As temperatures begin to drop and the air starts to cool, our skin can feel dry, tight and itchy. You might even have flaky skin and cracked lips. While skin care is important year-round, it’s especially important in winter when the Southern California air is even drier than normal.

Here are five tips to help cope with dry skin:

1. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Using a non-scented lotion daily or twice daily can help dry skin. Thicker lotions that come in a tub are also great options for helping dry skin.
2. Avoid or cut back on using scented body products. Scents and perfumes can worsen dry skin and cause irritation. This means using non-scented lotions and body wash.
3. Use a “free and clear” laundry detergent. The perfumes and colors used in laundry detergent can irritate skin. Laundry detergents marked “free and clear” should not have dyes or perfumes.
4. Take short showers at a lukewarm temperature. Hot water and long showers can dry skin even more. Keep showers less than 10 minutes. Apply moisturizing cream or lotion to damp skin before drying off completely.
5. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help keep skin replenished.