Dry Skin Woes: Punxsutawney Phil Predicts 6 More Weeks of Winter

Photo by Reinhard Kraasch

Deep freeze... arctic plunge... polar vortex--no matter how you say it, baby it's cold outside.

When will it end? According to groundhog guru Punxsutawney Phil, who saw his shadow when he emerged from his burrow on Super Bowl Sunday, winter will last six more weeks. 

Not to take anything away from the famed furry forecaster, but this news comes as no surprise. Sub-zero temps have gripped the country off and on for the past several weeks, causing the cold weather to wreak havoc on our skin. Symptoms typically include itching, cracking, flaking, irritation and extreme dryness. 

To rescue your face and hands from the elements, we've assembled the latest hydration helpers. These products contain plumping peptides, moisturizing hyaluronic acid, and nourishing fruit, nut and seed oils. They're designed to minimize dermal damage and maximize silky skin--even if you see your shadow.

FACE

SHINE: Alba Botanica Even Advanced CC Cream Tinted Mineral Perfector SPF 15 (Light to Medium). BEAUTY: Prevent sunburn with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and smooth your complexion with aloe vera leaf juice, orange peel oil and hyaluronic acid. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, phthalates, artificial colors and silicones. Supports Furry Friends Rescue, Farm Sanctuary and Kitten Rescue.

SHINE: CellCeuticals InterActive Moisture Serum. BEAUTY: Peptides, hyaluronic acid and green tea extract strengthen your skin, while olive, apricot and avocado oils promote a gotta-have-it glow. BEACON: No animal testing and vegan. Free of artificial colorants or fragrances, sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates and parabens. 

SHINE: Coola Environmental Repair Plus Fresh Relief Face Serum. BEAUTY: Stimulate collagen production and cell renewal of stressed skin with aloe vera leaf juice, hyaluronic acid, Japanese seaweed, and licorice and radish root extracts. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of paba, parabens, petroleum and phthalates. Supports Save Our Seas.

SHINE: Hada Labo Tokyo Protecting Day Lotion Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 18. BEAUTY: Avobenzone and three types of hyaluronic acid help shield and soften skin to prevent premature aging caused by exposure to the elements. BEACON: Free of fragrance, parabens, dyes and mineral oils.

SHINE: ilike Organic Skin Care Apple & Lemon Whipped Moisturizer. BEAUTY: Repair age spots, acne scars and dull skin with alpha hydroxy and salicylic acids, and step up suppleness with peppermint and lemon oils. BEACON: Vegan, and no animal testing. Free of artificial colorants.

SHINE: MyBody MyHero Ultra Rich Anti-Aging Growth Factor Cream. BEAUTY: Shea butter, peptides and hyaluronic acid restore radiance to flaky, aging and sensitive skin. BEACON: Contains no parabens, phthalates, sulfates, gluten or dyes.

SHINE: ProBios Transderma A Vitamin A Serum. BEAUTY: Revitalize weather-worn skin with vitamins A and E to create a younger looking appearance. BEACON: Hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic. No animal testing, and free of preservatives, fragrances, oil and alcohol. 

SHINE: Refineé Hydrating Gel Mask. BEAUTY: Argan oil, vitamin E, cucumber fruit extract and dragon's blood extract from the Amazon's croton lechleri tree soothe dermal damage from environmental stressors. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Swedish Skin Care Prosanol Instant Soothing Spray. BEAUTY: Relieve and repair irritation and itchiness with a pump spray that produces a light mist of nourishing oils. BEACON: Free of parabens, fragrances, synthetic dyes, sulfates and steroids. Supports the National Psoriasis Foundation and Burn Survivors Throughout The World.

SHINE: Veria Innerdosha Soak It Up Highly Hydrating Mask. BEAUTY: Sunflower seed and almond oils, aloe vera leaf juice and hyaluronic acid deeply moisturize dry skin. BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free. Contains no parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, artificial colors or GMOs.

HANDS

SHINE: Desert Essence Pumpkin Spice Hand Repair Cream. BEAUTY: Moisturize and mend dry hands with pumpkin fruit extract, aloe vera leaf juice, shea butter and sunflower seed oil. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Hand Cream. BEAUTY: Aloe, apple, lemon and white grape juices, as well as peptides, help address hydration and hyperpigmentation issues. BEACON: USDA Organic certified. Free of parabens, petroleum, propylene and butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes and synthetic fragrances.

SHINE: M-61 Vitablast C Hand Cream. BEAUTY: Dehydrated skin disappears with grape seed and avocado oils, aloe vera leaf juice and shea butter. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances and dyes. Supports Action Against Hunger. 

Sleeping Beauty: Nourishing Night Creams Take the Sting Out of Daylight Savings

We've all heard the fairy tale about Sleeping Beauty. She's the princess who falls into a deep slumber from which she can only be awakened by a kiss from her true love--the kingdom's dashing young prince. 

This fanciful tale comes to mind as Daylight Savings arrives on Sunday, March 10. Since we need to set our clocks forward, our beauty sleep will end one hour earlier than usual. In other words: You snooze, you lose. 

We wish we could offer you a dashing young prince to take the sting out of losing sleep this weekend. Instead, we've assembled a selection of top night creams. These products moisturize more deeply than their daytime counterparts, so it's lights out for fine lines and wrinkles, and dry or dull skin concerns.

May you live happily ever after with radiant skin!

 SHINE: Éminence Organic Skin Care Monoi Age Corrective Night Cream for Face & Neck. BEAUTY: Tone and tighten the face, neck and décolletage while you sleep with monoi and argan oils, shea butter and argan sprout cell extract. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of parabens and SLS. The company's newest eco-friendly initiative allows for a tree to be planted for each product sold.

SHINE: L'Occitane Immortelle Biologique Precious Night Cream. BEAUTY: Grape and sunflower seed oils, vitamin E and coconut oil help repair and regenerate your skin, so you look more refreshed in the morning. BEACON: The L'Occitane Foundation supports fields of action for visual impairment and women's entrepreneurship.

SHINE: Murad Age-Balancing Night Cream. BEAUTY: Hydrate and heal the skin with shea butter, avocado oil and clover flower extract to maximize elasticity and minimize the effects of hormonal aging. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Nature Pure Labs Age Defying Hippophae Night Cream. BEAUTY: Avocado and jojoba oils, hyaluronic acid and green tea extract help transform skin from lifeless to luminous. BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no parabens, artificial colors or fragrances. 

SHINE: Phytomer Night Recharge Youth Enhancing Cream. BEAUTY: Detoxify and revitalize your skin each night for a younger looking appearance with brown algae extract, vitamin E, and jojoba and sunflower seed oils. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: VB Cosmetics Abrioné Night Time Recovery Cream. BEAUTY: Aloe vera gel, and pineapple and grape seed extracts lift away dead skin cells and signs of aging. BEACON: No animal testing.

Pink Power: Support BCA Month with Skin Care

SHINE: Murad Hydrate for Hope Set (Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture and Hydro-Dynamic Moisture for Eyes). BEAUTY: Restore and replenish dry, dehydrated skin with shea butter, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and peptides. BEACON: No animal testing. Donates 10% of sales this month to the City of Hope in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.