November does something brutal to your skin overnight. You wake up with tight, uncomfortable skin that your summer moisturizer can’t handle anymore. Your face looks dull by 10am. That area around your nose gets flaky no matter how much cream you slap on it.
These five things cost under £50 total and take about three minutes to use properly. No complicated routines or seven-step processes.
1. Vaseline on Damp Skin (The £3 Fix Nobody Believes Works)
Dermatologists recommend this more than any fancy cream. Regular petroleum jelly from Boots costs £2.99 for a tub that lasts six months. You use it wrong though, which is why you think it doesn’t work.
How to actually use it:
- Wash your face and pat it until it’s damp, not bone dry.
- Take a pea-sized amount of Vaseline (seriously, just a tiny bit).
- Rub it between your palms until it’s warm and thin.
- Press it onto the driest parts of your face—around your nose, cheeks, forehead.
- Wait 60 seconds before getting dressed so it doesn’t transfer to your clothes.
Vaseline doesn’t moisturize by itself. It traps whatever moisture already exists on your skin. That’s why you apply it on damp skin, not dry. Your skin holds that water instead of losing it to heating systems and cold air.
People avoid Vaseline thinking it clogs pores or looks greasy. Used correctly on damp skin in small amounts, it absorbs within two minutes and prevents that tight feeling you get by afternoon. Using too much makes you shiny. Using the right amount makes your skin stop peeling.
This works better than £40 face creams because those creams contain 60-70% water that evaporates. Vaseline contains zero water and creates an actual barrier. Dermatology studies show petroleum jelly outperforms expensive moisturizers for barrier repair. You just need to use it right.
2. Vitamin E Oil Mixed Into Your Regular Moisturizer (Stops the Flaking)
If you have flacky patch around your nose and chin won’t fix itself with more moisturizer. You need something that repairs the skin barrier while hydrating. Vitamin E oil from Holland & Barrett costs £4-6 for a bottle that lasts three months.
How to mix it properly:
- Put your normal amount of moisturizer in your palm (nickel-sized amount).
- Add 2-3 drops of vitamin E oil.
- Mix them together with your finger.
- Apply to your whole face like you normally would.
Straight vitamin E oil is too thick and sits on your skin doing nothing useful. Mixed into moisturizer, it spreads evenly and penetrates better. The vitamin E specifically targets the damaged barrier causing those flaky patches while your regular moisturizer handles hydration.
Some vitamin E oils contain fragrance or other additives. Get the plain one that lists “tocopherol” as the main ingredient. The clear or slightly yellow bottles work better than dark brown ones that oxidize faster.
You’ll notice flaking reduces within three days. After a week, that rough texture around your nose disappears. By week two, your foundation stops clinging to dry patches because they don’t exist anymore.
This combination costs under £15 total (your existing moisturizer plus £5 oil) and outperforms £60 winter face creams that promise to fix barrier damage but contain the same ingredients in weaker concentrations.
3. The Damp Towel Trick Before Moisturizer (Saves You From Buying New Products)
Your products aren’t broken. You’re applying them to dry skin that can’t absorb anything properly. This trick makes whatever moisturizer you already own work 60% better without buying anything new.
The actual method:
- After washing your face, don’t dry it completely.
- Press a damp (not dripping) clean towel against your face for 10 seconds.
- Your skin should feel cool and slightly wet.
- Immediately apply your moisturizer while skin is still damp.
- Pat any excess dampness, don’t rub.
Products penetrate damp skin significantly better than dry skin. That £12 CeraVe moisturizer you thought stopped working performs like a £40 cream when applied correctly. The water on your skin’s surface helps drag moisturizer ingredients deeper into your skin layers.
Most people towel their face bone dry before applying products because that feels normal. You’re actually creating a barrier that prevents absorption. November air is so dry that your skin dries completely within 20 seconds of washing. That window matters.
This works with serums, oils, and treatments too. Everything absorbs better on damp skin. You use less product because it spreads easier. Your face feels hydrated longer because moisture got trapped properly instead of sitting on the surface.
Hairdressers have known this forever—they apply leave-in products to damp hair, not dry, for better absorption. Your face works the same way. The science is identical.
4. SPF Stick for Your Hands and Lips (The Parts Everyone Forgets)
Your face gets SPF every day. Your hands and lips turn into dried-out messes by December because nobody protects them properly in November. A £7 SPF stick from Neutrogena or Banana Boat fits in your pocket and fixes both areas.
How to use it throughout the day:
- Apply to the backs of your hands after every time you wash them (so 4-6 times daily).
- Swipe across your lips before going outside, even for five minutes.
- Keep the stick in your coat pocket, not your bathroom, so you actually use it.
- Reapply every two hours if you’re outside for extended periods.
The skin on your hands is thinner and has fewer oil glands than on your face. The combination of washing your hands a lot and the cold November weather will affect your hands more than your face. The skin around your knuckles can also become flaky and cracked due to UV damage and dryness. This skin does not just suffer from the cold weather.
Your lips have no oil glands and will always need a protective covering. A lip balm can temporarily moisten the lips but does not protect against the UV rays that cause premature aging. UV rays also protect lip cancer from developing. Lip products that contain SPF will protect against the sun.
A stick of lip SPF is more convenient than a squeeze tube of hand SPF cream. There is no need to touch stick lip SPF and rub it on the hands. Creams are annoying to squeeze and get dirty under the nails. The stick glides on, is quick absorbing, and does not leave a sticky film on your hands. You can check your screen after applying and it will not leave a residue on your screen.
Many people believe that sun exposure only impacts their skin in the summer. November UV exposure is almost as strong as summer July UV exposure. The sun is constantly blocked by clouds and the UV rays will still cause damage. There are five-minute exposure moments in the car, office, and windows, that will add up.
Sun damage is permanent and will increase the cost of treatments up to hundreds. This is why the cost of prevention is so low. A stick of SPF will last six weeks and only cost £7.
5. Overnight Lip Mask Before Bed (Fixes Tomorrow Morning’s Lips Today)
Morning lip care is pointless if your lips are already cracked when you wake up. Overnight lip masks trap moisture while you sleep so your lips don’t start tomorrow damaged. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask costs £18 and lasts four months with nightly use.
How to apply it properly:
- After brushing your teeth at night, dry your lips completely.
- Use your finger to scoop out a small amount (smaller than a pea).
- Apply a thick layer across your entire lips, slightly over the lip line.
- Don’t rub it in—just let it sit there thick.
- Sleep normally. It won’t transfer to your pillow much.
The thick layer matters because thin application evaporates by 2am and your lips dry out again by morning. Heavy application creates an occlusive seal that traps moisture for the entire night. You wake up with soft lips instead of peeling ones.
Budget alternative: Plain Vaseline works using the same method and costs £3. Vaseline doesn’t smell as nice or feel as luxurious, but it performs 85% as well as expensive overnight masks. The science is identical—create an occlusive barrier that prevents moisture loss.
Your lips lose moisture faster than facial skin because they have no oil glands, thinner skin layers, and constant exposure (you don’t cover them with a scarf indoors). November heating systems specifically target lips because they’re right in the path of forced air vents and radiator heat.
Daytime lip balm applied 15 times daily doesn’t fix the underlying problem. Your lips are chronically dehydrated, and balm only hydrates the surface temporarily. Overnight treatment repairs the deeper layers so daytime balm actually has something to work with.
People who use overnight lip masks reduce their daytime lip balm applications by 70% within one week because their lips stop being chronically dry. You go from reapplying every hour to maybe twice daily.
That £18 Laneige pot contains enough product for 120 applications at proper thickness. That’s four months of nightly use, which breaks down to £1.20 per week. Regular lip balm at £3 per tube (lasting two weeks) costs £1.50 weekly and works less effectively.
Why These Five Things Instead of Complicated Routines
Skincare companies want you buying 12 products and spending 20 minutes every morning. Most people don’t have that time or patience, quit after a week, and end up with bathroom cabinets full of half-used bottles.
These five things focus on the actual problems November creates:
- Moisture barrier damage (fixed by Vaseline and vitamin E)
- Poor product absorption (fixed by damp skin application)
- UV exposure people ignore (fixed by SPF stick)
- Chronic overnight dehydration (fixed by overnight lip treatment)
You can do all five in under five minutes total. The Vaseline takes 30 seconds. Vitamin E mixing takes 10 seconds. Damp skin application is how you’d normally apply moisturizer anyway. SPF stick application takes 15 seconds. Overnight lip mask takes 20 seconds before bed.
Total cost: £35-50 depending on which products you choose. Total time investment: five minutes daily. Results show up within three days for most people.
The alternative is buying £200 worth of winter skincare products, spending 15 minutes every morning following a complicated routine, and maybe seeing results in three weeks if you stick with it. Most people don’t stick with it because it’s annoying.
What About Fancy Serums and Treatments
Hyaluronic acid serums and niacinamide treatments work well if you want to add them. They’re not necessary for fixing November skin problems though. The five things above handle the core issues.
If you already own serums, use them. Apply them on damp skin after washing, wait 60 seconds for absorption, then apply moisturizer mixed with vitamin E. You’re layering correctly without overcomplicating things.
Chemical exfoliants, retinols, and acids belong in evening routines, not morning ones. Morning skincare protects your skin from the day ahead. Evening skincare repairs damage. Mixing those purposes creates problems.
Face oils, essences, and ampoules add steps without adding significant results for most people dealing with basic November dryness. If you have severe barrier damage or eczema, those might help. For normal winter skin adjustment, the five things above cover you.
The beauty industry thrives on convincing people their skin needs 15 products. Your skin needs moisture retention, barrier repair, UV protection, and consistency. Everything else is optional optimization.
When Your Skin Still Looks Terrible After a Week
Give these five things two weeks before judging whether they work. Week one, your skin adjusts. Week two shows real results. If your skin still looks awful after two weeks:
You might be using too much of something. Vaseline and vitamin E work in small amounts. More doesn’t equal better. It equals greasy skin that can’t breathe.
Your moisturizer might be the wrong type for your skin. If it contains alcohol high in the ingredient list or is gel-based, switch to a cream formula. November needs creams, not gels.
You might have a damaged moisture barrier that needs professional help. If your skin stings when you apply any product, burns in cold wind, or stays red for hours after washing, see a dermatologist. You’ve gone past basic dryness into barrier destruction.
You might be taking showers that are too hot. If your face is bright red after washing and feels tight within minutes, your water is too hot. Use lukewarm water. Your face should never feel uncomfortable after cleansing.
Your diet might be terrible. If you’re drinking one glass of water daily and eating only fried food, no amount of topical skincare fixes internal dehydration and inflammation. Drink more water. Eat something green occasionally. Your skin reflects what you put in your body.
The Bottom Line
November destroys skin because the transition from mild weather to heating systems happens fast. Your summer routine can’t handle it. Instead of buying expensive winter collections, you need five practical things that cost under £50 and take five minutes to use.
Vaseline on damp skin traps moisture. Vitamin E mixed into moisturizer repairs barriers. Applying products to damp skin improves absorption by 60%. SPF sticks protect forgotten areas. Overnight lip masks prevent tomorrow’s problems today.
Do these five things consistently for two weeks and your face stops feeling tight by noon, flaky patches disappear, and you don’t wake up with cracked lips anymore.