When it comes to your skin, winter weather can be hell.
With less moisture in the air, the year’s harshest season can leave your face and body feeling dry and tight, while those hot showers and bubble baths you’ve been enjoying strip your skin of its natural oils. And the wind as you battle your way to work or run your regular 5k? It’s no friend, leaving you raw and red. And with less sun and vitamin D, it’s no wonder those handsome chops look dull and tired.
But it’s not all bad news. Men’s skincare has come on leaps and bounds in the last decade. It’s become big business; Barclays research shows 61 per cent of respondents have noticed male-focused beauty and grooming products becoming more mainstream over the last decade. Just take a look at drugstore shelves, and you’ll see countless lotions and potions to protect those pores and buff your barrier.
“The cold and dry environments of winter can cause higher rates of skin sensitivity,” explains Dr. Nancy Ilaya, PhD, global scientific director at Kiehl’s, the dermatologist-recommended US skincare brand. “The skin is fragile due to a weakened barrier as the low humidity and cool temperatures accelerate trans-epidermal water loss, leading to dryness, while the skin produces less oil, further hindering its natural moisturising function.”
She says: “Look for products that include anti-inflammatory properties, high hydration and high emollience. Products like our Ultra Facial Meltdown Recovery Cream are specifically designed to meet these needs, using a non-greasy and minimally occlusive texture to strengthen the skin barrier against winter weather. This makes for an ideal, soothing cream that you can put on any time your skin is dry. The lightweight, rapidly-absorbed formula makes it easy to layer underneath clothing, sunscreen and make-up, too.”
The doctor lists other ingredients to look out for. She says: “Colloidal oatmeal is an active ingredient with well-documented skin benefits such as protecting against dryness while actively inhibiting inflammation to prevent redness, itching and stinging. Centuries of use and extensive research confirm its effectiveness in treating dry skin, eczema and minor irritations, making it a trusted natural ingredient in over-the-counter skincare.”
Finally, look for bisabolol. This is “a naturally-derived oil from German chamomile, provides powerful anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. It effectively reduces redness and inflammation, making it ideal for conditions like eczema and rosacea. Dermatologists trust it for being gentle, non-irritating and backed by extensive research. Finally, dexpanthenol converts to vitamin B5 in the skin and is essential for healing wounds, regenerating damaged skin and improving hydration.”
Why you can trust me
As a freelance editor with bylines in The Times, The Telegraph, House Beautiful and, of course, The Standard, I’m an expert on things lifestyle. I also work with some of the biggest brands on the high street to advise and create content, so I understand products, what goes into making them and how they perform.
That, and I’m serious about skincare: I’ve got rosacea and ultra-sensitive skin, so I can’t put just anything on my face – and won’t be recommending that you do, either.
Below, you’ll find my tried-and-tested edit of products that promise to soothe men’s skin in unforgiving winter, with only the best making the cut.
Shop now
Valentine's Day 2026: 23 cool gifts he'll actually want to keep
Best post-shave products for men: Top oils, balms, lotions and serums revealed
The Zohran Mamdani cheat code to tailoring that won't break the bank
Best hair dyes for men and top tips for colouring your hair at home
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Meltdown Recovery Cream
Launched this January, this tiny red pot from American-founded brand Kiehl’s is clinically-proven to provide relief to sensitive skin in just five minutes and help repair the skin barrier after just one use. It promises 96-hour hydration and is designed as the first port of call for stressed skin, from dry to post-shave and dehydrated. You know, those everyday meltdowns. Tiny but mighty.
Buy now £41.00, Kiehl’s
MALIN+GOETZ All-Purpose Moisture Balm
Chic branding aside, the All-Purpose Moisture Balm from MALIN+GOETZ – the trendy New York-based skincare brand – describes itself as a ‘thirst trap’ that offers targeted relief for dehydrated skin. From lips to hands and knees, it’s designed for every part of your body, while the balm itself is rich and breathable. Supporting the skin barrier and providing moisturisation for over 12 hours, it comes in a trendy aluminium tube and leaves your skin looking glossy and plump. A brilliant all-rounder.
Buy now £40.00, Cult Beauty
Genaura Levagen Smart Face Serum
This super-posh serum from premium skincare brand Genaura is genderless and categorically brilliant. It credits Levagen®+ as the cutting-edge ingredient that makes all the difference. Clinically designed to rejuvenate, hydrate and restore, the powerhouse formula works in synergy with a heap of other wonder ingredients – niacinamide, n-acetyl, glucosamine, vitamins e and b5, and botanical extracts included – to improve hydration, reduce wrinkles and minimise redness.
Buy now £260.00, Amazon
Neal’s Yard Remedies Rejuvenating Frankincense Nourishing Cream
Homegrown skincare company Neal’s Yard has played a blinder with this miracle-worker. Its Rejuvenating Frankincense Nourishing Cream absorbs effortlessly to hydrate and replenish dry skin with a high-performing combination of organic plant oils and soothing aloe vera. Extra points go to the therapeutic aromas of frankincense and myrrh when you open the blue pot to make this as much of a calming ritual as it is a skin soother.
Buy now £38.00, Neal’s Yard Remedies
Dr. David Jack Skin Cushion
As the skincare brand of the namesake doctor – one of the leading aesthetic specialists in London, no less – I thought it was worth giving Skin Cushion a try. I wasn’t disappointed with a hydrating balancing mask that soothes, repairs and moisturises. All the buzz ingredients are presenting and correct, including ceramides, niacinamide, azelaic acid, hyaluronic acid and vitamin b5, leaving your skin plump and youthful. Good for sensitive, dry or ageing skin, apparently.
Buy now £139.00, Dr. David Jack
Aesop In Two Minds Facial Hydrator
Show me something from Australian brand Aesop, and I’m usually all in. Case in point is its In Two Minds Facial Hydrator, which promises lightweight hydration for combination skin, which is beauty jargon for those with oily foreheads and noses but relatively dry cheeks. The secret ingredients packed into the stylish tube? Witch hazel, sandalwood and andiroba seed. It’s brilliant, of course.
Buy now £46.00, Aesop
Clarins Men Super Moisture Balm
I’ve been a fan of ClarinsMen, a collection of products designed especially for chaps by Clarins, the French cosmetics company, ever since my mum bought it for me every Christmas as a teenager (“Start looking after your skin early,” she would tell me).
This blue tube proves why I love the range so much by dispensing an ultra-comforting, invisible and non-greasy balm that leaves your skin looking and feeling energised. Better still, it’s good for all skin types.
Buy now £35.00, Clarins
Evolve Daily Renewal Face Creamv 120ml
You’ll get plenty of bang for your buck in this award-winning pot of Daily Renewal Face Cream from Evolve, a British beauty brand. The genderless cream restores normal to dry skin with a combination of pure organic oils that nourish, natural peptides to reduce signs of ageing and natural hyaluronic acid that soothes and hydrates. There’s a faint hint of vanilla and coconut, too.
Buy now £55.00, Sephora
SkinSense For Him Long-Wear Daily Moisturiser
Having just created a range for men, the For Him Long-Wear Daily Moisturiser by SkinSense is hot off the press. There are just three products to choose from, which makes it super-streamlined. This everyday cream plumps and comforts dry skin and acts as a lightweight barrier to lock in moisture. I found it gentle enough for my sensitive skin, too, which is always a winner.
Buy now £32.00, SkinSense
ishga Balancing Marine Cream
Derived from the Gaelic word for ‘water’, ishga offers a range of products for face and body, but it’s the Balancing Marine Cream that I particularly covet. Brightening, freshening, smoothing and nourishing, the powerful formula comprises seaweed extract, Scottish spring water, shea butter, extract of macadamia, vitamin e and fresh citrus peel. I noticed a difference and you will, too.
Buy now £71.00, ishga
Heath London Post Shave Repair
Shaving angers skin and strips oils, while in winter the irritation is worse and can lead to razor burn, which is why Heath London has come up with its Post Shave Repair. Packed with allantoin and aloe vera, the formula instantly soothes and nourishes to leave skin hydrated and comfortable.
Buy now £15.00, Boots
Niance Hydrating Mask INTENSIFY
As if the caps in the name of this product by Swiss-founded Niance weren’t enough of an indication, you’ll be pleased to know that its Hydrating Mask deeply hydrates, soothes and protects. There’s a lot of boosting cell activity, stimulating collagen production and moisturising the skin to leave your chops calm, radiant and replenished. Take that, winter!
Buy now £255.00, Niance
Avant Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face & Eye Night Cream
Sometimes, you just need to sleep on it, and case in point is Avant’s Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face & Eye Night Cream. The genderless skincare brand has a number of lotions and potions to fight the ravages of winter, but this takes the biscuit. Specifically for the face and eyes, it’s formulated with its namesake ingredient to deeply nourish and improve the appearance of dullness and lines. Slather it on and wake up looking as refreshed as you feel.
Buy now £97.00, Avant
Dr Somji Exosome Barrier Repair Serum
Increasing hydration and boosting repair, the Dr Somji Exosome Barrier Repair Serum combines water radish exosomes, three different ceramides, hexapeptides and active extracts from oat kernel, pine bark and patchouli. It’s lightly-textured and leaves your visage feeling smoother and looking nourished. Great for sensitive-skin types, like me.
Buy now £85.00, Dr Somji
001 London Sebum & Redness Neutralising Water Shield
They say men can’t multi-task, but you’ll prove them all wrong with this magic number from 001 London. The four-in-one gel-cream acts as a blemish treatment, moisturiser, primer and leave-on mask that soothes skin while improving clarity and hydration.
Buy now £78.00, 001 London
Revision Skincare D.E.J Daily Boosting Serum
The D.E.J Daily Boosting Serum from Revision Skincare addresses dry, cracked and flaking skin caused by the combination of cold weather and low humidity in winter.
It does this by fortifying the skin, defending against environmental aggressors and supporting skin barrier resilience. How? That’ll be the cutting-edge sunflower sprout extract technology – yes, really – designed to support the skin’s natural ability to heal itself by boosting cellular energy.
A lot of science to get your head around, I know, but trust me, something about it works.
Buy now £265.00, Revision Skincare
