Winter always means skin challenges for me - dry and flaky face, rough and chapped hands, hard to manage hair. For the last few months I've scoured drugstores, salons, department stores and online shops for products to offer some relief. Here are some of the better things I've found.

Neova Soothing Milky Cleanser
Every once in a while something new and unexpected lands on my desk, and after trying it, I wonder how I ever lived without it. A friend sent me this sensitive skin cleanser to try, and it's great! The lotion texture feels soothing, it removes makeup effortlessly, and leaves my skin soft and silky. Since it is brand new, I don't know the price, but it is made by a company called ProCyte in Redmond, Washington. Check their site at http://www.procyte.com for information. If you have dry, irritated or sensitive skin, I highly recommend this cleanser.

Kiss My Face Organics Ester-C Serum ($15 for 1oz)
Anti-oxidants are a tricky subject - they're supposed to be completely necessary for your skin, to prevent premature aging, but how can you tell if they are really working? I've been reading up on the benefits of vitamin C (builds collagen, heals inflammation) and decided to try this reasonably priced option from Kiss My Face. I'm about halfway through the bottle and so far I like the glow it gives my skin, and some of the redness I have from old blemishes is fading. I'm hoping to see more improvement, and I'm encouraged to keep using it because it's gentle and non-stinging, unlike some other vitamin C treatments I've tried (Cellex-C leaps to mind). The full ingredient label reads: Steam Distilled Water, Green Tea, Ester-C, Sunflower Oil, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic Acid, Glycine, Grapefruit Oil, Lemon Oil, Lecithin, Retinyl Palmitate (vitamin A), and Tocopherol (vitamin E). Kiss My Face is also cruelty-free, with no animal testing or animal-based ingredients.

You can find Kiss My Face products at health and natural food stores, or online at the Kiss My Face website.

Zia Citrus Night Time Reversal ($25.95 for 1.5oz)
Because my skin can be sensitive and reactive to exfoliating products that are too strong or abrasive, I was attracted to this cream from Zia thanks to its short, simple list of ingredients: Raw Hawaiian Sugar Cane, Whole Citrus Concentrate, Sunflower Oil, Buttermilk Solids, Red Wine, Aloe Vera Juice, Ceteareth 20, and Vitamin E. A friend recommended I try it, and I'm glad I took her advice. I use this every night after cleansing, massaging a small amount into my skin until it disappears (it starts off rather white). I often gravitate toward products that seem more "natural", which actually isn't always the best for your skin, but in this case I'm having better luck with the natural, gentle forms of alpha hydroxy acids (from the sugarcane, buttermilk and wine) than I have with more "chemical" versions. This is a nice option for sensitive skin because the exfoliation is very gentle and subtle.

You can find Zia products at health and natural food stores, or online at drugstore.com.

Eucerin Original Moisturizing Creme ($6.69 for 4oz)
Every fall/winter, as the weather starts to turn cold, I go through the same little ritual - looking under my sink for a rich moisturizer that will take care of the dry, flaky skin I know is on the way. I typically only find products leftover from summer that I didn't finish, nothing appropriate for winter. This year I was determined to find something simple, effective and inexpensive, so I paid a visit to my local drugstore and found this Eucerin cream. It's not the most "natural" product I've ever seen, made of Water, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin (a wax), Lanolin Alcohol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone (a preservative), Methylisothiazolinone (a preservative). It's definitely not glamorous, but it works. This thick cream does a great job of relieving dryness and creating a barrier so wind and cold don't get in.

You can find a variety of sizes of this cream at a drugstore near you, or online at drugstore.com.

Enter to Win!
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See Urban Decay's full line of products at UrbanDecay.com.