Beauty

Make Moisturizers Your Best Friends

Harsh winds and freezing temperatures outside, plus hot, dry air inside can leave your skin raw, red, or flaky. Sunlight reflecting off snow and ice can add to skin damage.

Protect your skin with natural moisturizers that combine a minimum SPF 15 with antioxidants to counteract free-radical damage caused by sun exposure. Look for products with ingredients such as alpha-lipoic acid, camomile, green tea, grapeseed, Ginkgo biloba, melatonin, vitamins C and E, as well as herbal, fruit, or nut oils. Consider switching from lighter moisturizing lotions to heavier emollients and cremes during this season.

Water, Water, Everywhere

Along with sun blocks and moisturizers, don't forget water. While most of us drink a lot of water in summer, we sometimes forget that our bodies need water all year round. Aim for eight glasses a day.

Not a fan of water? Drink herbal teas or broths instead. Stay away from regular caffeinated tea and coffee that act as diuretics and further rob your body of moisture.

You can also hydrate your body from the outside in. To combat dry air caused by central heating, use a humidifier. If you don't have one that attaches to your furnace, consider getting a room humidifier and placing it in your bedroom. While you sleep, the humidifier helps replenish your skin's moisture that is drawn away by dry air. A less expensive way of adding humidity to the air is to place pans of water around your living space or keep some water in your sinks and bathtubs. As the water evaporates, it adds much-needed moisture to the air.