Look beautiful all winter

When the weather's frosty and dry, skin becomes dryer, flakier and more irritated.
So how is it that some women look so supple and healthy, even in the dead of
winter, while you're all dry and chapped? As usual, we're here to help with 10
tremendous tips to keeping beautiful in winter

• Apply full-spectrum sunscreen even when it's chilly: You probably
know that UVB rays are the sun's burning rays, but UVA radiation is the principal
cause of wrinkling and skin cancer and can even penetrate glass. This means
that even if you're at home, driving or in the office by a window, you'll need
full-spectrum (both UVA and UVB) coverage. This is true on even the cloudiest
winter days.

• Don't linger in the bath or shower: Healthy skin has a protective
superficial layer called the stratum corneum -- essentially, a natural "lipid
barrier," and as temperature and humidity drop, this natural barrier becomes
vulnerable to damage, says Stacy P. Salob, MD, clinical assistant professor
in the Department of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York.
She cautions against prolonged bathing, especially with hot water, because
the water will sap moisture from this superficial layer, leaving the skin drier,
flakier and more susceptible to damage and irritation.

• Cut back on acids and astringents: For the winter months, consider
limiting your use of alpha-hydroxy acid products and astringents that contain
alcohol, Salob says. We may love these products for their exfoliating properties,
but they can strip the skin of its natural protective oils, leaving it easily
irritated.

• Humidify thyself: Bicoastal dermatologist Karyn Grossman recommends
a humidifier in your bedroom and office to prevent winter skin from drying
out. Humidifiers keep air moist. Look for a UV model because they offer a germ-free
mist, better to soothe those dry lips and chapped skin.

• Sip hot cocoa and get your antioxidants: According to recent studies,
cocoa beans were found to contain large amounts of natural antioxidants called
flavonoids; thus cocoa powders made from these beans are an undeniably compelling
choice of drink. Go ahead, steam some milk and enjoy your cocoa-anti-oxidants!

• Self-Tan: Pale-faced or pale-bodied? Makeup artist Deborah Grayson
proposes counterfeiting a "winter tan." She loves Estée Lauder
Go Tan Sunless Towelettes (EsteeLauder.co.uk) because the perfect amount is
already on the towel, and they're easy to wipe on.

• Resuscitate Frigid Feet: For dry and flaky winter feet, try exfoliating
with a scrub. Afterward, dry your tootsies and slip on cosy cotton socks overnight.
Your feet will feel pliant and smooth in the morning.

• Revive Chapped Winter Lips: Aside from looking wretched, chapped
lips feel awful. Problem is, we continually exacerbate the condition by licking,
so it's an endless cycle. To roll off the dead skin, try the clever Dr. Feelgood's
Lipscription by Benefit, expressly made for "dry-lip emergencies," which
buffs away dryness with exfoliating beads, then softens with Vitamin E & chamomile.

• Protect Those Tresses: Tippi Shorter, consulting stylist for Pantene,
recommends using a leave-in conditioner before blow-drying hair, or using hot
irons. She likes Pantene Pro-V Daily Renewal Treatment, and if you regularly
use heated styling tools, she suggests biweekly or monthly deep conditioning
treatments to keep hair hydrated and soft.

• Repair Winter Cells: Robert Scott, wellness expert, explains how skin
is nourished by blood and lymph fluid, and since less blood flows when you're
cold, you'll want to compensate by giving skin extra protection and nourishment.
He recommends regenerating your skin's appearance by using products that contain
amino-peptides, which work by renewing the skin's outer cell layer, and he
loves Olay Regenerist because it repairs without irritating the skin.