It may seem like “just dry skin,” but winter weather can bring serious discomfort. In some, skin may become so dry and irritated that eczema flares up. Esthetician Bonnie LaPlante tells WebMD, “As soon as you turn the heat on indoors, the skin starts to dry out.” If you have fickle skin, you might feel forced to gravitate toward higher-end products, but it’s important to remember that good and bad products exist at all price points. What matters most is that you know what you’re looking for in a product and base your selection on ingredients and skin type and not pretty packaging or price. Develop the habits of a smart skincare consumer by reading labels and understanding ingredients.

• Dry skin. Skin that’s dry all year long needs some serious TLC as the weather cools down. Your moisturizer should act as a protective barrier between your skin and harsh environmental conditions. Emollients, which are oil-based, are great for dry skin. They’ll keep moisture in longer than an ordinary cream or lotion. Ingredients to look for include mineral oil and petroleum jelly. You can also use pure oils, if they’re light in texture and don’t clog pores. WebMD suggests oils like avocado, primrose or almond oil. Products with humectants – ingredients like glycerin, urea, hyaluronic acid or alpha hydroxy acid – are also good for locking in moisture.

• Product pick: Sundari Essential Oil for Dry Skin contains a blend of essential oils and plant extracts such as orange oil and rose oil that’ll bring healthy hydration to dry skin types.

• Itchy skin. Dry skin is very likely to leave you with an uncomfortable itch. A plain moisturizer free from irritating perfumes or active ingredients is the first step to calming the skin. If your skin is still itchy, or if you notice cracked skin that becomes red and painful, you might have an infection or a skin condition; see your dermatologist to find out.

• Product pick: Peter Thomas Roth Aloe-Cort Cream is great not only for itchy skin, but for skin irritations due to bug bites or rashes.

• Oily/Combination skin. Your skin needs moisture, but too much moisture will leave you feeling greasy and weighed down. If you have combination skin, consider spot-treating with a heavier cream – usually the cheeks will be a little drier than the T-zone, but you might also notice flaky spots around the nose or on other areas of the face. For the rest of your face, use an oil-free moisturizer that’s a little thicker than the lightweight summer moisturizer you’ve been using.

• Product pick: M.D. Forte Advanced Hydrating Complex Gel contains hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture, while the gel texture absorbs into the skin without leaving a greasy residue.

• Acneic skin. Whether you have frequent breakouts and stubborn blackheads or suffer from hormonal acne, trying a new formula can be scary, especially if your current regimen is doing a relatively good job at keeping your breakouts at bay. It can be tempting to skip moisturizer altogether in favor of clear skin – but doing so in the winter actually puts you at risk for more breakouts. When skin becomes dried out and irritated, your pores will churn out more oil, leading to – your guessed it – clogged pores and acne. Your ideal moisturizer will be lightweight, water-based and contain clarifying ingredients, giving your skin a moisture boost while contributing to clear skin.

• Product pick: skyn ICELAND Antidote Quenching Daily Lotion is the ideal product for acneic skin. It provides a dose of hydration while soothing irritation and decongesting the skin.

• Aging skin. As we age, glands beneath the skin naturally produce less oil, leaving skin extra susceptible to the environment; sun damage alone leads to thinner skin. According to Harvard Health, 75% of people over age 64 have dry skin. If you’re noticing wrinkles and age spots, your skin is probably drier and more dehydrated than ever before.

If this is the case, then you’re probably in the market for a product that not only hydrates and smoothes your complexion, but also minimizes signs of premature aging – which can be tricky, considering that most anti-aging products contain ingredients that can irritate the skin and dry it out too much in cold weather. Look for mildly exfoliating moisturizers that contain ingredients like alphya hydroxy acids, lactic acid or salicylic acid. And make sure it has SPF sun protection – the best anti-aging ingredient of all.

• Product pick: Prevage Day Ultra Protection Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 by Elizabeth Arden is an extremely gentle anti-aging product that gradually diminishes visible signs of aging while infusing moisture into stressed skin.

• Sensitive/Reactive skin. Many of the moisturizers you’ll find on store shelves can cause reactions like itching and stinging if you have sensitive skin. For sensitive complexions, choose the most basic moisturizer you can find. Whether you want a thick cream or an oil-free lotion is up to you, but be sure that it’s free from artificial colors or fragrances, chemical sunscreens, exfoliating ingredients or plant ingredients that might cause a reaction.

• Product pick: Pevonia O2ptimal Sensitive Skin Care Cream is designed to heal even the most irritated skin, and can be helpful for conditions like Rosacea. In addition to antioxidants and moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, it helps to improve the look of blotchy skin.

• Body. It’s all too easy to neglect the skin on your body, but cool weather brings dry skin all over. Especially susceptible are the hands and the soles of the feet. Thicker, greasier moisturizers – which are usually too heavy to use on the face, as they can clog pores – are excellent for hands and feet. You’ll probably want to use these at night, as it’s hard to type or drive with a thick layer of oily lotion on your hands!

• Product pick: L'Occitane Pure Organic Shea Butter is an emollient moisturizer made from 100% shea butter that’ll restore dewy skin from head to toe.

• Lips. If you’ve suffered from chapped, dry lips that crack and bleed, you know just how important it is to moisturize the lips during fall and winter. Your ordinary drugstore lip balm might not cut it – many of these formulas feel great when you first apply, but don’t quite lock in moisture, which means you’re forced to reapply every 10 minutes. And don’t be fooled by hydrating lipsticks or glosses, which won’t provide enough moisture on their own. Instead, look for heavier formulas that contain ingredients like beeswax, petroleum jelly or cocoa butter, and try not to lick or pick at your lips; let the product sink in and do its job.

• Product pick: NUXE Reve de Miel Lip Balm contains shea butter to nourish and repair damaged lips

If you’re still clueless about what moisturizer is best for your skin, seeing a dermatologist or skin specialist is a great investment. He or she can guide you on choosing the right products, so you don’t waste your time and money on formulas not suited to your skin type. You might also look at the rest of your skincare regimen and your lifestyle; drying soaps, harsh detergents, hot baths or showers and itchy fabrics like wool can all be drying and irritating to the skin.

See also:

Fall Beauty Switch-Up: 7 Tips for Office Skincare This Fall

Switch Up Your Skincare for Fall at Skincare-News.com

Bold Lips and Eyes: Makeup Trends to Try this Fall

Skin Care Advice for Camping and Other Outdoorsy Activities