'Tis the season for holiday parties, softly falling snow... and dry skin, chapped lips and cracked heels. It's winter, and that means it's time to change up the way you take care of your skin in order to ensure it stays properly moisturized from head to toe. Who better than to give advice on how to update your skin care routine this season than the people who take care of skin for a living? Here, 12 top dermatologists share the one winter skin care product they can't live without, from super-hydrating moisturizers to ultra-rich hand creams.
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"Between the cooler weather, indoor heating and my love for skiing, I can become very dry and start to peel," says Sonia Batra, MD, dermatologist in Santa Monica and co-host of The Doctors. She likes this cream because it's lightweight but very nourishing. While it was originally developed for acne patients to offset dryness caused by medications, Batra recommends it for anyone. "It has ingredients such as glycoleol and plant triglycerides that help restore the skin barrier and decrease inflammation," she says. "I am prone to breakouts, and I can use this twice a day without it clogging my pores."
"Cold weather can disrupt the lipid bilayer, which protects our skin from the environment, thereby causing skin dryness, sensitivity and flaring skin conditions like eczema," explainsnYoon-Soo Cindy Bae, MD, clinical assistant professor at NYU Dermatology. A lack of humidity in the air also contributes to dry skin, she says. To combat winter dryness, Bae likes this night cream, which is formulated with hyaluronic acid, a powerful moisturizing ingredient. "It's also hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, making it ideal for those with sensitive skin," adds Bae.
It's easy to forget about your lips, but they often bear the brunt of cold winter weather. Enter this lip mask, a winter favorite of Papri Sarkar, MD, dermatologist in Brookline, Massachusetts. "It's a thick, glossy balm that smells faintly of strawberries and has great staying power," she says. "That's saying a lot because I talk a lot in clinic!"
Some body lotions are greasy, but not this one. Debra Jaliman, MD, dermatologist in New York City and author of Skin Rules, likes this drugstore body lotion for winter because it has glycerin in it and is fragrance-free, making it a great pick for very dry skin. "Glycerin is a humectant," she says. "It works to moisturize the skin by drawing water from the air into the skin's outer layer. It serves as a protective layer that helps prevent moisture loss."
