20+ Moisturising Winter Essentials for Cracked Dry Skin and Brittle Hair

A drop in temperature and humidity is certainly news welcomed in Hong Kong, where warm sticky weather dominates so much of the year. But our skin and hair might not be as fortunate.

Autumn and winter air often means skin flare-ups, which then lead to tightness, dryness, itching, and redness. Extremely dry skin might even grow flaky and experience visible peeling. This is more than just a visual concern, as skin can become damaged and start to bleed. To stay comfortable in your own skin – figuratively and literally – this winter, it's essential to keep dry flaky skin, cracked lips, and dull brittle hair at bay.

Your closet and skincare aren't the only things that need a winter switchover. Body, hair, and hand moisturisation are some crucial yet easily overlooked areas to focus on this winter; the swap for long-sleeved tops makes it all the easier to neglect body care. For instance, our ankles and knees are, in fact, most prone to dryness, cracking, and roughness from accumulated dead skin cells, so it's not just your face that needs exfoliation.

To tackle common winter skin and body concerns, we've curated a variety of must-haves for a cosy and comprehensive winter regime. Keep reading for a full list of personal care and skincare items that'll keep you hydrated and healthy from head to toe.

1. Body Care: Moisturise Every Inch of Your Skin
Body care is just as vital as facial skincare in winter. When bathing or showering, look for a body wash or soap with moisturising ingredients. Tempting as it may be, we would also advise against showering in extremely hot water temperatures, as hot water can strip away the skin's natural lipids. Once done with your bath or shower, apply body lotion or body oil when skin is still damp to keep it moisturised with a nourishing barrier. 

2. Hair Care: Nourish to Control Frizz
In cold, dry air, hair becomes parched and loses its shine and elasticity. Combat this with a nourishing shampoo and conditioner and incorporate a deep hair care step in your routine once a week to replenish lost hydration and nutrients. If, like your face, your scalp is dry and itchy, a scalp essence or nourishing oil can help soothe the discomfort.

3. Hand and Foot Care: Stay Flawless Down to the Fingertips
Our hands and feet are some of the areas most prone to cracking in dry weather. Keep a tube of hand cream handy to rehydrate whenever needed, and pamper your hands and feet with a thick layer of hand or foot cream before bed.

4. Lip Care: Keep Soft and Smooth
Lip care is another easily omitted detail in our winter care routine. To keep lips hydrated and smooth, look for 'beeswax' or 'shea butter' on the ingredients list of a lip balm. Re-apply multiple times a day to keep cracked, flaky lips at bay. If you find your lips peeling, gently press with a warm towel to soften them before repairing with a thick layer of lip balm.

Moisturising Body Wash and Shower Oil for Winter

Shower oils are a type of moisturising bath product perfect for the winter season. They usually come in a skin-friendly formula based on plant-derived natural oils, emulsifying to gently remove impurities in pores without over-cleansing and damaging the skin's natural barrier. Imparting a protective film on skin after rinsing, they help prevent moisture evaporation.

Moisturising Body Wash Recommendation｜Bioderma Atoderm Anti-irritation Shower Oil

Providing nourishment that respects skin's ecosystem and preserves skin health, this shower oil gently purifies with coconut oil-based cleansing agents. Leaves skin with a moisturised feel on par with using a body lotion, and no greasiness at all.

The addition of skincare ingredients niacinamide and vitamin E helps repair the skin's natural barrier and keep its microbiome balanced. Relieving dryness and itching while maintaining moisturisation for up to 24 hours, this shower oil is a winter must-have for dry, sensitive skin.

Moisturising Body Wash Recommendation｜APLB Glutathione Niacinamide Body Wash

Hydrate, brighten, and soothe with just one versatile bottle! This Korean body wash is powered by edge-cutting penetration technology to boost absorption. Active ingredients are able to penetrate skin faster and deeper for a revitalising cleanse that also rapidly rehydrates.

The delicate foam, gently enveloping your body, leaves skin soft and smooth after washing. All ingredients are awarded an EWG green rating and are blended into a hypoallergenic and fragrance-free formula safe on sensitive skin.

Moisturising Body Wash Recommendation｜Ecostore Jasmine & Manuka Honey Body Wash

The New Zealand brand Ecostore produces natural and sustainable products good for our skin, the household, and the environment alike. This body wash, infused with hydrating harakeke (New Zealand flax), cleanses gently with plant-based ingredients. It lathers into a fine, dense foam that rolls away dirt in pores, leaves skin nourished and not stripped, and rinses with no residue. Treat your body and mind to a spa-like relaxing experience at home with this soothing body wash.

Moisturising Body Wash Recommendation｜VICREA &honey Pure Rose Honey Melty Moist Gel Body Wash

The brand name and jar-like bottle design makes it pretty clear what goes into this body wash. With a rich formula of honey and other nourishers, this formula offers an indulgent wash akin to bathing in actual skincare serum. The clear, gel-like texture transforms into a rich, soft foam for a refreshing and relaxing cleanse. Skin becomes smooth, soft, and not stripped.

Moisturising Body Wash Recommendation｜Cetaphil Ultra Gentle Refreshing Body Wash

Designed for sensitive and compromised skin, this repairing formula gently removes sweat and dirt from the skin surface without damaging the stratum corneum. It maintains your natural moisturising barrier with skin soothers like aloe vera and vitamin B5 panthenol, in a hypoallergenic formula safe even for babies. No matter your skin type, you can't wrong with this choice as your winter body wash.

Moisturising Body Lotion for Winter

It's not just your face that needs a moisturiser – don't forget the rest of yourself! During dry winter weather, go for thicker, more hydrating body lotions and look out for ingredients like shea butter, vaseline, ceramides, etc. Remember to keep skin protected with a body lotion after your bath and shower! Not only does this replenish the moisture and nutrients lost to dry air, but it also forms a barrier to prevent water loss during the night.

Moisturising Body Lotion Recommendation｜Kumano Yushi Deve Manuka Honey Body Milk

New Zealand manuka honey boasts superior health benefits compared to many other types of honey, granting this Japanese body moisturiser excellent hydrating and moisture-retaining abilities. Through skin-friendly hydrators like hyaluronic acid and collagen, the body lotion deeply quenches while forming a water-retaining barrier on the surface to prevent moisture loss. Melting into skin weightlessly, it promises protection that comforts and lasts.

Moisturising Body Lotion Recommendation｜CeraVe Moisturising Cream

CeraVe's iconic formula of 3 essential Ceramides enjoys enhanced effects through the brand's unique Delivery Technology, ensuring optimal long-lasting hydration. This cream leaves the skin barrier satisfied and strengthened, to prevent tightness, itching, and other discomfort caused by water loss. Mildly formulated with no added preservatives, fragrances, or alcohol. The rich cream texture absorbs quickly and can be used not only on your body, but also your face, to tackle flaking, dryness, and roughness in one go. This moisturiser is a personal care staple for good reason.

Moisturising Body Lotion Recommendation｜NIVEA Cream

Nivea's all-purpose cream, with its signature blue tin, works as a face cream, hand cream, or body cream. The Japanese formula nourishes with Lanolin Alcohol, squalane, and Jojoba Oil, in a lighter texture that penetrates quickly and moisturises intensely. The Nivea blue tin has also inspired a series of skincare hacks, from mixing with granulated sugar for a homemade exfoliating scrub, using in hand masks, and priming skin before shaving. It's no wonder that this cream is a household name.

Moisturising Body Lotion Recommendation｜Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender Hand & Body Lotion

Widely loved for its natural, organic, and cruelty-free formula, the Avalon body lotion mainly hydrates with aloe vera and plant-based oils. It restores softness and smoothness to skin by improving flaking and roughness, with a non-sticky texture that absorbs in 3 seconds. The Lavender version is infused with lavender essential oil to soothe your body and mind, and is perfect as a calming bedtime ritual.

Moisturising Body Lotion Recommendation｜Bioderma Atoderm Ultra-Nourishing Moisturising Cream

A body lotion specially developed for dry sensitive skin. Rich in vitamin B3 (niacinamide), the soothing formula quickly penetrates the skin to relieve itching, rebuild your skin barrier, and retain moisture. Safe even on babies, the lightweight creamy texture repairs instantly by stimulating the skin's self-healing powers. Skin is restored to a plump, healthy state.

Moisturising Hair Oil for Winter

Sadly, dryness isn't our only winter hair problem; static electricity is here to make frizz worse. But hair oil can help. Hair oil is often engineered with plant-based oils. It combats frizz and split-ends, enhances shine, and keeps your ends smooth and frictionless while combing. Simply apply before blow drying to keep your hair effortlessly yet fully protected as you go about your routine – no rinsing, no hassle.

Moisturising Hair Oil Recommendation｜KOSE Je l'aime Layered Hair Shine Booster Oil

This Japanese hair oil doesn't only leave your hair soft and sleek, but also beautifully scented. Designed with the concept of a 'fragrance that lingers in your memory', argan oil and jojoba oil is firmly retained within the essence via the brand's 'Layered Pack Technology'. Deeply nourishing, it smooths frizz and re-hydrates. Use this hair shine booster oil with conditioner or hair mask to enhance the shine and softness of your hair, with a subtle floral aroma that brightens your day.

Moisturising Hair Oil Recommendation｜KUNDAL Hair Serum

If you have dull, damaged hair, KUNDAL's hair serum will be your key to regaining shine. Richly concocted with honey, macadamia oil, and 16 kinds of plant-based oils, the thick essence wraps every strand of hair to repair and smooth frizz. Hair is left with tangible softness and notably improved radiance. The versatile formula works wonderfully on both wet and dry hair. Use when wet for heat protection during blow-drying, or on dry hair for straight and simple nourishment.

Moisturising Hair Oil Recommendation｜P&G Pantene PRO-V Deep Damage Repair Hair Oil

This is your holy grail for at-home care after perming and dyeing at the hairdresser's. The high-concentration argan oil formula coats each strand of hair for intensive repair both within and out – it nourishes the core of each strand to fortify internally, while smoothing the hair surface to control frizz and add shine. If that isn't enough for you, this hair oil is also equipped with heat protection and blocks external damage.

Moisturising Hair Oil Recommendation｜LUX Super Rich Shine Straight Beauty Hair Oil

 
Moisturising Hair Oil Recommendation｜VICREA &honey EX Deep Moist Hair Oil 3.0

Viral in the local Japan market, the &honey hair oil powerfully revives dry, rough, and stiff hair thanks to a formula of 14% high moisture content with the rich nutrients of natural honey. It keeps damaged, brittle hair protected against heat and external damage. After shampooing, apply onto half-dried hair and blow dry as usual for a difference in hair texture you can feel.

Moisturising Hand Cream for Winter

Don't underestimate hand care, because hands are one of the biggest telltale signs of your age! This is especially in winter, when the dryness can reveal cracks and fine lines at odds with the meticulously maintained youthfulness of your face. Carry hand cream around and apply whenever needed, or after washing your hands, to minimise the impact of dry air on your hands.

Moisturising Hand Cream Recommendation｜SKINCOTTON Night Hand Cream

A nighttime hand cream from Japan, formulated with a rich selection of beauty and moisturising ingredients. It offers indulgent nourishment in a lush rich creamy texture. Repairing daytime damage while keeping hands moisturised until the morning, this hand cream is your best friend when it comes to intensive hand care. If you have extremely dry, rough, and compromised skin, now you can wake up to smooth, soft hands.

 
Moisturising Hand Cream Recommendation｜Jurlique Rose Hand Cream

Moisturising Hand Cream Recommendation｜Ginger6 Hand Cream

This hand cream isn't just produced with purified water, but with proprietary ginger water. Boasting antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, ginger water hydrates alongside 8 types of hyaluronic acids for lasting hydration that keeps hands soft and the edge of your fingernails smooth. The 100% vegan formula, free from animal ingredients, is suitable for all seasons with a moisturising yet breathable finish.

Moisturising Hand Cream Recommendation｜KAO Atrix Hydrating Hand Cream

Yet another budget-friendly household name in Japan. The penetrating avocado oil formula is made into a fluffy, cream-like texture that melts into skin instantly. The actives seep into skin to rapidly restore dryness and repair peeling skin. Hypoallergenic, easy to absorb, and non-sticky, it's your perfect everyday hand cream no matter your skin type.

Moisturising Hand Mask Recommendation｜Beauty World Placenta Moisturizing Hand Mask

Ever had one of those days when your hands were so dry a hand cream isn't doing the trick? That's when you should step up your game for hand masks. A single pair of these hand masks contains 18ml of serum concocted with plant-based placental essence and a variety of moisturising ingredients. Just like a sheet mask, they repair the driest and most cracked hands for lavish nourishment, protecting even the edges of your fingernails. 20 minutes is all you need for hands so smooth they almost don't feel like yours.

Moisturising Lip Balm for Winter

The skin of the lips is thin, delicate, and especially prone to cracking and even bleeding in the winter dryness. Keeping an everyday lip balm handy is, needless to say, essential. But there are also more nourishing options like lip masks and lip serums for overnight care, or when lip balms just aren't cutting it. In addition to moisturising lips, lip care products also form a protective layer to defend lips from external aggression.

Moisturising Lip Mask Recommendation｜Abib PDRN Collagen Lip Mask Glazed Jelly

Spa-quality lip care – right at home! This plant-based PDRN and 3D Collagen Complex blend works alongside triple hyaluronic acid to instantly enrich and hydrate dry, cracked lips. It fully fills and plumps lip wrinkles to reveal smooth, tender, texture-free lips. Slather a generous amount on lips before bed, enjoy intensive repair and continuous hydration as you sleep, and wake up to smooth, nourished lips you can feel – this lip mask is an absolute must-have for dry lips, especially in the colder seasons.

Moisturising Lip Balm Recommendation｜Torriden Solid In Ceramide Lip Essence

Torriden isn't only known for their hydrating masks! Often sold out at Olive Young stores, this lip essence is first aid for dry, flaky lips. Rich in ceramides and natural plant oils, it moisturises with no stickiness and melts upon contact with skin to deliver lip-hugging moisture that lasts. What's more, this lip essence also serves as a lip primer during makeup, or as a nighttime lip mask.

Moisturising Lip Balm Recommendation｜TOCOBO Vitamin Nourishing Lip Balm

100% vegan hypoallergenic lip balm formulated with only plant-based oils and a variety of vitamins. Glides on lips to instantly smooth lip lines and leave a moisturising protective film – getting soft, kissable lips has never been so easy. The airy, colourless balm layers perfectly with the rest of your lip makeup, and is perfect as a primer.

Moisturising Lip Balm Recommendation｜NIVEA Deep Moisture Night Protect Lip Cream

Nourishing with a variety of plant-based essential oils, this nighttime lip balm melts into a protective film that keeps your lips moist throughout the night. Vitamin E ⁠in its formula helps combat lip aging and rejuvenates dry, wrinkly lips with moisture. Needless to say, it also works as a daytime lip balm on the go.

Moisturising Lip Balm Recommendation｜La Roche Posay Cicaplast Lips Barrier Repairing Balm

If you have sensitive lips, you'll probably be glad to know that this gentle lip balm is free from alcohol, fragrances, or artificial colourings. Using a shea butter-based formula, it goes on lips smoothly in a soft, creamy texture. Smooths cracks, locks moisture, and restores softness. It's an absolute godsend for those with fragile, sensitive lips needing quick repair and relief.

Bonus Winter Essentials: Bath Salt

On cold winter nights, soaking in a nice warm bath after work is definitely the happiest moments of our day. Why not add some bath salt to elevate the experience, then? Bath salts can help increase body temperature and promote blood circulation, which helps relieving stress. All warmed up from the bath, you'll also feel more relaxed and enjoy better sleep quality afterwards.

Bath Salt Recommendation｜KAO Spa Powder (Milky Aroma)

Enjoy a spa-grade milk bath at home! This bathing agent dissolves in warm water into a white and thick texture similar to a lotion. The subtle floral fragrance clings to skin after the bath, soothing your mind as you fall asleep. Carbonated hot spring ingredients are added to enhance the effect of the bath, which may also help alleviate bodily aches and nervousness.

Bath Salt Recommendation｜KAO Bub Spa Powder Blessed Citrus

Revitalise your body and mind with the refreshing scent of ripened citrus, every breath a puff of subtle freshness as you soak in the bath. Carbonated hot spring ingredients are added to enhance the benefits of a warm bath, it imparts a gentle warmth to the body that lasts even after your bath is complete. Ward off chills, promote better blood circulation, and relieve fatigue with a nice warm bath this winter!