PSA: Amazon Has a Secret Section of Winter Skincare Products Starting at $14

If I’m disoriented and a direction-seeking tourist asks me how to get anywhere in NYC, I freeze. “Sorry, I just moved here,” I’ll say — a line that was once true six years ago, when I first moved to the city. My navigational skills are pitiful in the physical world; in the virtual landscape of Amazon, however, I’m a minotaur in a maze. If you’ve yet to discover the site’s covert subsection dedicated to the best winter skincare products, allow me to be your guide. Below you’ll find the best winter skincare products from Amazon’s secret winter skincare section — each carefully selected by yours truly, and greenlighted by board-certified dermatologists for quelling winter skin woes. 

Shop Amazon’s Secret Winter Skincare Section:

• Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, $48 (Originally $66)
• Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Face Moisturizer, $20
• Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream, $14 (Originally $16)
• Paula's Choice Clinical 1 Percent Retinol Treatment Cream with Peptides, $62
• Replenix Lifting + Firming Neck Cream, $75 (Originally $96)
• Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50, $77
• iS Clinical Reparative Moisture Emulsion, $105
• Bio-Oil Skincare Body Oil, $16 (Originally $26)
• La Roche-Posay 10 Percent Pure Vitamin C Serum, $40

Of the countless cleansing balms I’ve tried, this one reigns supreme. It’s also an InStyle top pick, thanks to how marvelously it melts makeup, including waterproof mascara. According to Dr. Reid Maclellan, adjunct professor of plastic surgery at Harvard Medical School, cleansing balm can also dissolve sunscreen and environmental pollutants. “This one is great for skin that needs extra nourishment during dry winter months,” he says, pointing to its ingredients. These include rose and mimosa waxes, which “leave the skin feeling hydrated and soothed.” (In case you need more incentive: The balm is currently on sale.)

Shop now: $48 (Originally $66); amazon.com

Simplicity is among the most compelling facets of this formula, which “...acts as a moisturizer, retinol, and sunscreen in one,” Dr. Maclellan says. Dr. Joshua Zeichner, NYC-based board certified dermatologist, notes the vitamin A derivative is a “stabilized form of retinol,” making it ideal for wintertime use, when skin tends to feel dry.

Shop now: $20, amazon.com

“Every dermatologist in the US is familiar with the Vanicream line of skin care products,” says Dr. Elaine Kung, an NYC-based board-certified dermatologist. “Often, when we don't know what skin care products may be irritating our patients, we advise them to stop using everything [else] and substitute with the Vanicream line of products until we can figure out what their irritants are.” The cream, she continues, is free of irritants, including dyes, fragrance, and lanolin (which can cause allergies in some people despite its otherwise soothing nature). “Vanicream is a blend of purified water and petrolateum, which has been scientifically studied to be the best ingredient in preventing transepidermal water loss (TEWL). So, people with dry, sensitive skin can really benefit from Vanicream in the wintertime.”

Dr. Zeichner echoes this sentiment, noting Vanicream’s benefits for compromised skin barriers due to cold, dry weather.

Shop now: $14 (Originally $16); amazon.com

According to Dr. Kung, this antioxidant- and peptide-rich retinol serum is an excellent nighttime anti-ager. Skin-soothing ingredients including oat, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and soy esters make it a less irritating retinol pick than many formulas. Notably, “it can be used two to three times a week during the winter,” says Dr. Kung.

Shop now: $62, amazon.com

Formulated by dermatologists, this rich cream contains barrier-boosting ceramides and youth-preserving peptides to “strengthen and support…the sensitive skin on the neck and upper chest,” notes Dr. Zeichner. Shoppers say the formula delivers on its promises: One reviewer, who has been using the cream for two years, says it’s “very helpful” for maintaining firmness along the neck. 

Shop now: $75 (Originally $96); amazon.com

Anti-inflammatory antioxidants and skin-plumping hyaluronic acid enhance this sunscreen formula, which supplies adequate broad-spectrum UV protection, Dr. Zeichner points out. Reminder: Sunscreen is a year-round skincare necessity, even during the winter months (and especially in the snow, which can reflect and intensify UV light).

Shop now: $77, amazon.com

This hydrating, youth-preserving emulsion is worth the splurge if you can swing it; according to Dr. Kung, it’s  “everything a person needs for anti-aging.” Both Dr. Zeichner and Dr. Kung applaud lesser-known ingredient superoxide dismutase, which “help[s] combat environmental and ultraviolet damage,” Dr. Kung explains. Additionally, the formula flaunts familiar hero ingredients — including vitamin C, retinol, tripeptides, and hyaluronic acid — which are blended to “...promote collagen production and improve overall skin health.” According to Dr. Rachel Nazarian of Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City, “it also contains a wonderfully high SPF of 50, so [it’s] a good way to get protection, hydration, and anti-aging benefits in one.”

Shop now: $105, amazon.com

Kristen Chenoweth’s anti-wrinkle staple is also a stretch-mark and scar solution used by the likes of Meghan Markle and Kim Kardashian. This popular hair, face, and body oil lends itself to countless uses, particularly in the drying winter months. Emollients, including jojoba seed oil, and anti-inflammatory ingredients, like vitamin E-rich rosehip oil, soothe even the most sensitive and eczema-prone skin, Dr. Zeichner previously told InStyle. 

Shop now: $16 (Originally $26); amazon.com

This serum combines the antioxidant powers of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (tocopherol). According to Dr. Kung, “La Roche Posay's 10 percent vitamin C serum combines ascorbic acid with other ingredients that are helpful for skin brightening and anti-aging. Adenosine and peptides promote collagen production and prevention of wrinkles,” she adds. Lastly, the formula contains salicylic acid, a mild exfoliant, albeit enrobed in a “smooth, silky texture[d]” formula that’s skin-friendly for winter months.

Shop now: $40, amazon.com

Amazon’s secret skincare storefront should be your one-stop shop for all things winter skincare. Shop these picks and more while they’re still in stock.