Maintaining the Gloss

By ALEKSANDRA CRAPANZANO

ONE MINUTE, you're bracing against an icy wind, the next you're blasted with radiator heat as dry as the Sahara. Your nose is red, your lips are chapped, your cheeks are patchy and your hair feels like hay. This is the unglamorous state of winter skin and hair left to brave the elements unprotected.

Interactive: Winter Beauty Products

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F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

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The best defense, according to Manhattan dermatologist David Colbert, is a smart and early offense. "If you start using face oils and heavier creams now, you might avoid the dry-skin trap of winter," said Dr. Colbert. "This is the time to give skin an improved barrier function against water loss. Otherwise the epidermis becomes parched, resulting in micro-cracks in the skin and lips."

To address the issue, Dr. Colbert developed Illumino, an easily absorbed face oil with a blend of nutrient-rich ingredients like argan oil and borage seed oil. Two drops in the morning and again at night keep skin dewy and glowing. (I also like to mix a drop into foundation to give it a lighter, more natural finish.) For very dry skin, follow the oil with a rich cream, such as Phormula 3-9 Repair Cream from Erno Laszlo. And once a week, use Eve Lom's Moisture Mask, which is the dermatologic equivalent of drinking a bottle of Gatorade. For lips, shelve the ChapStick and grab Kaplan MD's LIP 20 Mask, which repairs that delicate skin and plumps your pout.

Dryness is an issue everywhere from head to heels. We've all experienced that uncomfortable itch under wool sweaters. But applying a body moisturizer only helps if it can actually be absorbed. The irony is that when skin is extremely dry, it repels the benefits of even the best creams. The solution is to exfoliate, buffing away the rough, outer layer to let moisturizer sink in. Ohana Gingergrass Bamboo Scrub, from the line Red Flower, may not be pretty (overlook its resemblance to dirt) but the crushed bamboo is both gentle and effective in sloughing off dead skin, while the ginger and bergamot work to increase circulation.

Moisturizing is only half the battle. 'Tis also the season to replace your facial cleanser with a gentler, oil-based product, such as one of Shu Uemura's Skin Purifiers, which dissolve dirt and makeup without stripping natural oils.

For crackling hair, the best product might be Michael Van Clarke's 3 More Inches Pre-Wash Treatment (not pictured). It was created to seal split ends while you're growing out your hair. But its fortifying magic works wonders to combat moisture-free air and hat head.

On the other end, feet often fall prey to the adage: Out of sight, out of mind. In New York, Bliss Spa offers the wittily named "Heel"-Lelujah! Pedicure to keep them smooth with an oatmeal bath soak and hot mask.

In terms of beauty, winter, for the most part, doesn't bring with it good tidings. However, one bright spot on the horizon is the return of Cornelia Zicu. The legendary Romanian facialist moved 10 years ago to the management side as global chief creative officer for Red Door Spas, but is now offering her services through a two-hour uber-facial at the Chatwal Hotel's Red Door Spa in Manhattan. It's no accident that she chose winter as the time to roll up her sleeves. It's when her acolytes start stalking her, desperate to have their skin healed by her soothing touch and her secret enzyme-and-zinc potion, which leaves skin baby-soft and plump. The price? $1,000. Consider it the ultimate gift to your skin.