Is your skin freaking out due to the dry, winter air? Yeah. Me too! I asked Marina Valmy, Director of Christine Valmy Skincare, for some tips on how to quell winter skin madness! Here, her wisdom:

"Winter causes stress on the skin because the lack of moisture in the environment causes the skin not to shed normally, and this causes:

1. Build up of dead cells. Cold weather causes the intracellular glue made out of lipids, cholesterol, etc to become more solid, not allowing cells to flake off easily.

2. Dryness on the surface is actually dehydration. As the weather gets colder, the moisture drops to the ground, and there is less moisture in the air, which causes any moisture in the skin to evaporate.

3. Irritation is caused by the fact that the lipid layer or acid mantle on the surface is not able to be spread over the skin evenly. The acid mantle made out of fats and is a protective shield against the environmental offensive: bacteria and pollution etc. When it's cold out, it's not able to be spread evenly on the surface of the skin, creating gaps. This causes the skin to become irritated.

All of the above cause stress on the skin. If a skin is oily, the oiliness cannot come out, so the pores get more clogged. This causes pimples that leave larger scar tissue. If the skin is dry, then fine wrinkles can start appearing. When these start appearing, even in a young skin, they're signs of premature aging. In young skin, the elasticity is very good, so when you smile you see the wrinkles, but skin bounces back quickly. If you look closely with a special magnifying lamp, you can see a slight break in the surface of the skin in the area where that smile line was. As the skin ages, that becomes a wrinkle! Therefore, for oily skin, it is imperative to maintain the skin surface from drying out, so that the oiliness being produced can come out. For dry skin, it's vital for skin not to become dry."

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This short lipstick tutorial will help you make lipstick one of your favorite makeup items. And in addition, a couple of the latest winter lip care tricks. Happy savings this holiday season!

Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you can ignore your feet! Put your best foot forward with these sole-softening tips from Natasha Lowe, the nail director at Emerge Spa and Salon in MA:

"In order to maintain soft soles between your pedicures during the winter months, you MUST exfoliate. It doesn't matter how much lotion or cream you apply to your soles, you have to remove the dead skin. Using a foot file or a sugar scrub twice a week will remove dead skin cells. After you have exfoliated your soles, you're left with new skin that needs to be nourished. A rich lotion or cream will give you optimal results. The best time to moisturize is when you get out of the shower. Make sure to moisturize daily and maintain your pedicures every 4-6 weeks. Although your feet aren't highlighted during the winter months, this time of year is when your feet need the most attention. A little extra TLC goes a long way."

In all the frenzy during the holiday season, make sure to take the time to update your makeup. With the many parties and get-togethers this time of year, you want to look your best for the pictures that may very well last a lifetime. Amp up those eyes, rouge up those cheekbones and replace that coral lipstick from summer with a richer shade you never thought you'd use. There are a variety of ways to switch up your look during the coldest months; here are a few of the most effortless ones you can try amidst the hustle and bustle.

As temperatures continue to drop and we brace ourselves yet again for harsh winter weather (except those of you who live in warm places--so lucky!), it's extra important to take care of your skin to keep it from getting dry...