Winter Skin Beauty Tips: 4 Ways To Keep Your Skin Healthy In Cold Weather

Winter is notorious for wreaking havoc on skin by making it dry, chapped and flaky. But cold weather does not have to be synonymous with bad skin, as there are many simple measures you can take to ensure that you have a healthy, radiant glow regardless of the season. The cardinal rule for great skin is to wear sunscreen year-round as it protects your face and body from the harmful UVA and UVB rays. And if you want to create a faux glow, then consider applying highlighter to the apples of your cheeks, the bridge of your nose, and around the hairline. For your body, target areas that the sun would hit—that’s the collarbone, shoulders, shins, and the tops of the thighs.

1. Drink more water. Staying hydrated is the first step for healthy skin around the year, let alone in the winter. Drinking liquids ensures that your cells are hydrated--dehydrated skin cells have a slower cell turn over rate resulting in a buildup of a dead skin that results in a dull look. Note: Most doctors recommend eight 8-oz glasses of water a day.

2. Take short showers. It may seem alluring to take a long, hot shower in the winter, but that is one of the fastest ways to dry up your skin. Too many hot showers suck the moisture out by washing away the oils that protect your skin, so stick to a five-minute shower using tepid warm water to prevent dryness. Since locking in moisture is the goal, opt for patting your skin dry with a towel instead of rubbing the water off when you're done showering.

3. Exfoliate regularly. Dead skin is responsible for creating that dry, ashy look in the cold winter months so it is important to slough off the excess skin by exfoliating regularly. A celeb favorite--rumor has it that this product is the secret to J. Lo's famous glow--is Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish. A cheaper alternative: Mix equal parts olive oil and sugar for a DIY scrub. For your face, look for an exfoliator with glycolic acid, which clears off top layer of dead skin and in turn, improves texture and tone whilst minimizing fine lines and breakout.

4. Moisturize twice a day. The emollient in a lotion seals your skin’s moisture so be sure to moisturize twice a day. The best time to apply a lotion or a cream is right after you step out of the shower. Remember to give your arms and legs some extra love since they have fewer oil glands and tend to be drier than other parts of your body. Tip: Use an essential oil in lieu of a moisturizer on freshly towel-blotted skin. Coconut oil is scientifically proven to penetrate your skin deeper than any other oil.