While rocking boots and spending time with the family are some of the best things of the winter season, dealing with dry, flaky skin is not. As the days get colder, switching up your skincare routine is key to preventing dry skin. With the humidity levels dropping naturally, water on your skin evaporates quicker causing it to dry out. If you’re struggling to keep your skin glowing and moisturized, you’re are definitely not alone. Dr. Alicia Barba, a Miami-based board certified dermatologist and founder of Barba Dermatology and Barba Skin Clinic, has given us her top tips on how to keep your skin in check this winter.

As winter fast approaches and skin gets drier, Dr. Barba advises adding a gentle exfoliator to your bath routine no more than once or twice a week. While exfoliators remove dead skin cells and surfaces impurities, she warns that over scrubbing can cause the skin to become dehydrated and dry. “Most common causes for dry skin during the cooler months are by taking hotter showers or over exfoliating. This is because it’s a common misconception to think that exfoliating is going to scrub away the dry skin cells and somehow that’s going to make it better, which can actually make it worse because you’re also rubbing away good things from your skin like natural lipids and proteins. Remember exfoliating 1-2 times a week is good enough and don’t scrub too hard,” she shared.

While there are a plethora of scrubs in the market, Dr. Alicia Barba recommends using a polish like Dove Crushed Almond & Mango Butter Exfoliating Body Polish. According to the expert, this moisturizing polish gently buffs away dry skin for smoother more radiant skin. She then likes to follow up with a sulfate-free cleanser like Dove Glowing Mango Body Wash to cleanse the skin and leave a lasting scent of mango that transports you to a tropical, warm place.

When it comes to your post-shower routine, Barba emphasized the importance of taking time to focus on moisturizing the skin. “I like the trick always of leaving moisturizer in the shower. So, if you’re busy, you just have to turn off the water to moisturize, and then you’re ready to go,” she said, adding “If you have really dry skin, you might be someone who has to moisturize at night, too. My advice is to look for products that have shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and almond oil – those are perfect!”

Of course, the colder days aren’t the only thing taking a toll on our skin these days. While preventing the spread of COVID-19 with the use of mask, many people have seen acne flare-ups caused by the excess friction and accumulating bacteria around the mouth. To help tackle and prevent mask-induced breakouts, Barba says cleansing the skin is vital. “I tell my patients that it is super important, now more than ever, to deeply cleanse the facial skin without over stripping the stratum corneum and to keep your face moisturized to reduce friction between the skin and mask,” she said.

“I recommend using a gentle cleanser like the Dove White Beauty Bar. The brand’s signature 1⁄4 moisturizing cream and DEFI technology, a unique blend of mild cleansers that gently cleanses washing away dirt and germs, while replenishing nutrients, won’t strip away skin’s moisture like ordinary soap can – leaving skin soft, smooth and fresh.”

Barba also adds that the constant friction of masks against the skin can also lead to other skin concerns like flaring of psoriasis, eczema, and lip dermatitis. “I know we don’t talk about lip dermatitis enough. But it’s important to note that the mask rubbing on your lips every time you’re talking is like sandpapering your top layer away. I’ve seen a lot of that and I’ve seen, of course, an explosion of acne, acne from stress, acne from the masks for sure.” Luckily, finding a product that gives your pout long-lasting moisture can prevent dry, chapped lips,