You tell us time and again how much you love to share Elizabeth’s novels with your friends, so we thought that we’d share some of our friends with you!

Our friends at Dermalogica have shared with us their top tips for taking care of our skin during the harsh winter weather.

Why do skins get flaky and dry in Winter Months?

Central heating literally leeches the moisture from the air, leading to dry skin, chapping and sensitivity. When the relative humidity of our environment drops below 60% our skin will start to lose moisture and become dehydrated. To put this into perspective the average office building has a relative humidity of 40% and an airplane has 10-20% relative humidity. So while our skins habitually suffer the onslaught of daily living it’s the winter climate that takes any final drop of water our skin might have had!

TIP – Combat dry environments with a bowl of water left by each radiator and leaving windows open a fraction to allow moist air into the room.

What about those rosy cheeks? Why does redness seem to get worse in cold weather and what can I do about it?

The movement from warm indoor environments to cold outdoor winds causes the blood capillaries to dilate and contract. The capillary walls may eventually start to lose elasticity and the result is permanently dilated capillaries, increased redness and sensitivity.

TIP – Turn down the heating a few degrees and treat skin with a raspberry based intensive booster which will help to strengthen capillary walls and prevent redness.

Chapped lips are unsightly and Lip Balms don’t seem to help?

Chapped lips are common since the lips do not secrete any oil to protect themselves.

Step One: Micro-exfoliate with a rice bran powder exfoliant to remove rough skin.

Step Two: Dollop on a generous helping of a super hydrating masque and leave for 10 mins.

Step Three: Coat lips in a protective lip treatment product that conditions and protects.

ALERT!!! Avoid lip balms with high levels of honey and glycerol as they draw water and can actually make lips drier!

What products should we keep in the bathroom cabinet to address cold weather dilemmas?

1) Cleanser:

Choose an ultra calming type of cleanser that is formulated to protect your skin against the winter environment. These cleansers can be washed off or if the skin is sensitive even to water, you can tissue them off without fear of leaving a residue behind. Look for ingredients such as Safflower Oil, Hops, Rosemary, Horsetail and Pinecone.

2) Toner:

A hydrating spritz is a must to keep your skin evenly hydrated stopping those dry flaky patches. Most can be used throughout the day and over make-up to boost your skins moisture levels. Look for humectants such as Sodium PCA and Hyaluronic Acid to bind critical moisture to the skin.

3) Hydrating Booster:

Key players for winter skin, these super hydrators contain Hyaluronic Acid; a wonder ingredient that has the ability to hold 1000 x its own weight in moisture, now that will keep those fine dehydration lines and flakiness away!

4) Moisturiser:

Since protection is the key to a good winter moisturiser choose one of the new high tech products that have an organic silicone base (oil free so even great for teenagers). These 'velvet' moisturisers melt on contact with the skin and form an invisible barrier to prevent (trans-epidermal) water loss and allergen invasion (irritants) to the skin.

For super dry skins look for a heavy weight emollient with shea butter and evening primrose oil for extra nourishment.

5) Micro-exfoliate:

You don't want to over exfoliate or irritate the skin, especially in winter, but you do need to keep it soft, smooth and polished of dead dry cells. Include one of the new forms of micro-exfoliant (a mini exfoliation process that can used daily in the shower) that contains a rice powder, skin brighteners and anti-inflammatories.

6) Multi Vitamin Masque:

A cocktail of vitamins for the face will act like a 'power pack' to soothe and nourish stressed, environmentally ravaged skin. I like to think of this type of mask like an “ambulance” in a tube. Look for ingredients such as Beta Glucan (from oats) and panthenol (B5) for the ultimate in healing and hydration.