LIFE

The Over-Anxious Angeleno’s Guide to Winter Skincare

L.A. is officially in full-on “winter” mode.


Santiago Mauricio

East Coasters may be unflinching (not batting a well mascara-ed eye) when it comes to freezing temperatures that greet their snowy paths this December. But give Angelenos a 42-degree winter to wake up to and you’ll find a city of skin-obsessed beauty junkies traumatized to the point of full panic mode. Cancel the Oscars; it’s really cold and I have to use an umbrella.

Now in full-on “winter,” L.A.’s calamitous mornings and cruel chilly nights have become the small talk openers to every business breakfast, lunch, or dinner north of Sunset Blvd. With global warming hard at work, we in L.A. take full advantage of this time to relish in weather self-victimization. Never mind that there are countries all over the world engaging in voter suppression, we are unable to wear open-toed shoes in this awful frost!

But in all seriousness, there is a noticeable shift in the weather here on the West Coast. Dehydrating indoor heating, windy weather, and cold temperatures do affect skin to the point that there’s a need for routine shake-ups and effective treatments to remedy the cold. Gone is the autumn honeymoon period, when we rejoiced to finally ditch the filmy sunscreen and inconvenient oversized hat from the summer before. In an effort to arm you in your battle with beautiful, hydrated skin these next few months, we investigated the best L.A. winter skin treatments specifically for the these frosty months so you can enjoy your fireside chats this holiday with glowing skin. (Minus the task of applying moisturizer and lip balm every 10 minutes.)

Olga Lorencin’s Heal the Need Super Hydrating Facial

Celebrity facialist Olga Lorencin—whose bespoke formation of skin-friendly acids have earned her the title “The Acid Queen”—has developed a supercharged facial using seven different hyaluronic acids to remedy seasonal dryness from all of the harsh effects of winter. “We essentially created a hydrating cushion for the skin by layering ceramides with seven different hyaluronic acids, phytomoist, and fermented lysate into a proprietary blend to protect the complexion.” The skincare veteran (whose clients include Emma Stone and Halle Berry) touts the importance of these key ingredients for effectiveness. “The blend of these specific hyaluronic acids hydrates and fills in fine lines for a longer amount of time, causing a ‘Nano Up Lift’ effect that promotes collagen-building and water circulation.”

Pellequr’s Signature Korean Scrub with Lymphatic Drainage

Pellequr Spa’s signature Korean scrub treatment reminds us about the importance of tending to the neglected skin under the layers. The luxurious Beverly Hills-based spa offers an old school Korean scrub treatment under grand Vichy showers followed with a pampering hair wash. The treatment is then followed by a toxin-ridding lymphatic drainage massage applied with 1,000 grade CBD salve to combat the layers of dead skin accumulated the past few weeks. A favorite for Kim Kardashian, Naomi Campbell, Hailey Baldwin and Selena Gomez, Pellequr is also a rare Korean spa that offers privacy in a luxurious setting.

Knockout Beauty’s Photo Dynamic Rejuvenation

A perfected skin treatment so powerful it’s best to do it at night. Knockout Beauty, Cayli Cavaco Reck’s bicoastal beauty venture, has launched a light-activated gel treatment to set back the clock by intensely hydrating, smoothing and evening-out pigmentation. After you apply the FDA-approved breakthrough gel, which is activated by a red LED light, it will continue to work on your face for a full 48 hours, setting the skin’s clock back. The highly advanced treatment’s most potent skin regeneration is in the first 12 hours indoors (and preferably during sleep) as those are the most potent, followed by the next 36 hours where the treatment works hard to make your skin as vital as possible.

Carasoin’s Winter Collagen Cure Treatment

Created by Lena Bratschi—who counts Michelle Williams, Rooney Mara, Elizabeth Debicki, Sofia Vergara, Armie Hammer and Jason Bateman among some of her loyal devotees—Carasoin is a specialized facial combining potent plant and botanical oils with advanced radio frequency technology to combat the effects of cold temperatures on skin while helping build collagen production. Beginning with a Romilly Wild professional grade dry oil serum cleanser to help boost skin metabolism for cell regeneration, the next step entails a “modellage” face massage with infused organic Sea Buckthorn and Rose Hip oil, followed by a warming radio frequency treatment to encourage skin to produce its own collagen. The final step is a luxurious professional grade fiber collagen mask to seal moisture and further help boost collagen.

Related: Naomi Campbell’s Facialist Reveals Her Secrets to Flawless Skin