Is winter giving you dry, itchy, flaky skin? If so, your’re not alone. Reaching for the bottle of hand lotion several times a day may temporarily relieve some of the dryness but until the dryness of our environments change, dryness is going to continue to plague.

So what to do? Well, how about making some changes in that environment yourself? A home humidifier to add moisture to the air not only has health benefits (as well as making the house feel warmer) it can help alleviate some of the causes of dry skin. Working from the inside, we can keep our bodies hydrated too by drinking plenty of water and not just colas and coffees. The water content of a cola or coffee beverage compensates for caffeine’s diuretic properties, but you aren’t going far in hydrating your body.

Do moisturize and use a lotion or cream that contains a moisture barrier shield, to protect skin from losing moisture. These products are most effective if applied directly after showering when skin is still moist.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet and keeping hydrated as well as using preparations to protect and moisturize will help your skin weather the long winter.

Oh, and look at the calendar…Spring is only 35 days away.

Valentine’s Day means chocolate and who doesn’t love chocolate? Of course, indulging in your chocolate desires can have weighty consequences. But instead of eating it and later wearing it on your hips, wouldn’t it be nicer to luxuriate in it and wear it all over in a sumptuous scented form?

Bath & Body Works Chocolate Mocha Scrub is a deliciously decadent blend of rich, Belgian chocolate, Napa Valley cabernet grapeseed oil and Hawaiian Kona coffee. The coffee acts as an exfoliant to buff away dead skin cells and is rich in anti-oxidants. Chocolate contains smoothing cocoa butter and natural anti-oxidants. Smelling chocolate releases dopamine and endorphins which elevate mood and relieve stress.

Chocolate indulgences don’t have to contain calories.

Sleeping with your makeup does more than leave you with dark rings around your eyes from eye makeup smudges. It’s not good for your skin.

While you sleep, makeup is ground into your pores, which clogs them and can lead to uneven, bumpy skin from blemishes and pimples. Makeup can get into your eyes, causing irritation. Delicate eyelashes are at risk as they are stiff and caked with mascara. Sleeping on them in this state can cause them to break or fall out.

Cleansing your skin before bed doesn’t just remove makeup, but also all the dirt and grime that collects on your skin during the day. Removing these impurities and your makeup allows your skin to “breathe” for a few hours while you sleep.

The few minutes of extra sleep you may get when you crawl into bed without adhering to a nightly cleansing routine won’t be enough to compensate for the dull, lifeless and blemished skin that can result.

You may have noticed how many skin care products incorporate vitamins into their formulas and use the addition of vitamins in their advertising to convince you of their efficacy. But do you actually know what these vitamins do for your skin?

Vitamin E is often used topically. Vitamin E applied to wounds has been shown to promote healing and be soothing even on third degree burns. It also provides the added benefits of reduced scarring and inflammation.

Vitamin E is a powerful anti-oxidant that can prevent free radical damage. Because sun and other environmental damage to the skin is induced by free radicals, there is reason to believe that Vitamin E can help prevent some of this damage to skin tissues, lessening premature wrinkles and discolorations.

So, if a product’s label proudly states it contains Vitamin E, now you know why it’s good for you.