I myself begin feeling the effects of the cooler weather in early October.

My lips become tender and chapped, and I have to switch to a different formula of daily facial cleanser because the exfoliating beads in my current cleanser were irritating my skin.

I have to limit my daily exfoliation to just twice a week. Also my hands and feet become very dry. See here to soften dry hands and feet.

The sun’s rays are still just as dangerous as in summer and they will reflect off any snowy surfaces, bouncing the rays right back on to you. You’re going to need a good facial moisturizer with SPF of at least 15.

Tip 1- Use a lip balm (preferably with SPF) and do not lick your lips under any circumstances. That just makes it worse. Keep your hands moisturized with a good quality hand cream.

Tip 2 - Drink plenty of water and limit your alcohol intake. Alcohol is a dehydrator.

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Tip 3 - Buy a humidifier if you don’t already have one. It may help keep your heating bills down as well. You know, the whole heat and humidity thing. Think Amazon rain forest.

Tip 4 - Use a shower filter. It will filter out the skin-drying chlorine in your tap water. Avoid very hot water even though it feels good on a cold winter morning. It will only strip your skin of its natural oils and cause water to evaporate more quickly.

Also, it pays to switch from soap which can dry the skin, to a silky body wash which will help your skin retain moisture.

Tip 5 - Pat your skin dry when exiting the shower, don’t rub. Apply a nice moisturizer to help seal in moisture.

Tip 6 - Stay away from harsh scrubs or cleansers since they will eliminate most of the skin’s oils and dry your skin out more easily. This applies to skin care products as well as cleaning products.

When the humidity drops to 50 percent or less, you will need to pay even more attention to your moisturization routine.

So take good care of your skin and enjoy your winter!

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