Winter has a way of softening the world around us. Days grow shorter, the air turns crisp, and life naturally slows its pace. We lean into comfort and cosiness all while striving to stay healthy and balanced. It’s a season that invites us to rest, reset, and recharge, without losing sight of the habits that keep us energised and well.
But while the season invites calm, winter often brings subtle but noticeable dips to our mood and our skin. What once felt smooth can suddenly feel rough or uneven, with dryness showing up around the nose, mouth, or between the brows and that once effortless glow begins to fade and suddenly the routine that worked so well before winter no longer feels enough. The main reason? A drop in moisture levels in the air.
When humidity falls, the skin loses water more quickly and dry air essentially pulls hydration from the skin, much like a sponge absorbing moisture. Add indoor heating into the mix, and the problem intensifies, further draining the skin and leaving it dehydrated and uncomfortable. Colder temperatures also interfere with the skin’s natural protective system. Sebum, which normally helps maintain the lipidic barrier and lock in moisture, is produced in lower amounts during winter. With less of this natural defence, the complexion becomes more exposed, more reactive, and far more prone to dryness.
So, although Spring may be on pause, self-care doesn’t have to be. Winter is the perfect time to turn inward and embrace rituals that nourish from the outside in, restoring hydration, comfort, and radiance, while bringing a sense of calm and warmth back to your day. Think less ‘quick routine’ and more ‘intentional moment.’ This is about slowing down, checking in with yourself, and turning skincare, especially at nighttime, into something you genuinely look forward to.
Step One: Set the Mood
Before any product touches your face, create an atmosphere that feels comforting.
• Dim the lights and light the Gatineau Spa Candle
• Put on some soft music
• Snuggle into a cosy dressing gown and tie your hair back with a headband.
This simple pause signals your mind to slow down, setting the tone for everything that follows.
Step Two – Melt the day away for a flawless, fresh canvas.
Cleanse away the day with a truly indulgent cleansing ritual. Collagene Expert Melting Cleansing Balm features an innovative, silky formula that melts instantly on contact, gliding effortlessly across the skin with zero tugging or friction. What begins as a sumptuous balm transforms into a rich oil as you massage, making the experience deeply pleasurable and luxuriously comforting. When emulsified with water, it melts once more into a light, milky veil that rinses away easily, lifting stubborn makeup, SPF, and daily impurities in one seamless step. The experience is elevated by a delicate aromatic blend of orange blossom, rose, and bergamot, turning everyday cleansing into a moment of calm, sensorial indulgence.
Step Three: Gentle Exfoliation to Wake Up Winter Skin
Cold weather can slow skin’s natural renewal, allowing dead cells to linger and dull the complexion. Gentle exfoliation once or twice a week restores clarity and radiance creating a smooth canvas that lets your skincare perform at its best Radiance Enhancing Gommage is a balmy, granular-free Gommage - French for “erase” - and is as indulgent as it is effective. Renowned for its ability to gently lift away dead skin cells with skin-friendly Alpha Hydroxy Acids, while respecting the skin’s delicate surface, it delivers transformative results for all skin types. Through multi-level exfoliation and deep hydration, skin is left visibly smoother, brighter, and glowing with the kind of radiance especially coveted in the colder months.
Step Four: Masking as Self-Care, not a Chore
Masking is where skincare truly becomes a self-care ritual. After exfoliating (or on its own), apply Collagene Expert Plumping Revival Mask in a thin even layer and watch the magic happen. Powered by highly intelligent, skin-responsive ingredients including skin smoothing Plant Collagen, thirst quenching Hyaluronic Acid and radiance-boosting Niacinamide, it works hard to deliver visible results almost instantly. As the formula melts into the skin exactly where it’s craved (your eyes and lips will benefit too) it immediately feels soft and satin-like and looks luminous and glowing as if you’ve hit reset. In just moments, the complexion is restored to its most, refreshed, and youthful state.
While the mask works, resist the urge to multitask. Instead, lie down in a warm bubble bath, close your eyes, and let yourself rest as even ten minutes can feel transformative during the darker months.
Step Five: Relax and unwind with an Aromatique bath ritual.
Whilst the face mask gets to work sink into a warm bubble bath infused with Aromatique Hand and Body Wash and let the day’s stresses gently melt away. As the steam rises, soothing aloe vera comforts the skin while conditioning coconut oil leaves it soft, nourished, and beautifully supple. The invigorating, uplifting notes of orange blossom and neroli envelop the senses, gently infusing the skin with their aromatic warmth allowing a quiet moment of indulgence that transforms an everyday bath into a deeply restorative ritual.
Step Six: Nourish and glow from neck to toe.
With the sun taking its time to reappear during the winter months, it’s no surprise skin can start to look a little flat and colourless. That’s where Golden Glow Gradual Tan comes in - your instant pick-me-up for beating the winter skin blues.
Packed with the heroic hydration of your favourite moisturiser and the subtle tanning expertise of an expert illusionist, it builds a natural, sun-kissed glow with zero streaks and none of that tell-tale fake tan scent. Effortless, nourishing, and brilliantly believable, it’s the winter essential that brings warmth, radiance, and confidence back to your skin, and you’ll wonder how you ever got through winter without it.
Step Seven: Seal It with dedicated night care
Winter invites us to slow down. After the whirlwind of the festive season, it’s the perfect time for early nights, long stretches of sleep, and giving our bodies the downtime they’ve been craving. Just as rest helps restore our energy and lift our mood, it’s equally vital for our skin. During sleep, the skin’s natural repair processes kick into high gear, cellular renewal accelerates, hydration is restored, and the skin’s barrier strengthens. Catching up on rest isn’t just a treat for you; it’s a beauty essential, helping skin wake up looking refreshed, nourished, and resilient.
Collagene Expert Hydra Essence Night Recovery and Age Benefit Night Renewal Cream are designed to work together as a powerful overnight team, repairing, regenerating, and nourishing skin while you rest. Whilst the Essence delivers lightweight, targeted hydration, at the heart of this night-time formula is Nephoria™, a plant-powered active that delivers retinol-like results without irritation, supporting collagen and elastin renewal while you sleep. It’s a botanical retinol alternative for those who want high performance without harshness, innovation, and results, powered by nature. Beyond its efficacy, the experience is just as luxurious. A calming, powdery blend of bergamot, lychee, rose, and musk transforms your routine into a nightly ritual, signalling your skin’s most regenerative phase.
Layered on top, the Age Benefit Night Renewal Cream provides rich, comforting nourishment, helping to smooth the appearance of fine lines and reignite skin’s repair and rejuvenation mode. It features the Age Benefit Signature Complex of Artichoke and Hibiscus, alongside RegeNight™, an active complex born from cutting-edge skin chronobiology. RegeNight™ is an active complex upcycled from Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil, designed to work with the skin’s natural circadian rhythm. By supporting the melatonin pathway (a key regulator of overnight skin repair) it helps protect collagen, neutralise free radicals, and promote deep regeneration. When sleep falls short, RegeNight™ steps in to boost collagen, smooth fine lines, restore hydration, and improve firmness. By morning, skin feels stronger, looks rested, and glows with renewed energy.
Winter doesn’t have to be a season you simply endure. Rather than letting the winter blues take hold, think of it as a time to slow down, invest in yourself, and give your skin the care it truly deserves. With fewer distractions and a gentler pace, winter becomes the perfect moment to repair, restore, and strengthen laying the groundwork for healthier, more radiant skin come the Spring.
Lucy x