By: Lauren McRae

Winter brings freezing temperatures and weather that can be very harsh on all skin types. Refresh your routine for the cold conditions with these 10 quick and easy skincare tips from Sally Wohlgemuth, Esthetician:

Protect your skin. 
Always wear gloves and a scarf to protect against the cold winds and snow. Also, please don’t forget the sunscreen! Winter sun can be just as damaging as the summer sun. Applying a zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to any exposed areas will give you the physical protection you need.

Humidify. 
The heater in your home and auto is very dry and dehydrating. Placing a humidifier in your home, particularly in your bedroom, will put much-needed moisture back into the air and help prevent your skin from drying out during the winter months.

Skip the hot bath. 
A long, hot bubble bath or shower might seem wonderful when you've been out in the cold, but it strips your skin of much-needed moisture. If you absolutely love your hot showers, try to keep them at a ten-minute maximum and definitely not more than once a day!

Change up your cleanser. 
Cleansers can be extremely drying to the skin. If you’re used to using options that contain Alpha or Beta Hydroxy Acids, rotate with a hydrating cleanser that contains moisturizing ingredients such as The Max Cleanser with healing stem cells from Image Skincare.

Hydrate. 
We tend to drink less water in the winter because we turn to comfort drinks. I mean, who doesn’t love hot cocoa or a peppermint latte? Just don’t forget that your skin needs hydration from the inside out. Your skin is made up of 64% water and it is largely dictated by your hydration levels. Drinking a warm glass of water with lemon or mint can be just as comforting yet hydrating.

Exfoliate gently. 
As the months grow colder, you will need to assist with cellular turnover by gently exfoliating. It'll brighten your skin, and your moisturizer will also penetrate better. You can do so by adding an exfoliating mask to your regimen. It will slough off that dead winter skin without overly drying you out. We recommend, The Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Mask from Image Skincare.

Moisturize.
Bump up that moisture! Adding a night cream to your regimen will help to bring some much-needed moisture into the skin. Moisturizing is essential, but it's crucial that you use the right one for your skin type. Seeking the advice of a skincare specialist is key to optimal skin health.

Add a serum. 
Boost the efficacy of your moisturizer by applying a serum beforehand. Serums with antioxidants like Vitamin C and resveratrol help to brighten dull winter skin.

Add hyaluronic acid.
Adding a few drops into your current moisturizer will boost hydration! HA is a humectant, which means it grabs moisture and holds it so the skin can absorb. The hyaluronic acid molecule can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water!

Don’t forget your lips.
Sure, it’s easy to grab a cherry-flavored lip balm, in the checkout line. Don’t do it. It’s actually dehydrating the lips and doing more harm than good. Choose a product that hydrates and adds moisture like The Balancing Lip Enhancement Complex from Image Skincare. This product will add up to 40% of moisture to hydrate and soften the delicate skin of the lips so they’ll be mistletoe ready!