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Keep a warm glow when it's cold: 7 tips to protect your skin this winter

Brrr! Weather forecasts for this winter are looking chilly, but that doesn't mean your skin needs to suffer. Here are our seven tips for how to keep a warm glow during the bitter cold.1. Problem: red cheeks As the temperature drops, skin tends to get dry, red, flaky and blotchy. The face suffers because it is unprotected from all the winter elements. The low humidity, wind and indoor heating deh

Brrr! Weather forecasts for this winter are looking chilly, but that doesn't mean your skin needs to suffer. Here are our seven tips for how to keep a warm glow during the bitter cold.

1. Problem: red cheeks 

As the temperature drops, skin tends to get dry, red, flaky and blotchy. The face suffers because it is unprotected from all the winter elements. The low humidity, wind and indoor heating dehydrate the skin because moisture evaporates.

Solution: To improve the skin on the face, gently exfoliate and switch to a gentle non-drying cleanser. Use creams or oils instead of lotions to moisturize, or add a hydrating serum and don't forget the sunscreen.

2. Problem: chapped lips 

The skin on the lips is super thin and doesn't have a lot of oil glands, so lips tend to dry out and crack in the winter. 

Solution: To prevent lips from peeling, use a soft toothbrush to exfoliate, then apply a hydrating lip balm with oil or Vaseline. If they are really raw, use cortisone ointment for a few days, and remember to apply a lip balm with SPF because lips burn all year round. Avoid products with fragrance and scent.

3Problem: red, raw nose 

The nose has lots of blood vessels that dilate when you come in from the cold, making you look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The skin often peels around the edges because of chronic sniffles.

Solution: Mix a little Bacitracin or Neosporin with cortisone ointment and eat foods with plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids like fish, olive oil and nuts.

4. Problem: dry hands 

Even your cuticles dry out from cold weather, hot water, cleaning products and hand sanitizer.

Solution: Soak your hands in warm water with a drizzle of oil for 5-10 minutes then immediately apply moisturizer with lactic acid or ceramides. Don't forget to treat your cuticles by wrapping your hands with plastic wrap then slipping on a cotton glove.

5. Problem: calluses

Your feet tend to take a beating in cold weather, drying out and callusing.

Solution: Try soaking in warm water with a little oil for 5-10 minutes, just as you would for your hands. If you want to remove dead skin and your heels are very dry, use a pumice stone to scrape off the dead skin. Immediately apply a moisturizer, preferably one that exfoliates. After treatment, don't forget to protect your feet by wearing socks.

6. Problem: itchy arms and legs 

Long, hot showers are the big culprit when it comes to dry and irritated arms and legs.

Solution: You need to shorten your shower time, apply moisturizer immediately and try using a 2-in-1 body soap moisturizer.

7. Problem: rough elbows and knees

It's easier for your body to dry out and the skin to roughen, especially your elbows and knees.

Solution: Use a cream with lactic acid or salicylic acid to soften up and remove the dry dead skin, or use a gentle exfoliating product.