Winter is definitely not the right time for experiments on your skin. It's that time of the year that demands special attention to avoid the ruthless dryness from taking its toll. Gunjan tells you how you can go about protecting your skin in the cold months.

There is no point blaming winter for your flaky and dry skin, rather get your winter beauty-care basics right to know what to do in order to be able to protect and preserve your youthful skin.

Use Foot and Body Scrub

With the onset of winter, apart from your face, your feet and body will start demanding a good scrub. If your feet are prone to cracking, make sure you do not neglect them.

To care for your feet, soak them in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes with a mild conditioner added to it. While still in, scrub your toes, and heels with a foot-scrub and brush. Then after patting them dry apply a generous coat of foot cream to moisturize them. This should take care of your feet until next week. It is equally important to scrub your body with a body scrub or a soap having granules that create abrasion and help you get rid of dried and dead skin.

Shun Hot Water

While it might be tempting to take a bath using very hot water, remember, this isn't too good for your skin. The hotter the water, the more chance of your body's natural oils being washed away by it. So, soak your body and senses in lukewarm water by adding a few drops of rose sandal wood-oil to it.

Check your Soap

Ban the entry of soaps with a high pH from entering your bathroom. During winters, your skin needs to feel soft and supple, while most soaps take away all its moisture making it all the more dull and lackluster. So, this winter when you go soap shopping, select soaps with lots of cream or the ones that have a zero pH balance.

Glycerin soaps are often deemed to be best for winters, this however happens to be a fallacy amongst most adults. Prolonged use of glycerin based soaps can cause your skin to develop patches when exposed to sun. So, shun glycerin unless you are less than 5 years of age.

Adjust Shampoo and Conditioner as per Weather

The peculiarities of winters can demand a change in your shampoo and conditioner too. Although not a must, if you experience hair falling out during winters it could be because of a dry scalp. So, in winters choose a more creamy and mild shampoo capable of locking in the precious moisture in your hair.

Use a Special Winter Moisturizer

A moisturizer is perhaps the most indispensable part of your winter beauty regimen. It's the only thing that can give you some respite from the dryness and constant stretching that your skin experiences 24x7.

Choose a good winter moisturizer preferably with a minimum SPF of 15 to address the dual needs of moisturizing and protecting your skin against winter sun damage. It is also prudent to keep your lips protected by using a good lip balm or a lipstick that retains the moisture - vaseline is best, however.

Following these tips in conjunction with consuming food loaded with nutrients can go a long way in ensuring that your skin earns you complements today and for years to come.