Your Winter Facial

Defend your skin against the elements with this simple beauty regimen. Even if you love the crisp, brisk days of winter, you probably don't love what they do to your complexion. "Skin gets dry because the wind and cold weather irritate it, and the lack of humidity in the air causes it to lose moisture rapidly," says Elizabeth McBurney, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University. "This causes flakes and scaly patches, which in turn give you a sallow, dull appearance." 

With months of winter weather left (especially here in Minnesota!), you need to take action now to breathe life into your looks. Here's what the experts suggest.

Fight back with steam. Soften dry patches by steaming your face over a bowl of boiling water (cover your head with a towel) for several minutes.

Take tougher measures. For stubborn, flaky areas on your face a good exfoliator and moisturizer will help.  

Warm up your face with color. Peachy or rosy blushes can give you that "I just ran 3 miles" look. For a richer lip color, use a tinted lip stain. 

Pay close attention to your eyes. Give eyes a wake-up call by placing a tiny bit of satin white or ivory eye shadow under your brow bone and another very small dab just above your lash line in the middle of your lid.

Taken from an article on Health.com