How to Survive the DRY SEASON

Chilly temps and indoor heat bring on dry skin, staticky hair, and chapped lips. Here are the SOS (save our skin—and hair and nails) products you need now.

- MELANIE MANNARINO

There's a lot to love about fall and winter—cozy fires, hot cocoa, comfy sweaters. But the combination of low humidity and cold air during these months doesn’t do our skin, hair, and nails any favors, stripping them of their builtin moisture.

To make matters worse, hot showers are extra drying, and abrasive exfoliants to remove the excess dry skin are too harsh.

There is a better way! Dermatologists Tiffany J. Libby, MD, FAAD, FACMS, director of Mohs micrographic and dermatologic surgery at Brown Dermatology in Rhode Island, and Morayo Adisa, MD, FAAD, medical director of Dermatology Physicians in Chicago, explain what ingredients to look for in products that will help protect, restore, and repair your natural glow and moisture.

STRENGTHEN BRITTLE NAILS AND RAGGED CUTICLES

LOOK FOR: Petrolatum, Vitamin E, Jojoba Oil

The cuticle overlaps the nail plate and serves as a protective seal keeping bacteria and germs out. Applying what's called an occlusive moisturizer (like petrolatum) to your cuticles and nails creates a protective barrier on the skin's surface, which helps keep in moisture. Adisa likes jojoba oil because it's similar in chemical structure to human sebum, making it great for nail and cuticle hydration. Vitamin E is another top ingredient that helps replenish moisture, restore elasticity, and reduce brittleness.

TO TRY:

(1) Bio-Oil Skincare Oil, $35; ulta.com

(2) Seaweed Bath Co. Ultra-Hydrating Hand Rescue, $9; seaweedbathco.com

SOOTHE CRACKED HANDS

LOOK FOR: Urea, Ceramides