‘Tis the season for dry skin and chapped lips, but there are a few steps you can take to reduce the winter itch. Start by taking a short, warm shower. "We all love to take long, hot showers in the wintertime, but they tend to strip the skin's oil," says Dr. Erin Reese, assistant professor of dermatology at VCU Medical Center. When you get out of the shower, pat your skin dry with a soft towel, and lather with a moisturizing ointment or cream. "Putting a moisturizer on immediately will lock in the moisture from the shower," Reese says, adding that ingredients to look for include petrolatum and lanolin. "The thicker and greasier it is, the better." For chapped lips, Reese recommends a lip balm with an SPF higher than 30. "SPF is definitely still important in the wintertime," she says.
