Truth:You don’t have to put your fave formula on ice.
But give it more oomph by applying a moisturizing serum first.
Serums are lightweight, so they won’t change your lotion’s consistency.
Plus, they penetrate deeply, delivering ingredients more effectively.
Truth:You should alter your foundation’sfinishwith the seasons.
Now that you use sunscreen daily (c’monyoudo,don’t you?)
Whatmayvary is how your makeup interacts with the elements.
Truth:The sun’s rays are just as insidious when the mercury drops.
Meanwhile, UVAswhich cause wrinkles and skin cancerremain constant year-round.
Truth:Indoor heat is apt to be the main culprit when your complexion flakes out on you.
“It’s even worse for those who sit indoors all day with the thermostat cranked up high.”
What helps: If it’s possible for you to, turn down the temperature a few degrees.
(It’s healthy for your utility bill and the eartha win-win!)
you’ve got the option to also pump lost moisture back into the air with a humidifier.
The ideal place to keep one is in your bedroom; turn it on while you sleep.
“During the night, your skin goes into cell-renewal mode,” Dr. Graf says.
“That’s a good thing, but the process also speeds up moisture loss.”
Truth:When it comes to maximizing moisture, nutrients are more key than what you drink.
Umpteen visits to the watercooler are overkill, plain and simple.
(And who wants to make five trips to the bathroom before lunch?)
Truth:Light lotions can be as effective.
It’s all about the ingredients.
The difference between the two?
Rich creams consist mainly of occlusives (e.g., petrolatum and lanolin), which prevent moisture from evaporating.
Lighter lotions, in contrast, rely more on humectantsairy but powerful ingredients that pull moisture into skin.
Truth:Your razor does more than remove hairit’s also a great tool for banishing sandpapery skin.
“When you shave, you’re sloughing off dry skin in nice, even strips.
(We like DDF Glycolic 5% Daily Cleansing Pads, $35).
Rub on tough spots such as elbows to gently dissolve dead skin.
Truth:Hot soaks are a big winter-skin sin.
Remember how skin behaves in hot weather?
Rather than leaving skin squeaky-cleanand often strippedmilky sudsers coat skin so it doesn’t shed its natural oils.
Truth:To keep cuticles from looking ragged, you gotta quit snipping them altogether.
Once you break the trimming cycle and start using moisturizer diligently, cuticles should soften in a few months.
Truth:Dandruff tends to be year-round; you simply notice it more now.
Stop them anytime by using shampoo and conditioner with pyrithione zinc.
(Try Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Care, $8.)
If flakes don’t vanish in a month, see your derm; they can also signal psoriasis.
Truth:It’s more important to exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate.
Don’t blame your foot lotion for being ineffective.
No time for a shower?
Use a stainless steel file, which works best when skin is dry.
Truth:Licking your lips is more likely to blame.
(Both are in ChapStick 100% Naturals Botanical Medley, $3.)
Also avoid minty balms.
“Ones that tingle may contain drying menthol,” Dr. Hirsch warns.
Finally, look for a tube that’s fragrance-free to curb irritation.
Photo Credit: Terry Doyle
