Winter is upon us and winter skin care is probably on your mind. This time of year not only brings us some of the most beautiful scenes on postcards or paintings, but it also brings us a need for dry skin treatment. As you picture the images of snow capped mountains, tree limbs encapsulated in a sleeve of ice under the glow of a brilliant sun, and a blanket of fresh fallen snow as it lies smoothly on the ground, keep in mind also that it is critical during this beautiful season to protect the largest organ of the human body - our skin.

As seasons change from fall to winter, we need to focus on winter skin care. As the temperature becomes colder, our skin changes as well, and dry skin treatment becomes a necessity. During the winter, do you ever notice subtle flaking or chapping of the skin around the areas of the nose and mouth? Since the face is usually exposed, cold air depletes moisture from your skin. When you go inside, warm air from heating systems will extract more moisture from your skin.

So the question arises, "What winter skin care can a person use to prevent his or her skin from flaking or chapping?" Dry skin treatment includes cleansing and treating the skin, moisturizing the skin, changing some environmental factors and being smart about one's diet or supplemental regimen.

Cleanse and treat

There are many things that can make this winter a wonderful one for you. Start out your winter skin care regimen by sloughing off dead skin cells with an exfoliation and a mild Hydroxy peel. The next step of your dry skin treatment should be to use products that have humectants like Sodium Hyaluronate, Vitamin C, A, and E, and Coenzyme Q10.

When looking for an anti-aging treatment, Proanthocyanidins and Phyto-Estrogen from soy can be part of your winter skin care regimen and give your skin powerful antioxidants that help fight free radical damages and enhance the skin's luminosity and brightness.

The moisturizer myth

People with normal skin should use a daily moisture enhancer as part of their winter skin care, but there is a myth that those with oily/acne prone skin can omit the step of using a moisturizer in their regimen. This couldn't be further from the truth. By not using a moisturizer on oily skin, it causes the skin to think it is dehydrated of natural oils or moisture and it will produce more oils, requiring further dry skin treatment.

People with oily or acne prone skin should incorporate a moisturizer with a time-released benzoyl peroxide for the day and a repair intensive moisturizer that has vitamins C and E at night as part of their winter skin care routine. The benzoyl peroxide can serve as a two-part remedy. It will be an oil controller for people with just oily skin, but it will also help control acne. It may be necessary to take small breaks from using benzoyl peroxide after a month or two. Use a moisture enhancer for a day or two and then resume your use of benzoyl peroxide. This will prevent your skin from needing intense dry skin treatment.

Dry skin occurs due to a lack of your skin's natural oils, so if you are someone who is in need of dry skin treatment with an anti-aging moisturizer, look for a moisturizer that contains natural soy ingredients, ceremides and DMAE on the label. These ingredients will provide dry skin treatment with super hydrating moisture.

The sun can still be damaging to your skin in the winter, so your winter skin care should include a moisturizer with a sunscreen of 30 SPF or more. You should apply your moisturizer while the skin is still wet. An example for the body is within three minutes after your shower. The pores are still open, and the wetness will seal in the moisture for optimal dry skin treatment.

Vitamin C in a lip treatment will relieve dry and cracked lips, and winter skin care should also incorporate an under-eye treatment. Look for powerful ingredients for dry skin treatment like Coenzyme-Q 10 and other powerful blends of antioxidants when choosing the right under-eye regimen.

Your environment

When you are dealing with winter skin care, remember to change your long hot showers to short warm ones. Wear gloves, if possible, while washing dishes. Place humidity back into your environment with a humidifier, and your skin will thank you.

Reduce your exposure to cigarette smoke and avoid overindulging with alcohol. These elements will lead to problem skin in the near future.

Finally, there is no better winter skin care than to protect yourself from stress - both emotional and environmental.

Inside-out regimens

For the best dry skin treatment, keep up your intake of water during the winter, but don't feel the need to overdo it. Omega III fish fatty oils are also a great way to keep your skin looking and feeling its best.

As you enjoy this wonderful time of year, remember these winter skin care tips that will make a winter wonderland for your skin.