Face winter head-on.

Your complexion deserves year-round attention, but this is especially true during the winter. While the rest of your body is bundled up and protected, your face -- and often your hands -- are left exposed to cold, wind, rain and snow resulting in dry, chapped skin. Here are some great skin-savvy tips to keep winter skin wonderfully healthy.

Skin thrives on moisture to keep it smooth and soft, and protect it from the elements. But winter's chill suppresses the skin's natural moisturizers -- underlying oil glands that keep the skin soft and supple. Dry indoor heat and air pollution also robs skin of vital moisture.

a great partnership

The best way to prevent winter skin from chafing is by using moisturizing creams and lotions. Moisturizers contain a combination of water and oil (or a non-oil substitute). Water keeps your skin hydrated so it stays soft, pliable and young looking. And oil forms a protective barrier over your skin to prevent the water from evaporating. It also "cements" down rough, scaly surfaces, so skin feels and looks smooth. Apply moisturizers right after taking a bath or shower or after washing your face. Also use it before venturing outdoors.

And don't forget to moisturize your hands, says herbalist Brigitte Mars, author of several books, including Herbs for Healthy Skin, Hair & Nails (Keats, 1998). Make it a habit to wear gloves or mittens. If your hands tend to be sensitive to winter weather, wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or cleaning. And keep a bottle of natural lotion next to all the sinks in your house, says Mars. She also suggests occasionally treating your trends to a warm herbal soak. To make one, simply create "a strong tea of chamomile, calendula, and/or fennel seeds, and add it to a small basin of warm water. Then add several drops of your favorite essential oils, for an aromatic treat." Two good choices are rosemary oil to increase blood circulation and help keep your hands from getting chilled, and lavender oil, which reduces inflammation. Follow up by coating your hands with an herbal hand lotion. If your hands do become dry and cracked, rub lotion on them before going to bed and wear soft, cotton gloves so the moisturizing action continues all night.

Avoid using facial sprays that contain mostly water unless you apply a cream or lotion immediately after. As water evaporates off your skin, it pulls water from surface layers of your skin. Also, avoid using astringents containing alcohol on anywhere but the most oily patches of skin. Alcohol dries the skin instead of moisturizing it.

the acid test