Smart skincare is essential year-round to maintain healthy, youthful looking skin. During the colder months, it becomes especially critical as temperatures, humidity and air quality are in flux — not to mention your calendar, which is sure to be packed with seasonal festivities.

By upgrading your skincare regimen this winter, you can better protect your skin through dry conditions and maintain a healthy glow between your daily activities and holiday happenings. Whether you’re getting glam for a gathering, hitting the ski slopes or holiday shopping for that special someone, taking care of your skin is key to looking and feeling your best!

Shine with refined, smoothed skin.
The secret to maintaining healthy looking, dewy skin is to find skincare products that help refine the appearance of pores. While cold air visibly shrinks pores, lower humidity levels can actually increase excess oil production and cause irritated, clogged pores.
When choosing your skincare products, look for those designed to retexturize your skin. Formulas with scientifically proven ingredients like oat extract help exfoliate the skin to unclog pores, while lentil seed extract, which is high in antioxidants, can reduce the appearance of pores. Additionally, java tea extract is known for its oil control properties. Such ingredients are used in products like Artistry Advanced Skin Refinisher, which is a great addition for your skincare regimen.

Always remember to moisturize skin and stay hydrated.
This goes for every climate and season, as skin cells require water to stay healthy and resist environmental damage. In the winter, harsher climates often see lower humidity, which requires extra hydrating skincare for defense.

Moisturize at least twice daily. In the morning, moisturizers are the perfect base for your makeup to avoid flaky skin while you’re out and about. Complement it with nourishing foundations for smooth, flawless coverage, and toss a compact foundation with moisturizer in your bag to reapply on the go.
For intensive hydration, consider denser moisturizing creams like Artistry Supreme LX

Regenerating Cream and Eye Cream, which also have anti-aging benefits. “These formulas contain multi-phase technology to replenish, energize, repair and protect skin so it looks and performs more like it did when it was younger,” says Dr. Sumita Butani, global product innovation lead for Artistry by Amway. “Using moisturizers with an added anti-aging effect from powerful ingredients like gardenia grandiflora stem cell extract is particularly crucial in dry weather, when your skin is more susceptible to dullness and dryness.”

If moisturizing creams feel too heavy on your skin during the day, opt for a lotion for a light and refreshing boost. Then, as you’re unwinding at night, reapplying moisturizers after removing makeup and cleansing is a great way to revitalize the skin for the day ahead. It’s like giving your skin a big glass of water!

Of course, don’t forget to drink water as well. Eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about two liters, gives your skin a refreshing reservoir. Coffee, tea and soda have a diuretic effect that counteracts hydration, so try to limit your intake of those beverages.

Indulge once in a while, inside and out.
In addition to your daily skincare regimen, pick a day or two each week to pamper your skin even further with a revitalizing mineral-based mask or peel. Try moisturizing masks packed with hydrolipids to lock in moisture, and soothing fragrances, like cucumber and lavender, for a full, relaxing experience.

Every now and then, take time to truly self-indulge, such as by making yourself a cup of herbal tea, soaking in a hot bath or diving into that book you’ve put on hold.

“The holidays are all about focusing on quality time with family and friends, but it’s also so important to invest energy into my own physical and emotional wellness so I can feel my best,” says Amway Independent Business Owner Carrie Bohlig. “I practice good self-care by keeping on top of my skincare regimen and making time for my at-home spa treatment using Artistry Renewing Peel. I also hit the gym, get outside and eat a well-rounded diet so I can really make the most of special holiday time with my loved ones!”

By taking care of yourself from the inside out and investing in high quality skincare, you’ll be able to feel and look great as you enjoy the winter months and make memories to cherish.

Photo: Actress Teresa Palmer, celebrity spokesperson for Artistry by Amway.