As winter approaches, skincare brands are prioritizing hydration, skin barrier protection, and targeted active ingredients. Connected with Beiersdorf, Vantage, and TriNutra to explore their moisturizing formulations, personalized serums, and holistic oil offerings designed to tackle seasonal skin challenges and enhance self-care routines.
Trends and Treats
Beiersdorf emphasizes that “skin care is perceived as a form of self-care and not only as a necessity.” A representative from the company highlights the significance of hydration, a healthy glow, and rich, balmy products:
“Special editions with wintery and Christmasy designs and scents are popular. We offer our iconic Nivea Creme in a limited Christmas design as well as our limited Nivea Winter Moment shower gel, body lotion, and deodorant. As winter is the season of giving gifts, we offer gift boxes that contain a selection of products and on-top goodies like cozy socks or sun protection.”
Vantage notes that “need-based skin care through targeted active ingredient efficiency” is gaining traction and is now considered a “must-have” in daily routines. In response, the specialty ingredient provider has developed five minimalist serums targeting specific skin needs.
Maeva Abdoulhadi, technical support manager of EMEA at Vantage, explains, “During the colder months, the skin is exposed to additional threats caused by environmental factors such as low temperatures, wind, and fewer UV rays, as well as biological factors like fatigue.”
“This can cause skin damage, including dryness, altered skin barrier, loss of radiance, and accelerated aging. Serum formulations are essential products in any skincare routine because they are packed with powerful active ingredients that address a variety of needs. Whether it’s deep skin moisturization, skin barrier repair, or skin soothing, this cosmetic category is intended to provide an effective solution to specific skin concerns.”
Dr. Liki von-Oppen Bezalel, Business Development Director at TriNutra, explains how the company utilizes clinical research to meet consumer expectations for natural products that support healthy hair, skin, and scalp year-round, particularly in winter.
“Winter skin care can bring out the ‘not-so-pretty beauty’ conditions, including hair fall, scalp seborrhea, dandruff, itch, skin redness, dryness, acne, aging signs, and more. Many of these have a direct link to proper nutrition and lifestyle, and consumers increasingly understand this direct link. In fact, mitochondrial functionality has become one of the key hallmarks of aging. When mitochondrial functions, including proper metabolism, respiration, and energy production, are not functioning optimally, tissues and organs in our body show signs of aging, which naturally affect our appearance.”
“Because ‘beauty from the inside out’ is so widely accepted, we expect consumers to seek products that can enhance mitochondrial functions as well as combat inflammation or inflammaging. Research has suggested that chronic low-level inflammation can break down collagen and damage skin cells, leading to itchy, dry, red skin with uneven pigmentation,” she adds.
Richer Ingredients
Beiersdorf advises that key ingredients consumers should look for include natural moisturizers like shea butter, cocoa, macadamia, or almond oil, which are favored in winter skincare.
“Further ingredients with a moisture-binding effect, such as urea, lactate, or glycerin, are also high on the list. A key ingredient for skin hydration is hyaluronic acid, which we incorporate in both face and body care products to prevent dehydration, flaking, and skin damage,” they state.
“Another important aspect is sun protection for the face, as the sun’s rays during the winter months should not be underestimated. Therefore, we recommend using sun protection products every day of the year, especially when skiing or snowboarding.”
Von-Oppen Bezalel of TriNutra points out that a “growing awareness of natural oils for skincare is helping to drive black seed oil (BSO) sales as a personal care ingredient. High-quality BSO such as B’utyQuin (cold-pressed and standardized) is also gaining popularity due to its clinically proven anti-microbial and antioxidant properties and its ability to enhance mitochondrial functions that naturally decline with age. Our BSO can also improve cell respiration and energy production and aid in maintaining a healthy inflammatory response.”
Meanwhile, Abdoulhadi of Vantage believes people’s skin will react differently to environmental changes:
“Some individuals have more sensitive skin, and fluctuations in temperature can lead to extreme dryness, resulting in skin irritation and redness. For others, poor skin conditions manifest as dullness, roughness, and a less healthy appearance. Serum formulations allow for customization, as everyone can select the best formulation for their specific skin needs.”
“Our new formulation concept is designed to meet this need for personalization: whether it’s boosting skin radiance with our Radiance Reveal Intense Serum, protecting skin barrier function with our Barrier Protect Advanced Serum, or addressing accelerated aging due to increased skin sensitivity with Defense Antioxidant Serum and our Strataphix technology, we tackle a variety of common skin concerns. These serums can be used alone or combined to address different needs,” she explains.
Common Winter Issues
Cold weather can render the skin very sensitive, necessitating extra care to prevent itchiness, dryness, or flaking. Beiersdorf recommends that consumers use “best-in-class skincare products” for face, lip, hand, and body care.
“By using ingredients such as urea (for example, in our Eucerin UreaRepair Plus Lotion 10%), we offer long-lasting moisturization and nourish the skin during cold weather, dry air, and constant temperature changes inside and outside. Additionally, we provide extra-rich body care with deep care serum to effectively moisturize the skin (for instance, Nivea Rich Body Milk),” they mention.
TriNutra is focusing on skin barrier integrity:
“Structure, moisturization, and hydration are always a priority for consumers during winter. This is because skin structure and hydration are affected not only by internal factors but also by external influences like extreme temperature changes, humidity (or lack thereof), and indoor and outdoor pollution, which can harm the skin and cause inflammation,” says Von-Oppen Bezalel.
“Skin barrier disruption can also lead to extensive water loss, resulting in ‘drying’ and ‘breaking’ the skin. A compromised barrier can also foster an imbalance of skin microbiota, potentially leading to skin disorders. Systemic factors such as hormonal changes, a weakened immune system, and microbial imbalance can also impact skin structure and barrier functions, reducing hydration.”
Furthermore, she advises that product developers consider these various factors to provide effective solutions to what may seem like simple issues that are actually quite complex.
Vantage’s Abdoulhadi concurs:
“Hydration is the foundation of good skin conditions. Maintaining adequate moisture levels is crucial for healthy-looking skin, as dryness can lead to dullness, roughness, and cracking.”
“Ingredients such as Ceramide TIC-001, a biomimetic active that mimics the skin’s natural ceramides, help protect the skin barrier function. It boosts hydration levels and soothes skin texture at low usage levels. Hylasome EG10 is a crosslinked hyaluronic acid technology inspired by dermatological treatments. Due to its very high molecular weight, this active forms a film on the skin, providing prolonged protection against dehydration.”
Backed by clinical testing, Abdoulhadi states that by combining these two actives in the Barrier Protect Advanced Serum formula, Vantage offers a solution for the driest skin.
Anti-Aging Action
Von-Oppen Bezalel notes that B’utyQuin is a “potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial” for cosmetic and dermatologic use, with research indicating that it optimizes mitochondrial functions that aid in cell respiration, metabolism, and energy production for more vital cells and increased hydration.
“The anti-aging facial cream with 3% B’utyQuin showed a 22.2% increase in skin hydration, an 11.2% improvement in skin firmness, a 6.8% increase in skin elasticity, and a small (but significant) rise in skin luminance after 28 days. Moreover, B’utyQuin positively influences irritated, itchy, and scaly skin and scalp,” she adds.
Abdoulhadi highlights other Vantage serums, such as the biomimetic emulsion Radiance Reveal Intense Serum, which is “ideal for sensitive skin due to its composition that includes biomimetic ingredients like Distinctive Emul-Lipid BA CC and jojoba oil, which have a high affinity for the skin and improve skin microbiome conditions.”
“Dual-phase liquids like Midnight Recovery Concentrate or water-based gels are suitable for oily skin, as they contain less oily phase, reducing the risk of clogged pores. Lastly, gel creams protect dehydrated skin with their oil phase, creating a protective barrier on the skin that limits water loss. Some emollients may enhance the penetration of active ingredients: our jojoba oil and esters have been shown to improve skin permeability, thus boosting the effectiveness of ingredients like retinol,” she explains.
Winter skincare trends emphasize hydration, skin barrier protection, and personalized serums with active ingredients, with brands focusing on moisturizing formulations, giftable solutions, and natural oils.
