January 14, 2010 - The gray skies extinguish your skin’s summer glow and the hollowing wind and cold temperatures chap any exposed skin. The dry winter weather attacks your hair cuticles, making it either totally flat or full of fly-aways due to static electricity. And as you rush to get inside, out of the deep freeze, you’re exposed the cold and then warm temperatures, making it all very hard to manage.

Ellen Miller, senior beauty editor from Shape Magazine shares some of her tips to look and feel your best when you’re bundled up and bracing against the cold and even snow. 

In the winter your hair can become very brittle and super dry, so you want to make sure you’re using products that hydrate to replenish moisture to dry parched hair. So make sure you start with a great shampoo and conditioner. The (moistur)ologie collection from In(fus)ium 23 actually renews, replenishes, and restores your hair’s condition to help protect from the elements and even chemically treated hair, so it’s like a drink of water for your hair. 

One of the biggest trends in make-up right now is a wide-awake vibrant look to help brighten up your face and enhance your natural eye color.  The ExactEyelights shadows and eyeliners from CoverGirl do just that.  They’re customized to complement your natural eye color and they come with step-by-step instructions so you don’t have to be a make-up expert to get the look without the department store price.

At Shape we always recommend staying active to help boost your physical and mental well being however in the winter when you go from freezing cold temperature outside to the dry heat inside, it’s hard to regulate your body temperature so you really need a strong deodorant.  Secret Clinical Strength Sport is prescription strength and clinically proven to fight against wetness and it’s designed to work harder as you work harder.  In fact the P&G team of U.S. Olympic athletes uses it so you know if it works for them, it will work for you as well. 

Finally, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re getting enough exercise during the winter months to help you stay mentally and physically fit.  There are lots of great at-home workout videos and online exercise programs you can do if it’s too cold to head outside or if you don’t have access to a gym.  To stay motivated, enlist the help of friends, family, and co-workers to keep you accountable for your overall wellness.  For these tips and more check out the current issue of Shape Magazine on stands now or go to www.Shape.com.