There are plenty of things to love about winter (scarves, Christmas cookies, zero threat of having to wear a swimsuit in public), but what it does to our skin is not one of them.

"Colder temperatures and therefore drier air in the winter cause more water evaporation from skin, which is the driving force causing dry skin," says Dr. Neal Schultz, New York City dermatologist. Between a flaky face, cracked hands, dry elbows and a scaly scalp, it can feel like no square-inch of skin is spared this time of year.

We know: ick. Luckily, there are things we can do to keep skin looking and feeling nourished and hydrated all season long. Here, your pocket-sized guide to dealing with parched winter skin, from head to heels.

In the winter, dry skin can be found everywhere, even where we can't see it. We're talking a case of dry, itchy, winter scalp.

To treat flakiness, eczema and psoriasis of the scalp, try a scalp exfoliant. These products remove dead skin and foster cell turnover, which makes your scalp feel better and encourages healthy hair growth. Make your own by combining a tablespoon of sugar with your favorite shampoo and applying to your scalp before washing.

Other rules of thumb? Wash your hair just as much as you would in the summer, Schultz says. Even though you're less sweaty in the winter, not shampooing your hair can promote the development of dandruff, which the increases flaking and aggravates the appearance of dry skin.

Another pro tip: Wear a hat outside as often as you can. This prevents dry outdoor air and wind from further irritating your scalp.

Breakouts get all the attention when it comes to complexion troubles, but dry skin is its own special kind of nightmare. Dry skin on your face enhances wrinkles and fine lines, causes your makeup to flake off and overall can be pretty painful.

One easy remedy is to invest in a good humidifier for your home (or one for each room). During the colder months the air is stealing all of the moisture. Humidifiers re-infuse the dry air in your house with much-needed hydration.

In terms of skin care, Schultz says to cleanse and exfoliate with a glycolic acid-based cleanser, which clears your skin of dead cells from the inside out. Apply moisturizer immediately after cleansing at night and in the morning -- especially right before you venture out into the cold.

There's nothing quite as unsexy as a pair of chapped, peeling lips. You know, the kind that make your partner want to shrink away and never kiss you again?

Chapped lips make everything harder, from applying lipstick to talking. The first step in winter lip care is exfoliation. Find a sugar lip scrub (or make one of your own by mixing granulated sugar and lip balm), and gently scrub your lips once or twice a week. Running a wet toothbrush over your lips achieves the same effect.

Follow up with a clear, unscented lip balm packed with moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil and jojoba. In fact, apply lip balm whenever you think of it. You can't go overboard. Try the dermatologist-recommended Skinfix Lip Repair Balm, $4.99, which is formulated with natural ingredients, including coconut oil.

Our hands are more exposed to the elements than almost any other part of the body, so in the winter especially, they can look extremely worse for wear.

"Less frequent hand-washing can help," says Schultz. "Consider substituting non-drying, alcohol-free hand wipes for some of your daily hand washes." And remember to apply moisturizer after every hand wash (or wipe). Look for emollient ingredients, which fill the cracks between those peeling skin cells.

Make it easy by keeping an affordable tube of hand cream that's full of natural, nourishing ingredients and free of parabens, like Skinfix Ultra Rich Hand Cream, $9.99, on your desk or in your handbag.