The winter blues can certainly be compounded by our frustration with dry, dull skin.  Since we can't all head to Florida for the winter to keep our skin soft and supple, here are 4 practical try-at-home tips for preventing and treating dry skin during these long Minnesota winters!

# 1  Avoid taking long hot showers and baths. I know it feels great on that cold winter morning, but it really is very drying because it strips your skin of natural oils. So keep the temperature more moderate and keep bath/shower time to 10 minutes or less and your skin will thank you.

#2  Apply a moisturizer (emollient) while your skin is still damp. This technique traps the moisture still on your skin (for both your body lotion as well as your facial skin care moisturizer).

#3  Using a humidifier especially in the bedroom at night will increase the humidity level in the air and help your skin stay hydrated.

#4 We can't always count on the same skin care moisturizer to treat our skin needs throughout the year and through our extreme seasons here in Minnesota.  Consider changing up your skin care routine during season changes to help manage your skin's needs.