Winter is not kind to our skin. The bone-dry air parches things enough, but then we take a long, hot shower, which only further dries us out. We’re also disinfecting our hands far more than ever between antibacterial sprays and hand soaps. And on top of that, we fall asleep in a cozy, warm room without considering the lack of moisture in the air—only to wake up with dry skin, head-to-toe.

These elements force us to step up the skincare game in winter—again, head-to-toe. And hopefully the following five tips will help you cover every base, beyond the very obvious facial moisturizer and hand lotion.

1. Take shorter, cooler showers—and use hydrating products

Hot water and long showers feel incredible, yes. But they’re doing you zero favors in terms of preserving moisture all over your body. We hate to tell you this, but it’s in your best interest to take cooler, shorter showers. Warm water is fine—lukewarm even better if you can tolerate it.

And while we’re fans of baths too, you shouldn’t take one without adding some moisturizing bath oils into the drink — just as you should only use hydrating, nourishing soaps in the shower. The types of products you use while bathing or showering play a huge role in your skin’s moisture levels. And remember this advice from nearly every dermatologist we speak with: When in doubt, use Dove. Seriously.

2. Get a humidifier

You spend a third of your day in bed and your bedroom is no more humid than the air outside. So, get a big humidifier, fill it up each night, and then rest assured that you’ll start waking up with a better, brighter complexion every day. You’ll experience less roughness, dryness, and even fewer blemishes. If you want, you can even refill the device by day and close the bedroom door as it runs ‘round the clock, ensuring that your room is never a moisture depletion zone.

3. Do weekly moisture treatments

Once a week, you can do a therapeutic, moisture-reviving treatment for your entire dome—but in bits and pieces. A hot beard oil treatment nourishes the skin under your facial hair — and the whiskers themselves too. A sheet mask pumps nutrients into your mug. A scalp mask prevents flaking and itching up top (and promotes healthier hair growth). And, independent of your skin, a hair mask will also keep your strands vibrant and plump.

In short, there is always a product for an SOS-H2O situation; it’s best to have them on hand for routine use, which helps prevent dehydration in the first place.

4. Stock up the balm

Balm is the must-have product of any cold season. It is occlusive in nature in that it seals skin off from the elements—including threats from bacteria—and it preserves moisture levels while promoting repair and resuscitation. But the best ones are also emollient, and are rich in protective, proactive oils and butters (like jojoba, castor seed, avocado oil, as well as shea or cocoa butter).

Use your balm of choice on chapped lips, dry elbows, cracked hands, dry nails, or to tame and nourish unruly beard hairs. Our top picks are Doctor Rogers RESTORE Healing Balm ($30) and Dr. Bronner’s Arnica-Menthol Magic Balm ($11.99). The latter also soothes sore muscles and exhausted skin.

5. Dial back the vices, and increase your water intake

You knew this one was coming. In the spirit of “you are what you eat (or drink)”… staying hydrated is extremely important in keeping your skin healthy, hydrated, bright, and resilient. Thus, by the same logic, anything that dehydrates your body will have an inverse effect—which includes caffeine, alcohol, smoking, excess salt and sugar, processed foods, and excessive protein intake.

If you insist on any of the above (and hey, we can’t blame ya), then be sure to match it with an uptick in water, too. It’s one of the most important habits to maintain for the rest of your life, so it’s worth getting in the habit now. The benefits extend well beyond your skin, too—your entire body runs on water, even more than it does on food. So stay hydrated, in the winter, in the summer, always.

For tips on the perfect transitional skincare routine, read this. And here’s our choices for some of the best lip balms to get you through this winter.

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