Can I Use My Daily Summer SPF in the Winter?

Given that SPF and sunscreen are necessary for all 12 months, it’s fair to wonder if you need different products for each season or if one solid option will be sufficient. The short answer is it depends. Overall, what’s most important is to keep using SPF every day, so if the easiest way to do that is to stick to one product, then do it. As Dr. Hartman says, “If sunscreen is already a habit from the summer, keep it going through fall right into winter.”

However, if you want to really take your skincare and UV protection seriously, you’ll want to slightly adjust your products during the cooler months. Dr. King explains, “In general, we need heavier, more moisturizing formulations in the winter that contain more emollients and occlusive.” Those latter two are primarily moisturizing agents because cold air tends to draw moisture out of the skin much faster, leaving it drier than usual.

That being said, Dr. King notes that if a person’s skin is already especially oily or the winter weather is mild, using the same product from the summer would be acceptable. Plus, Dr. Zalka offers another solution for those hooked on one particular SPF. “You can use your favorite SPF all year long. In winter just incorporate layers of hydration underneath your product,” she says adding face oil as a great resource here.