It's February and your skin is crying for help. Your hands are rough, your cheeks feel tight, and your lips crack at the slightest smile. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Millions of Belgians struggle every year with the effects of winter cold on their skin. The good news: with the right products and a smartly adapted routine, you can keep your skin healthy and comfortable all winter long.
In this article, we explain why winter is so tough on your skin, which pharmacy products actually work, and how to buy them at the best prices from Belgian online pharmacies.
Why winter hits your skin so hard
Your skin is your largest organ and your first line of defence against the outside world. The top layer — the epidermis — forms a protective barrier that retains moisture and blocks harmful substances. In winter, this barrier is attacked from multiple angles.
Cold outdoor air
At low temperatures, your skin reduces sebum production — the natural oil that keeps your skin supple and protected. Less sebum means drier, more vulnerable skin. Additionally, blood vessels in your skin constrict in the cold, reducing the supply of nutrients and oxygen to skin cells.
Dry heated air
In Belgium, we spend an average of 90% of our time indoors during winter months. And indoor air is often extremely dry due to heating. The ideal humidity for your skin is between 40% and 60% — in a heated home, it can drop to 20%. The result: your skin continuously loses moisture to the dry ambient air.
Temperature fluctuations
Think about your typical winter day: from a heated home to the cold outdoors, then an overheated train or bus, back outside, and finally a heated office. Each temperature shift forces your skin to adapt, gradually exhausting the skin barrier.
Wind
Wind accelerates the evaporation of moisture from your skin. Exposed areas — face, hands, lips — are hit hardest. Belgium's coastal and polder winds in winter are particularly unforgiving.
Adapting your skincare routine to winter
The mistake most people make? Using the same products year-round. But just as you adapt your wardrobe to the season, your skincare deserves a winter wardrobe too.
Step 1: Gentle cleansing
Switch from foaming cleansing gels to cream or oil-based cleansers. Foam feels fresh but actually strips your skin during a season when it's already producing too little sebum.
Step 2: Intensive hydration
Switch from a light day cream to a richer formula with occlusive ingredients. Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter help your skin retain moisture. Apply your cream to still-damp skin for maximum effect.
Step 3: Targeted care for problem zones
Lips, hands, and feet need extra attention. Use specific products for these areas — a universal body lotion isn't enough for cracked hands.
The best pharmacy products for winter
Dermophil: lip care you can trust
Your lips have no sebaceous glands. Read that again: they produce zero natural protection against dehydration. That makes them the most vulnerable piece of skin on your body — and the first to crack in winter.
The Repairing Lip Stick 4g (from €6.61) contains restorative ingredients that penetrate deep into the lip skin and support the natural healing process. Unlike cheap balms that deposit a surface film without truly repairing.
For children — ski slopes, playground, or a simple winter walk — the Kids Protective Lip Stick Strawberry 4g (from €6.46) is perfect. Same protection, with a flavour that motivates children to actually use it.
For winter sports or extended outdoor time: the Lip Stick SPF50 4g (from €9.70) combines hydration with powerful sun protection. UV radiation is reflected by snow at altitude and can be up to 50% stronger — a detail many winter sports enthusiasts forget.
Smart buying: Purchase Dermophil lip balms in sets when possible, or combine them with other products in your order at Viata or Farmaline to reach the free shipping threshold.
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Avène Cicalfate+: the Swiss army knife of skin repair
If there's one product that should be in every Belgian bathroom, it's the Avène Cicalfate+ Cream. This isn't an ordinary cream — it's a restorative treatment that works on damaged, irritated, and vulnerable skin.
The Cicalfate+ Cream 40ml (from €7.09) is the absolute classic. Use it on cracked hands, dry patches on your face, shaving nicks, or the raw skin around your nose when you have a cold. The formula with Avène thermal water soothes immediately, while a protective complex restores the skin barrier. Suitable for babies, children, and adults — a true family product.
For more intensive skin issues — eczema flare-ups, severely dehydrated skin, or post-procedure recovery — the Cicalfate+ Intensely Restorative Serum 30ml (from €29.90) goes a step further. The serum penetrates deeper and provides lasting repair where the cream falls short.
Which product when? Use the cream for daily protection and minor irritations. Switch to the serum when your skin is truly damaged and needs intensive repair.
Compare Avène Cicalfate+ prices on PharmaCompare →
Avène Cleanance HYDRA: the saviour for dehydrated acne skin
A specific but very relevant product. Taking acne medication — isotretinoin (Roaccutane) or topical retinoids? Then you know your skin becomes extremely dry and sensitive in winter. The combination of drying medication and dry winter air is merciless.
The Avène Cleanance HYDRA Cream (from €13.34) was specifically developed for this situation. It hydrates intensively without clogging pores — crucial for acne-prone skin.
Pro tip: Discuss with your dermatologist whether you can reduce the frequency of your acne medication in winter. Many doctors recommend treating every other day instead of daily during the driest months.
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Gentle exfoliation: an underrated winter step
It sounds contradictory: your skin is already irritated, and you're going to scrub it too? Yet regular, mild exfoliation is essential in winter. Dead skin cells accumulate faster due to slowed cell renewal in cold temperatures. That dead layer blocks absorption of your hydrating products.
The Avène Body Gentle Scrub 200ml (from €14.65) is designed for exactly this purpose. Use it maximum once or twice per week, always on damp skin, and follow immediately with a rich body cream.
Watch out: Avoid scrubs with walnut shell or other sharp particles in winter. They cause micro-tears in an already vulnerable skin barrier.
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7 practical tips for healthy winter skin
1. Shower shorter and cooler
Hot water dramatically strips your skin of its natural oils. Limit showers to 5-10 minutes and choose lukewarm water.
2. Moisturise within 3 minutes of showering
This is the golden moment for hydration. Your skin is still damp and pores are open. Apply a rich body cream immediately to lock in that moisture.
3. Invest in a humidifier
A humidifier in your bedroom can make a world of difference. Aim for 40-50% humidity.
4. Drink enough water
In winter, we often forget to drink enough because we feel less thirsty. Aim for at least 1.5 litres per day.
5. Wear the right clothing
Choose soft, breathable fabrics directly against your skin. Wool can be irritating — wear a cotton layer underneath. Don't forget gloves, and choose a scarf that also covers your lower lip.
6. Adjust your diet
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (oily fish, walnuts, flaxseed) support the skin barrier from within. Vitamin E (nuts, seeds, avocado) protects your skin against oxidative stress.
7. Don't forget sun protection
Even in winter. UV radiation is less intense but still present — especially on bright winter days. For skiing or winter walking, SPF30+ is essential.
Compare smartly and save
Winter skincare is an investment that protects your skin all season. But it doesn't have to be an expensive one. Pharmacy product prices vary significantly between Belgian online pharmacies.
Take Avène Cicalfate+ for example: a €2-3 difference seems small, but if you buy the product regularly, that adds up to tens of euros per year. Multiply that by all the products in your winter routine and you're quickly saving enough for an extra purchase.
On PharmaCompare, compare prices in seconds at licensed Belgian online pharmacies like Viata, Farmaline, and Medi-Market. Protect your skin and your wallet this winter.
Conclusion
Winter doesn't have to be a nightmare for your skin. With the right knowledge, smart product choices, and an adapted routine, you can guide your skin comfortably through the season. Start with the basics — gentle cleansing, intensive hydration, targeted care for problem zones — and build from there.
Always compare prices before ordering. Your skin deserves the best, but your wallet deserves some love too. On PharmaCompare, find the best deals at licensed Belgian pharmacies.