Winter. For some, it’s that dreaded time of year where you sit inside for 3 or so months staring out your window at the blistering cold hoping that work calls and gives you an adult version of a snow day. The bone-chilling wind blows down your coat and all you can think is ‘dear God…please don’t let that Groundhog see its shadow!’

For others, it is that glorious time of year where your outdoor activities finally get some visual diversity. The mountains you normally hike are covered in the most exquisite, purifying white fluff that allows you to glide from point to point as you inhale the clean crisp air. You trade your skateboard for a snowboard and your beach poncho for a down puffer coat.

No matter which group you fall into, winter can still wreak havoc on your skin! Even the 3-season people can’t escape the pitfalls of a change in environment. So, below are our top 4 skincare dilemmas and how we tackle them.

Snow Days: Stuck inside- My heater is turning my skin to LEATHER!!!!!

In addition to adding more water consumption to your day, you should first and foremost, make sure you are cleansing your makeup off EVERY SINGLE NIGHT!!!! Leaving makeup on leaves your skin vulnerable to irritation and clogged pores. It also makes any moisturizing efforts highly ineffective. Our Presept™ cleanser is a powerhouse when it comes to removing makeup, but for those lazy nights, I LOVE cleansing wipes. Just make sure that they don’t have any formaldehyde, artificial fragrance or alcohol.

Once your skin is prepped, use a healing moisturizer with a barrier on it to protect skin’s delicate lipids. We LOVE LOVE LOVE our Derawear™Duo in Healing for this!  It utilizes glycerin to create a barrier as well as a host of restorative ingredients to help balance the skin.

Snow Days: My lips look like an extra from The Walking Dead!

From Kylie’s Lip Kit to Sephora’s February VIB promotion, matte lips are everywhere! Combine those with the dehydrating effects of indoor temperature control and you have a recipe for disaster! Enter: Lip Mask! In order to keep those matte lips perf and maintain an autonomy from zombies everywhere, we treat our lips morning AND night!

Most people know to use a lip primer during the day. They keep your lipstick on fleek and help to retain moisture. In the evening, though, your lips need moisture as well. I like to scrub my lips with some Buff Up™ and then put a nice, almost-too-thick, layer of Balm Up™ right before I go to sleep. It’s like brand new lips every. single. morning! (DIY trick: this combo also works miracles on cuticles)

Snow Days: Playing outside and Wind-burn!

Of course, DRINK WATER!!!

Now that that’s out of the way, start with the routine mentioned above. Since skin chapping isn’t solely a result of dry air, though, you’ll need a little bit more of an aggressive treatment. Once your makeup is removed, layer some healing balm or a facial oil on your cheeks BEFORE washing your face. Do this morning and night. Once the skin starts to heal, gently exfoliate a couple of times a week. We love Sweet Cheeks® for not only it’s exfoliating power, but also for its restorative ingredients. Bonus: use this technique on your hands too!

Snow Days: Sunburn?

Thought summer was the only time to worry about sunburn? Think again mon chéri! In the winter, especially in snowy areas, the sun’s harmful UV rays are reflected about 80%; almost DOUBLE what you are normally exposed to! Of course, we know to try and prevent this, but what can we do when prevention wasn’t enough?

First: cool that burn! Apply some Mud Puddle® to the sunburned area and keep it moist! The thermal properties will draw the heat out and the anti-inflammatory nature of it will calm the redness.

Once cooled, apply and reapply your fave moisturizer. Preferably one with a barrier protectant, that still lets skin breath. And remember, NO ALCOHOL (for your skin, of course…feel free to indulge in that Hot Toddy on the slopes)!

So there you have it: how our AP crew keeps it smooth in the winter! Do you have a favorite lifesaver for the cold months? Leave it in the comments section or post on our facebook page!