The Winter Hack You Need to Know About

Dry, cracked skin is a reality every New Yorker knows all too well come late fall and winter, even if you moisturize obsessively. When you’re spending a good deal of time indoors in a heated environment, you can expect dry skin, a sore throat, dry eyes, and even sinus problems. Humidifiers work to help your skin retain moisture and you should notice an improvement in your skin’s texture immediately (it should also help with colds/sore throats). I could not live without one this time of year! If I forget to turn it on – even just one night – everything down to my lips is chapped. If you go for a fancy humidifier like Air-O-Swiss, opt for warm mist as it’s closer to skin’s natural temperature than cool mist, but you don’t need to go “high-tech” to improve your skin health. High-end humidifiers also tend to be large. For something more portable and considerably less expensive at $40 (versus about $100 to $300), check out Violife Personal Misting Humidifiers. Travel-friendly, they’re easy to pop onto your nightstand, which is exactly where you should place yours as it will work most effectively if you have it on while you sleep. Violife’s humidifiers deliver a fine mist, but be forewarned that, like with large humidifiers, you might find some wetness on your nightstand after it has been blowing for a few hours…small price to pay for smooth skin!