Winter can be a difficult season on your skin. We always find ourselves slathering on sunscreen and moisturizers during the Summer months, but the Winter season can cause serious damage to your skin. Without proper treatment, Winter skin can become dry and flaky, giving the appearance of prematurely aged skin. So what is one to do to properly protect their skin during the Winter months….?

1. Exfoliate – Rid your body of the dead cells that reside on the outer layer of your skin. Protect yourself by buying a body scrub with natural exfoliating properties such as oatmeal, coffee, or sugar.

2. Moisturize – Probably the most obvious but definitely the most important. Your skin needs added moisturizing protection in the Winter months. Purchase yourself an oil based moisturizer. Apply the moisturizer immediately after showering for best results.

3. Hands – There should be a whole article written about protecting your hands in the Winter months. My hands become horribly dry and itchy during the Winter. Apply hand cream multiple times a day. When you are planning to be out in the cold for long periods of time, wear gloves for added protection.

4. Hydrate – Water is your skins natural moisturizer, so remember to keep drinking plenty of it.

5. Face – Your face is the most exposed to the elements during the Winter months. Wind, cold, sun…It can cause some serious damage. Follow your normal skincare routine, however be sure you are applying sunscreen daily. Also, those lips can become dry and cracked in an instant, so apply a moisture rich lip balm multiple times a day.