Winter-Proof Your Skin: Our Winter Skincare Guide

• Buff before bathing. To soothe roughness in winter, apply a creamy scrub to dry, not wet, skin before showering, King says. (A good one: Vickery & Clarke Ginger & Clementine Body Scrub, $8.95, cvs.com.) Or use the pros' secret weapon, a body brush. "The -bristles loosen and remove dead skin cells without any mess," King says. (The Body Shop Cactus Body Brush, $15, thebodyshop-usa.com, is gentle.)
• Conserve water. Hot H2O ranks high on the moisture-stripping scale, but a long shower is worse. "Pruny skin signals that your natural levels of oil have been washed away," says David Bank, M.D., a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York. His suggested time: ten minutes, tops. (It's a greener choice too.)
• Slather up. Apply body lotion or cream immediately after a shower. "Like a wet sponge, damp skin absorbs moisture more readily than dry," King says. Intensify your lotion by mixing it with a teaspoon of body oil (try Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil, $10.99, drugstores).   

Care For Dry Skin

• Cut back on cleansing. Face wash is designed to remove debris, but it can take away a bit of moisture in the process. "In winter, limit washes to once a day," says Judith Hellman, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. The best time: "Do it at night, when you need to remove dirt and makeup," Dr. Hellman says.
• Soften in two steps. Apply an SPF moisturizer all over; UV rays are drying. Then add a richer formula to cheeks, says Heidi Waldorf, M.D., director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. (Use a gel? Try a lotion. Use a lotion? Try a cream.)

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