Winter-Proof Your Beauty Routine

How to stay hot when the temperature drops.

Baby, it’s cold outside! And you’ve got the chapped lips, dry hair and flaky skin to prove it. Put the chill on winter beauty woes without spending a lot of time — or cash. From bath to bedtime, follow this around-the-clock soothing routine to protect yourself from the season’s skin stressors.

At shower time:

Don’t wash your hair every day, says style and beauty expert Jenn Falik, host of MSN.com’s Beauty BFF. Between washings use TRESemme’s Rich Moisture shampoo (Link opens in new window.) to restore your distressed hair. And resist the urge to take a hot shower, since it can strip your skin of its natural oils. Instead, opt for the coolest water you can tolerate without shivering.

Before showering, brush your hair and body with a body brush to boost circulation and slough off dead skin cells. Or, for deeper exfoliation, fashion and beauty expert Rebekah George recommends wrapping a washcloth around a bar of soap (like Dove White Beauty Bar (Link opens in new window.)) and clean skin using a circular motion. “It’s more gentle,” she says. “If you use a back-and-forth motion, you tend to scrub too hard. You’re not washing your floor!”

After shower:

To prevent your skin from drying out, keep the bathroom door closed so that the air retains the steam and moisture. Afterward, apply lotion (try a heavier formula for winter, like Vaseline® Intensive Care™ Essential Healing Lotion (Link opens in new window.)) while your skin is still damp. “So moisturize your face and skin immediately after toweling off,” says Galvez.

Even though the mercury has dropped, you should still keep up your sunscreen routine, recommend George. “Sun damage can cause aging, swelling and redness,” she says. “That’s a big problem for women this time of the year.”

Throughout the day:

Keep a hand cream like Vaseline Intensive Care™ Advanced Repair Hand Lotion (Link opens in new window.) in your purse.

Before bed:

Slather a layer of Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly (Link opens in new window.) on cracked feet, says Falik. But don’t put on socks right away — drape your feet over the side of a chair for a few minutes until it absorbs a bit. (Consider this your “Do not disturb” time for the day.)

To get your optimal beauty rest, turn down the thermostat at night. You’ll sleep more comfortably and help keep your skin from getting parched. Instead of using a humidifier, which can lead to allergy-aggravating mold, leave a glass of water on the nightstand, says George. It may evaporate throughout the night to impart the air with skin-saving moisture.