How to Prepare Your Skin for Winter: 7 Essential Steps for a Healthy Glow

Adjust Your Skincare for the Colder Months
Observe What Your Face Actually Needs
Prepare Your Neck and Shoulders First
Introduce a Regular Facial Self-Massage Routine
Match the Technique to Your Face
Combine Your Home Routine With Professional Kobido and LED
Start Early and Build Your Glow Gradually
Introducing the Festive Glow Challenge
Frequently Asked Questions

Winter can be demanding for your skin and face.

Cold air, wind, low humidity and heated indoor spaces can affect the skin barrier, contributing to dryness, sensitivity and discomfort. Research confirms that lower temperatures and humidity can reduce skin barrier function and make the skin more reactive to irritants. PubMed

But preparing your face for winter is not only about changing your moisturiser.

Seasonal stress, less movement, disrupted sleep and long hours spent indoors may also leave your face looking tired, puffy or tense. You may notice yourself clenching your jaw more often or holding tension around your mouth, forehead, neck and shoulders.

A healthy winter glow is not created by one intensive treatment before an important event. It is built gradually through appropriate skincare, regular facial self-massage, professional treatments and time for recovery.

Here are seven practical steps to help you prepare your skin and face for the colder months.

1. Adjust Your Skincare for the Colder Months

The lightweight moisturiser that worked well during summer may no longer provide enough comfort and protection on cold, windy days.

Winter conditions and indoor heating can increase feelings of dryness and sensitivity, so autumn is a good time to check whether your routine still responds to your skin’s needs.

Every skin is different. If you are unsure which type of protection is suitable for you, consider reviewing your routine with a qualified cosmetologist. This is especially useful if your skin is sensitive, reactive or prone to redness.

You do not necessarily need more products. You may simply need a routine that is better suited to the season.

2. Observe What Your Face Actually Needs

Before beginning any facial massage, take a few seconds to observe your face.

Ask yourself:

Does my face feel puffy?
Is my skin particularly sensitive today?
Am I clenching my jaw?
Does my neck feel stiff?
Am I holding tension around my mouth or forehead?
Does my face look more tired than usual?

Your face does not need the same routine every day.

A puffy face may respond better to slow, gentle movements. A tight jaw may need more focused muscular work. Sensitive or irritated skin may need rest rather than an intensive massage.

Your winter routine should respond to your face, not force it through the same sequence every day.

3. Prepare Your Neck and Shoulders First

A common mistake in facial self-massage is starting immediately with the cheeks or jawline.

The face is connected with the jaw, neck, shoulders and upper chest. When these areas are tense, facial movements may feel less comfortable and restricted.

Before touching your face:

take a few slow breaths
lower and relax your shoulders
make gentle shoulder circles
slowly stretch the sides of your neck
release unnecessary tension from your jaw
use light movements around the neck and collarbone area

This preparation does not need to take longer than one or two minutes, but it can make the rest of your routine feel much more complete.

Be gentle and avoid strong pressure on the front and sides of the neck.

4. Introduce a Regular Facial Self-Massage Routine

You do not need a complicated 30-minute ritual every morning.

A short and intentional routine performed regularly can be more useful than an intense massage done once every few weeks.

Facial self-massage can help you become more aware of where you hold tension. It can also provide temporary relief from puffiness, support relaxation and encourage you to pause for a moment during a busy day.

A small study using facial massage rollers found a short-term increase in facial skin blood flow after five minutes of massage. However, facial massage should still be presented realistically as a supportive practice rather than a method of permanently changing facial structure. PubMed

The most important elements are:

appropriate pressure
controlled movements
a clear intention
correct order
regularity
responding to your face

➥ Learn the foundations at The Face Ritual Workshop

If you use gua sha, massage balls or facial tools but are not sure whether your technique is correct, you can learn a practical routine during The Face Ritual: Self-Massage Workshop.

During the workshop, we explore:

basic facial anatomy
preparation of the neck and collarbone area
the difference between drainage, relaxation and lifting techniques
appropriate pressure and direction
techniques using hands, gua sha and spiky massage balls
how to create a realistic routine for your own face

Instead of collecting random techniques from social media, you learn why each movement is performed and how to adjust it to your needs.

View upcoming The Face Ritual Workshops

5. Match the Technique to Your Face

Not every facial massage movement serves the same purpose.

If your face feels puffy

Choose slow, gentle movements and avoid unnecessarily strong pressure. Lymphatic-style techniques should feel light and rhythmic.

If your jaw feels tense

Focus on relaxation rather than immediately trying to sculpt the face. Jaw tension may involve the masseter, temples, muscles around the mouth, neck and shoulders.

If your face feels tired but not sensitive

You may choose more stimulating and dynamic techniques to awaken the tissues and create a fresher appearance.

If your skin feels irritated

This may not be the right moment for massage. Give your skin time to settle and ask a skincare professional for guidance if irritation persists.

Stronger does not automatically mean more effective. The best routine begins with understanding what you are trying to achieve.

📖 You can also read:

5 Common Facial Self-Massage Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

6. Combine Your Home Routine With Professional Kobido and LED

Self-massage helps you maintain regularity at home. A professional Kobido session offers something different.

During a professional treatment, the techniques can be adapted to the condition of your face on that particular day. The session may combine relaxation, drainage, stimulation, lifting movements and more focused work on areas of tension.

At Kobido Amsterdam, this may include:

Kobido Signature by Justyna

A personalised treatment that allows me to combine different advanced manual techniques according to your individual needs. It is suitable when your face needs a complete session focused on tension, stimulation, relaxation and natural sculpting.

Kobido Buccal Sculpt

A combination of Kobido and intraoral massage, particularly suitable for clients who hold significant tension in the jaw, cheeks and lower face.

The proportions do not need to be decided in advance. Your treatment plan can change according to how your face responds during the programme.

LED Light Therapy

A 15-minute LED session can be added after Kobido as a calm, non-invasive finish to the treatment.

Clinical research into red-light photobiomodulation suggests potential benefits for selected signs of facial ageing, skin texture and elasticity. However, treatment methods, devices and schedules vary between studies, so LED is best presented as a supportive element rather than a guaranteed transformation. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

It does not replace winter skincare or professional skin advice. It complements the regular manual work and gives you additional time to rest after your massage.

7. Start Early and Build Your Glow Gradually

Do not wait until the day before an important event to start taking care of your face.

One treatment can leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed, but regular appointments allow us to observe how your face responds and adjust each session accordingly.

This is particularly helpful if you experience:

recurring jaw tension
facial puffiness
tension around the mouth or forehead
stiffness in the neck and shoulders
a generally tired appearance
difficulty maintaining a regular routine at home

Your jaw tension probably did not develop overnight. It is therefore unrealistic to expect one session to change everything.

A series of treatments scheduled weekly or every two weeks creates a more structured and intentional approach.

💛 Introducing the Festive Glow Challenge

The Festive Glow Challenge is a personalised five-session programme designed to support your face throughout the colder months and prepare it for the festive season.

It is not a package of five identical treatments.

Each appointment is selected according to what your face needs at that stage of the programme.

➥ What Is Included?

five personalised treatment sessions
an individually selected combination of Kobido Signature and Kobido Buccal Sculpt
15 minutes of LED Light Therapy after every session
appointments scheduled weekly or every two weeks
a treatment plan adapted throughout the programme

➥ Investment

ONLY €720 instead of €800

The Festive Glow Challenge starts from 1 November and is available to purchase throughout November.

➥ Who Is the Festive Glow Challenge For?

The programme may be a good choice if:

you want to prepare your face for the festive season
you would like to begin having regular Kobido treatments
your face often looks tired or puffy
you hold tension in your jaw, neck or lower face
you prefer natural and non-invasive facial treatments
you want a structured programme rather than occasional appointments
you are ready to support the programme with a simple home routine

The goal is not to make your face look like someone else’s.

It is to work consistently with your own facial structure, tension patterns and individual needs so that your face can look more rested, refreshed and naturally radiant.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I begin preparing my skin for winter?

Autumn is a good time to review your skincare and introduce a regular facial massage routine. If you are preparing for a specific event or the festive season, starting several weeks in advance gives you time to work gradually.

How often should I perform facial self-massage?

A short and gentle routine can be performed several times a week, depending on your skin and the techniques you use. Your face does not need an intensive massage every day.

Is self-massage the same as professional Kobido?

No. Self-massage helps maintain regularity and increases your awareness of facial tension. Professional Kobido includes more advanced techniques and allows the treatment to be adapted while you completely relax.

What is the difference between Kobido Signature and Buccal Sculpt?

Kobido Signature is a complete, personalised facial treatment combining different manual techniques. Buccal Sculpt includes intraoral massage and provides more focused work on the jaw, cheeks and lower face.

How are the treatments selected during the Festive Glow Challenge?

The combination is chosen individually. You do not need to decide how many Signature or Buccal sessions you require before starting. The programme is adapted according to your needs and how your face responds.

Is LED included after every session?

Yes. Every Festive Glow Challenge appointment includes 15 minutes of LED Light Therapy.

Should I schedule the sessions weekly or every two weeks?

Both options are possible. The best schedule depends on your availability, your needs and when you begin the programme.

When is the Festive Glow Challenge available?

The programme starts from 1 November and can be purchased throughout November.