Winter Skincare: 6 tips for staying bright during bleary months

The cold, dry winter weather is not just harsh on your immune system – it can also make your once soft, delicate summer skin look like you've been washing dishes and dusting yourself in flour for three days straight. Here are the essential six degrees of winter skin rejuvenation.

STEP 1: Sunny days are (still) here

Just as having more melanin doesn't mean we're immune to skin cancer, the sun also doesn't go on vacation just because it's winter. Whether you're living in the chilly North or the perpetually warm South, sunscreen is a must all year round, and the SPF in your foundation doesn't count. Keep your face protected by priming skin with a sunscreen moisturizer before applying makeup. Sensitive? Try Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 30. $13.99, Neutrogena.com.

STEP 2: Soap swap

Did you know that it's not completely necessary to soap up during every shower? In fact, even many derms avoid using soap altogether and shower with plain old water, and every sudsy shower you take strips skin of its natural oils. However, this is a tough pill for veteran cleaners to swallow, so at least do your skin a favor and switch to a lotion-based soap to keep from skin drying out too much. Try Olay's Body Wash plus Body Butter Ribbons ($5, drugstores everywhere) or, after using your own soap, scrub up with a homemade paste of raw sugar, olive oil, lemon and honey, then rinse off. Too much effort? Pick up a tub of The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Body Scrub, $20, thebodyshop-usa.com.

STEP 3: Hair today, dry skin tomorrow

We've all used regular bar soap or even shampoo as a shaving base when in a bind. However, the stripping elements of soap plus the slight layer of skin removed by your razor can lead to majorly dry (yet smooth!) legs. Use a rich shaving balm, lotion or gel to moisturize pre-shave and an extra-sharp razor to make shaving sessions less frequent. Head to the men's section of your pharmacy for King of Shaves' Azor razor ($5.25, kingofshavesdirect.com), then scoot over to the women's department for Queen of... Ta-Da! shaving gel ($3.59, kingofshavesdirect.com), which has soothing tea tree and aloe to moisturize and calm inflamed skin.

STEP 4: Grease up

Lock in moisture with a post-shower oil rub. While skin's still wet, stand in the shower and rub in oil from head to toe. Your kid's Johnson's Baby Oil ($5, drugstores everywhere) will do the trick, or you can go for a bit more grown-up route with L'Occitane Almond Tonic Body Oil ($38, usa.loccitane.com), which has a sexy almond scent and added detoxifiers like red algae extract to improve skin function and tone.

STEP 5: Beautify hands and feet

Bitter winter weather will have your hands and feet looking dry and scaly in no time, even if you cover up with warm gloves and thick socks. Coat cuticles with pure jojoba oil, like Jason Naturals Pure Beauty Oil ($5, natural food stores) at night and before showering; the steam will help the oil penetrate pores. During the day, slather on lotion, at least after washing hands. Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source Hand Therapy Cream ($15, crabtree-evelyn.com) feels and smells amazing, and can be used on both hands and feet.

STEP 6: Re-capture your baby face

Windy winter months are especially harsh on the face, since it's likely the only thing you don't have covered up. Moisturize with a rich, firming day cream, like Wexler Intensive 3-in-1 Day Cream with SPF 30 ($42.50, bathandbodyworks.com), and cover up with your favorite foundation. Remember: the lighter the foundation, the more room for your pores to breathe! You'll find that you require less face paint when you use a face cream beforehand. A shea butter- and vitamin-based lip balm, like Palmer's multipurpose Cocoa Butter Formula Swivel Stick ($2.38, amazon.com) will keep lips from chapping and cracking and makes for a great lipstick primer. A light crème blush, like tarte natural cheek stain ($30, tartecosmetics.com) will make you appear windburnt – minus the burnt.