised barrier. In those cases, she’ll often look at alternatives like bakuchiol or lower-dose retinaldehydes to get the benefits without the chronic inflammation.
Beef tallow, the ancestral skincare trend that has taken over a certain corner of the wellness internet, gets a similarly grounded response. Smith understands the appeal, but from a clinical standpoint, tallow can be comedogenic (read: pore-clogging) for a lot of people. “We have evolved to create incredibly sophisticated, bio-available formulations that mimic the skin’s natural oils without the risk of breakouts or stability issues,” she says. The appeal-to-nature argument, in other words, doesn’t automatically make something better for your face.
More broadly, when a client comes in having gone deep on a TikTok protocol, Smith redirects rather than dismisses. “A creator’s ‘holy grail’ ingredient might be a disaster for your specific skin type,” she says. The goal is to understand your own skin’s cues, not follow someone else’s digital script.
I asked Smith what she’d want a Motherly reader to do differently after reading this. I expected SPF. I expected a product recommendation.
What I got was this: “Stop looking at your skin in a magnifying mirror. When we over-analyze every pore, we tend to over-treat. Step back, be gentle, and trust that a healthy barrier is the most beautiful thing you can wear.”
Honestly? I’ve been staring in magnifying mirrors since the brewery bathroom. I’m going to think about that one for a while.
Over the past five years, dermatologist Rajani Katta has noticed a change in the people who come into her office. Their skincare routines have been getting more complicated — some stretching to 12 steps — and often involve products that they found through social media, many of which don’t have a lot of scientific backing.
The science influencers going viral on TikTok to fight misinformation
They didn’t realize that some of those products were doing damage to their skin, says Katta, who specializes in sensitive skin and allergies at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “People are much more likely to experiment on themselves” than they have been in the past, she says.
Globally, there seems to be more interest in skincare than ever before, with the industry expected to generate more than US$200 billion worldwide in 2026. Social-media platforms such as TikTok seem to be a main driver of the hot pursuit of youthful, glowing skin, with hashtags such as #SkinTok generating more than one billion views per month. The platforms have helped to kick-start a wave of skincare trends, from using beef tallow as a moisturizer to achieving ‘glass skin’ — a smooth, shiny complexion — using dozens of pricey products. They’re also rife with harmful misinformation, such as the false claim that sunscreens cause skin cancer and vitamin-D deficiency.
For most people, the recipe for maintaining healthy skin should be simple and follows guidelines that dermatologists have offered for years. But it’s not just about what one puts on or takes off one’s skin. There’s plenty of evidence that lifestyle factors are important — arguably more important — than products and daily rituals for keeping skin healthy. Often, the recommendations from physicians about skin run counter to what is circulating on social media.
What’s more, new research is elucidating the connections between the skin and other organ systems, and it has become clear that keeping skin healthy has effects far beyond one’s outward appearance, says Mao-Qing Man, a dermatologist at Hebei Medical University in Shijiazhuang, China. “Skin health is important for overall health,” he says.
The skin is the body’s suit of armour, acting as the first line of defence against the constant barrage of threats from the outside world, including pathogens, chemicals and ultraviolet radiation. “It has a lot of different dimensions,” says Daniel Kaplan, a dermatologist who focuses on immunology at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.
Skin is made up of three main layers: the hypodermis (bottom), dermis (middle) and epidermis (top). The epidermis constantly churns out fresh skin cells to replace the roughly 40,000 dead skin cells that the body sheds every day.
The outermost layer of the epidermis is the stratum corneum, more commonly known as the skin barrier. This waterproof shield is made of corneocytes — flat, dead cells filled with the protein keratin. These tough cells are surrounded by lipids called ceramides, which lock in moisture and keep invaders out of the skin.
The outer layer of the skin and its natural oils form a protective barrier.Credit: Thierry Berrod, Mona Lisa Production/SPL
Although biology textbooks often compare the skin barrier to a brick wall, it’s more like a thriving ecosystem of physical, chemical, microbial and immune functions, says Peter Lio, a dermatologist who specializes in eczema at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. “Our skin barrier is incredibly dynamic and complex,” he says.
But, it’s also “pretty easy to screw it up”, Lio says. For instance, some popular cosmetic procedures, such as chemical peels — which temporarily remove the outer layers of the skin to reduce wrinkles and acne scars — can cause lasting harm to the skin barrier and result in chronic sensitivity if done incorrectly or too frequently. “The skin does have powerful abilities to regenerate”, but some treatments can override that, says Katta.
The surprisingly big health benefits of just a little exercise
Common signs of a compromised skin barrier include persistent dryness, itchiness and redness, along with acne and infection. This damage can increase a person’s risk of developing more chronic skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and even allergies, says Katta. It can also make it easier for pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that can cause abscesses and, in more severe cases, blood infections, to slip past the barrier.
A common mistake that many people make at home is overusing harsh soaps, detergents and astringents — liquids that shrink body tissues by drawing water out of them, says Kaplan. These substances, which include alcohol and witch hazel, can be useful for removing excess oil, make-up and acne-causing bacteria. But they can also strip away the natural oils that keep the skin barrier intact in the first place, adds Kaplan.
The barrier also has an acid mantle — a thin, filmy layer of oils, fatty acids and amino acids — which helps to keep the skin stable and creates the conditions needed for a healthy microbiome to flourish (see ‘A home for beneficial bacteria’). Wiping out lipids with harsh products raises pH levels. This, in turn, weakens the community of beneficial microorganisms and enables pathogenic types to flourish. Taking scalding hot showers is another way to damage the skin barrier, says Tamia Harris-Tryon, a physician scientist who studies the skin microbiome at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “If it’s hot enough to clean your pots and pans of oil, it will clean your body of natural oils,” she says.
Source: go.nature.com/4rigfrx
Children as young as nine years old are becoming more interested in skincare products and multistep routines, says Lio. Whereas gentle cleansers, moisturizers and sunscreen are generally safe for kids, potent serums and anti-ageing products for mature skin can wreak havoc on younger skin, he says.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends washing the face twice a day with a gentle cleanser, applying a moisturizer and — during the day — putting on sunscreen and protective clothing.
Over the long term, few things are worse for the skin than overexposure to UV radiation, either through natural sunlight or tanning beds, says Elsemieke Plasmeijer, a dermatologist and epidemiologist at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam. UV radiation is the leading cause of melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer. In 2022, almost 60,000 people died from melanoma, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The two main types of UV radiation that reach Earth’s surface — UVA and UVB —affect the skin in different ways. UVA causes damage in the dermis by triggering oxidative stress and breaking down collagen and elastin — proteins that provide tissues with structure and flexibility. Meanwhile, UVB only reaches the epidermis, but causes sunburn and DNA damage that can lead to skin cancer. A 2019 study found that both types of UV radiation disrupt a protein that helps cells to stick together in the skin barrier1. This resulted in weaker bonds between corneocytes, leading to a less resilient skin barrier.
Stress is wrecking your health: how can science help?
Sunbathing on the beach for hours isn’t the only way to get too much UV radiation. In December, Pedram Gerami, a dermatologist who specializes in skin cancer at Northwestern University, and his colleagues reported that people who use indoor tanning beds were three times more likely to get melanoma than those who don’t use them2. They were more likely to have multiple melanomas, even in parts of the body that usually have low levels of Sun damage, such as the thighs.
The indoor tanning industry often argues that tanning beds are safer than natural sunlight because they emit more UVA than they do DNA-damaging UVB light. But this claim is often false, says Gerami. “The amount of UVA is about 10 to 15 times higher than the UVA outside,” he says. The WHO classifies tanning beds as a human carcinogen in the same category as asbestos and cigarette smoke.
If I asked you where key bacteria live in your body, you’d probably say your gut. Maybe your mouth. Possibly your skin.
Your breasts probably wouldn’t make the list.
And yet – they should.
We’ve known for years that gut microbes are surprisingly chatty. They send signals to the brain that influence mood and stress resilience. (1) They help train the immune system so it knows when to calm down and when to fight. (2) They even influence how the liver processes hormones like estrogen. (3)
But sometimes microbes don’t just send signals – they relocate.
Breast tissue contains its own distinct microbial community. Some of these microbes may originate in the gut. Others likely come from the skin. And during breastfeeding, beneficial bacteria may be delivered to the breast as part of the body’s natural support system for mother and baby.
In this article, we’ll talk about what they’re doing there and why it matters for breast health across our lifespan. First, though, a quick note: This is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA.
Now, let’s take a look.
For decades, scientists assumed that internal tissues like the breast were sterile unless infection was present. But advances in DNA sequencing have changed that assumption.
As one study explains:
“This research shows that breast tissue is not sterile but contains a diverse community of bacteria, adding to the literature that body sites once believed to be sterile do indeed have an endogenous microbiome…” (4)
Researchers have identified a consistent microbial ecosystem in breast tissue, mostly made up of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Think of these as broad bacterial “families” or groupings.
Zooming in a level, common genera include Staphylococcus and Streptococcus – bacteria that, in the right balance, peacefully coexist and interact with immune cells in the breast.
This isn’t just bacteria from the surface tagging along. In fact:
“Our results indicate a distinct breast tissue microbiome that is different from the microbiota of breast skin tissue…” (5)
In other words, the breast has its own microbial signature – a living ecosystem within the tissue itself.
And like all ecosystems, balance matters.
As researchers have compared breast tissue samples, a clear pattern has emerged: the microbial mix looks different in healthy tissue than it does in tissue affected by benign growths or breast cancer. (5) (6) (7)
In healthy tissue, the microbial pattern tends to reflect a more even distribution of bacterial groups – without the overrepresentation of certain species that appear more frequently in tissue samples from women diagnosed with breast cancer.
In contrast, tissue samples from women diagnosed with breast cancer often show shifts in microbial balance. Some bacteria that are typically present in very small amounts in healthy tissue appear in higher proportions in abnormal samples – including genera such as Fusobacterium, Atopobium, and members of the Enterobacteriaceae family. (5) (4) (7) Higher levels of Staphylococcus and Bacillus have also been observed in some studies. (5)
These differences don’t prove cause and effect, but they do suggest that microbial balance may play a role in shaping the local immune environment – including how the body responds to inflammation, environmental exposures, and the behavior of abnormal or “rogue” cells.
We’re still in the early chapters of this research, but several potential roles have emerged.
Supporting local immune balance
Breast tissue contains resident immune cells that monitor the surrounding environment. Some researchers have proposed that the breast microbiome may interact with these immune cells and influence local immune signaling. (4)
Influencing inflammatory pathways
Several studies comparing healthy breast tissue with unhealthy tissue have found that shifts in microbial composition are associated with differences in inflammatory patterns within the breast microenvironment. (6) (7)
While this doesn’t establish direct cause and effect, it does suggest that microbial balance and inflammatory signaling are interconnected – and persistent inflammatory signaling is one factor known to influence long-term tissue health.
Interacting with metabolic activity in the tissue
The 2014 study that helped establish the presence of a breast microbiome also noted that bacterial metabolic activity – including the potential ability to degrade certain compounds – could influence the tissue environment. (4)
Some bacteria are known to metabolize carcinogens and other environmental chemicals in different parts of the body, and researchers have suggested that similar activity could occur within breast tissue.
If the breast has its own microbial ecosystem, the next obvious question is: what shapes it?
Researchers are still piecing that together, but a few factors are beginning to stand out:
It probably won’t surprise you that what we eat matters.
Research from Wake Forest School of Medicine — including work by Katherine L. Cook, Ph.D., whose lab studies metabolism, obesity, and breast cancer biology — has shown that dietary changes can alter the breast microbiome in animal models. In one study, fish oil supplementation shifted the microbial composition of breast tissue and was associated with changes in tumor biology.
(8)
While these findings are still early and primarily preclinical, they support a bigger picture we already understand: Food influences microbes in more places than just the gut – and the breast appears to be one of them.
Body composition also appears to play a role. Obesity is associated with changes in inflammation and immune signaling, and research suggests it may also reshape the microbial landscape within breast tissue.
Katherine Cook’s work, in particular, has explored how this factor alters the breast microenvironment – including shifts in microbial and inflammatory patterns that may influence long-term risk.
(9)
This doesn’t mean body composition alone determines breast health. But it does suggest that the metabolic environment of the body may influence the microbial environment of the breast.
Breastfeeding adds another fascinating layer.
During lactation, immune cells can transport select microbes from the maternal gut to the mammary gland through what researchers call the entero-mammary pathway.
(10)
This process appears to be part of a coordinated immune-support system – helping deliver beneficial bacteria to infants while also shaping the microbial landscape of the breast itself.
Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, with longer duration linked to greater risk reduction. Large epidemiological studies have consistently shown this protective association. (For example, this one).
Researchers already understand several mechanisms that likely contribute to that reduced risk, including hormonal shifts, fewer lifetime menstrual cycles, and structural changes in breast tissue that occur during lactation.
The microbiome may represent another piece of that puzzle.
While we don’t yet have definitive evidence that microbial changes during breastfeeding directly influence long-term risk, the fact that lactation reshapes both immune signaling and microbial communities makes this a topic worthy of deeper investigation.
If you’ve read this far, you might be wondering whether there’s anything you can actually do with this information.
Right now, we don’t yet have breast-specific probiotic protocols or targeted microbiome therapies.
This research is still unfolding, but what we do know is encouraging.
The same lifestyle factors that support immune balance, metabolic health, and microbial diversity throughout the body are likely supporting the breast as well.
For me, that means I’ll continue to prioritize:
None of these are complicated strategies. They’re foundational ones.
And foundational health tends to ripple outward.
The discovery of the breast microbiome doesn’t mean we need a brand-new strategy.
It reinforces what we already know. Everything’s connected – our immune system, our hormones, our metabolism, and yes, our microbes.
I think I’ll go make some yogurt now.
Sources
Lifestyle
-Oneindia Staff
Updated: Thursday, December 11, 2025, 8:29 [IST]
Morning
and
night
skincare
routines
both
help
keep
skin
healthy.
Morning
care
protects
skin
from
sun,
heat,
dust,
and
pollution.
Night
care
helps
repair
damage
and
supports
skin
renewal
during
sleep.
Many
people
ask
which
routine
matters
more.
The
answer
usually
depends
on
skin
type,
daily
habits,
and
local
weather,
but
both
routines
play
different,
important
roles.
Morning
skincare
focuses
on
protection.
Products
aim
to
shield
skin
from
sun
rays,
pollution,
sweat,
and
make-up.
Night
skincare
focuses
on
repair.
Products
aim
to
support
skin
renewal
and
target
spots,
dullness,
or
fine
lines.
Morning
steps
are
often
lighter
and
quick.
Night
steps
may
be
richer
and
more
focused
on
treatment.
Morning
and
night
skincare
routines
play
essential
roles,
with
morning
care
focused
on
protection
against
sun
and
pollution,
while
nighttime
care
aids
in
repair
and
renewal,
both
crucial
for
healthy
skin.
In
India,
factors
such
as
sun
exposure
and
skin
type
influence
which
aspects
need
more
attention.
In
India,
strong
sun
and
pollution
are
part
of
daily
life.
Morning
skincare
helps
form
a
barrier
between
your
skin
and
harsh
outdoor
factors.
A
good
routine
in
the
morning
reduces
tanning,
sunburn,
and
early
ageing
signs.
It
also
keeps
skin
fresh
through
work,
travel,
and
heat.
Skipping
morning
care
can
make
other
skincare
efforts
less
effective.
Most
people
do
not
need
a
harsh
face
wash
in
the
morning.
A
gentle
cleanser
or
even
just
water
may
be
enough
for
normal
skin.
After
cleaning,
use
a
light,
hydrating
toner
or
mist
if
your
skin
feels
tight.
Follow
this
with
a
simple
moisturiser
suited
to
your
skin
type.
The
final
and
most
important
step
is
sunscreen.
Sunscreen
is
often
the
most
important
product
in
a
morning
routine.
It
protects
skin
from
UV
rays,
which
can
cause
dark
spots,
tanning,
fine
lines,
and
even
skin
cancer.
For
Indian
weather,
a
broad
spectrum
sunscreen
with
at
least
SPF
30
is
usually
advised.
Reapply
every
few
hours
if
you
stay
outdoors
or
work
near
windows.
At
night,
skin
switches
to
repair
mode.
Blood
flow
to
the
skin
increases,
and
cells
renew
faster
than
in
the
day.
A
night
routine
supports
this
natural
process.
It
helps
fade
acne
marks,
sun
damage,
and
rough
texture
over
time.
Night
skincare
also
restores
moisture
lost
from
air
conditioning,
sun,
and
dust
during
the
day.
Night
skincare
often
starts
with
deep
cleansing.
If
you
use
sunscreen
or
make-up,
double
cleansing
can
help.
First
use
a
cleansing
oil
or
balm,
then
a
gentle
face
wash.
After
cleansing,
apply
toner
or
essence
if
you
like.
Next,
use
treatment
products
such
as
serums
or
gels.
Seal
everything
with
a
suitable
night
cream
or
light
lotion.
For
people
dealing
with
acne,
marks,
or
ageing
signs,
night
skincare
may
feel
more
useful.
This
is
because
treatment
products
like
retinol,
exfoliating
acids,
or
spot
gels
usually
work
best
at
night.
Sunlight
can
reduce
the
effect
of
some
actives
or
cause
skin
irritation.
Night
use
allows
strong
products
to
work
in
calm,
stable
conditions.
If
you
spend
a
lot
of
time
outdoors,
commute
in
traffic,
or
work
near
windows,
morning
skincare
may
matter
more.
Sunscreen
and
a
light
antioxidant
serum
help
defend
skin
from
daily
damage.
For
those
with
sensitive
skin
or
redness,
morning
care
that
calms
and
protects
can
prevent
flare-ups.
In
hot,
humid
cities,
oil
control
in
the
morning
also
helps.
Oily
skin
may
prefer
lighter
textures
in
both
routines,
such
as
gel
cleansers
and
water-based
moisturisers.
Dry
skin
may
need
cream
cleansers
and
richer
night
creams.
For
people
in
cooler
hill
stations,
extra
hydration
at
night
may
be
key.
Those
in
coastal
or
very
humid
areas
may
rely
more
on
oil
control
and
sunscreen
during
the
day.
For
many
Indians,
the
best
approach
is
to
give
equal
care
to
both
routines,
but
focus
on
different
goals.
Use
your
morning
skincare
to
protect
from
sun
and
pollution
with
sunscreen
as
the
hero
step.
Use
your
night
skincare
to
repair
and
treat,
using
simple
but
steady
products.
Avoid
harsh
scrubs
and
very
strong
actives
without
guidance.
If
time
is
short
in
the
morning,
never
skip
sunscreen,
even
if
you
cut
other
steps.
If
time
is
short
at
night,
at
least
cleanse
well
and
use
a
basic
moisturiser.
People
with
active
skin
concerns
may
focus
more
on
night
treatment,
while
those
with
outdoor
jobs
may
rely
more
on
morning
care.
Consistency
in
both
routines
gives
the
best
results.
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Last Updated:November 20, 2025, 07:46 IST
True winter beauty is not just about what you apply, it’s about how well your skin protects, repairs, and renews itself every day.
As winter sets in, the crisp air and falling temperatures bring much-needed relief from the heat but for your skin, it’s often a different story. The drop in humidity, coupled with indoor heating and longer hot showers, can strip the skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry, tight, and flaky. While most people focus primarily on facial skincare, the body often gets overlooked, even though it experiences the same if not more seasonal damage.
How Winter Affects Indian Skin
According to the Dermafique Indian Skin Health Report, Indian skin has a weaker barrier function and lower moisture retention compared to Caucasian skin, making it more vulnerable to dryness during colder months. In fact, 80% of Indian women experience dryness due to environmental factors, while 87% report under-eye dryness even after moisturising, highlighting that hydration loss runs deeper than the surface.
“Indian skin is unique because it tends to have a higher baseline oil content compared to Caucasian skin,” explains Dr Aparna Santhanam, dermatologist and skin expert, ITC Dermafique. “However, even this natural resilience doesn’t protect it completely during winter. The lower humidity and cold air pull moisture from the upper layers of the skin, weakening the skin barrier. As a result, you may notice increased dryness, dullness, and sometimes even itching or flakiness.”
This loss of moisture is not just a surface concern, it affects the skin barrier, the invisible shield that keeps irritants out and hydration in. Once compromised, the skin becomes more susceptible to environmental aggressors, leading to long-term issues such as premature aging and uneven texture.
Why Body Care Needs Equal Attention
While most people diligently switch their facial moisturisers during winter, the same level of care rarely extends to the body. Yet the skin on the body especially the arms, legs, and back is constantly exposed to friction from clothing and dryness from hot water.
“People often forget that body skin requires the same nourishment and repair as facial skin,” says Dr Aparna. “Neglecting it during winter can lead to issues like rough patches, dullness, and loss of elasticity. Using the right body care products helps maintain skin integrity and restores the suppleness that’s lost during colder months. A consistent body care ritual, starting with gentle cleansing followed by deep moisturisation, can replenish lipids and lock in hydration, ensuring your skin stays healthy and radiant from head to toe.”
Vitamin E: The Hero Ingredient for Winter Skin
When it comes to protecting and repairing winter-stressed skin, Vitamin E stands out as a true multitasking ingredient. It not only replenishes moisture but also strengthens the skin barrier and prevents further dehydration.
“Vitamin E is an antioxidant powerhouse,” explains Dr Aparna. “It neutralises free radicals caused by environmental stress and supports the regeneration of skin cells. When used topically, it enhances the skin’s ability to retain moisture and helps soothe irritation, making it especially valuable during dry, cold months.”
Vitamin E–enriched body lotions or serums help deeply nourish the skin, reduce roughness, and improve overall texture. These formulations also repair microdamage, keeping the skin soft, smooth, and resilient even in harsh winter weather.
Building a Winter Body Care Routine
Transitioning your body care routine for winter doesn’t need to be complicated, it simply needs to be intentional. For those with extremely dry skin, adding a body serum can provide an extra layer of nourishment. Its lighter texture allows deeper penetration of actives like Vitamin E, helping repair the skin barrier and restore a healthy glow.
Winter may be synonymous with cozy layers and cool breezes, but it also demands a shift in how you care for your skin. As Dr. Aparna Santhanam puts it, “Your skin mirrors your environment. When the air turns cold and dry, your body care routine must evolve to compensate for that loss of moisture.”
By embracing Vitamin E–rich formulations and a consistent winter body care ritual, you can protect your skin from seasonal dryness and keep it soft, supple, and radiant all winter long, because true skincare doesn’t stop at the face.
Swati Chaturvedi is a seasoned media professional with over 13 years of experience in journalism, digital content strategy, and editorial leadership across top national media houses. An alumna of Lady Shri Ram …Read More
Swati Chaturvedi is a seasoned media professional with over 13 years of experience in journalism, digital content strategy, and editorial leadership across top national media houses. An alumna of Lady Shri Ram … Read More
First Published:
November 20, 2025, 07:46 IST
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