Winter is here and it is not relenting. With it comes icy weather, whipping winds and dry, flaky skin on your cheeks. There is something to be said for apple cheeks in the autumn, but it's not so cute in the winter when your skin feels chapped and the air feels raw. You might want to hide under a blanket, but you can't always do that through the winter months, especially if you have work to get to and responsibilities to maintain.

The good news is that with some care and attention, your skin is going to be easy to take care of in the winter, just like it is every other month of the year. You can keep your skin healthy and make it glow all winter long, so all you need to do is make sure that you are sitting comfortably and reading this article and you'll have the skin care tips that you need for that glowing healthy skin.

• Don't forget your SPF. You might have packed your spray sunscreen the last time you went on vacation, but it's just as handy in the winter when you are on the way to work as it is on the beach in Portugal. Making sure that you are using sunscreen is important even through the winter, because you're still going to have to deal with the UV rays of the sun. The sun protection factor is going to be higher even in some of the winter days, so keeping your skin protected should be your concern.

• Moisturize, moisturize and keep on moisturizing. The air is crisp and cold in the winter months and it's not so great for your skin, especially on your face that is exposed to the elements all the time. The dry air can compensate for the loss of moisture with your skin and steal it away and make sure that it's less hydrated before you go back to bed. In the evening, make sure that you are moisturizing your skin to keep it looking soft and supple and hydrated. You will seal moisture in better with an oil based moisturizer than a water based one.

• Keep a humidifier going. The dry air in the house can be just as damaging to your face and your skin as the cold winter air outside. Humidifiers work to add moisture back into the air, and that keeps your skin hydrated. It can also help you with those cold and flu symptoms so if you've got something going round in your neighborhood, you can avoid it.

• Those long, hot showers. Shorter, cooler showers should be something that you take throughout the winter months as well as summer months. Those hot showers are great for warming up, but they can leave your skin to dry very quickly. This leaves you feeling tight and uncomfortable even when you use moisturizer. Next, limit your showers to around 15 minutes and use lukewarm water instead of hot water to preserve the natural oils of your skin.

Until next time

Zoe
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