Winter is approaching; Christmas lights are being put up, inflatable Santas are being tied down into lawns, Mariah Carey’s "All I Want For Christmas Is You" has entered the charts and your skin is beginning to undergo a period of shock. Adjusting your skincare routine as we transition into the upcoming festive season is no joke.

With the change in season comes the dryness in the air, the pale and flaking skin and the cracked lips that come from being exposed to heaters and harsh winds. Even though here in Florida we don’t have seasons and our winter is kind of, well, pathetic, the drop in humidity is enough to send our skin into a panic. It’s important to focus on hydrating the skin throughout the day rather than pampering it.

During winter, skin is more prone to redness and irritation. If your skin isn’t on the sensitive side as it is, you should go for a cleanser that’s more gentle on the skin and avoid harsh exfoliants. It’s important to still exfoliate, as dry skin can clog pores, but try to settle for gentler exfoliants if your skin is exceptionally prone to irritation.

Please keep in mind the products I mention are products I’ve discovered through trial and error, and what works for my skin might not work for yours! I naturally have sensitive, combination skin that gets extremely dry and sensitive in the winter.

1. Cleanse.

Always start with a cleanser to remove dirt and grime from your skin, while softly exfoliating to remove any dead skin on the surface of your face.

The cleanser that I find that works the best is the 2016 Allure Best of Beauty winner Burt’s Bees Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin ($6). It’s a drugstore dupe for Philosophy's Purity Made Simple ($20), but is infused with cotton extract which results in being softer on the skin without causing redness or irritation after cleansing. Plus, it’s completely fragrance and soap free, with rice extract and aloe that moisturizes as you wash.

Burt’s Bees has an entire line of products for sensitive skin, from cleansers to moisturizers and eye creams. Another one of my favorites is Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes ($5), which lightly exfoliate while hydrating and toning.

2. Tone.

Toning your skin after cleansing is an important, and often overlooked, step in your skincare routine. Toning helps break down the dirt and oil that your cleanser might’ve (and most likely has) left behind.

Cleansing often causes redness and irritation due to throwing off the pH balance of your skin. Toners help in balancing it out, which reduces inflammation and redness. Toning also reduces the appearance of large pores while hydrating the skin, which is the main thing we’re after this winter.

I hopped on the Mario Badescu bandwagon and tried the Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner ($17), which made me completely understand the hype around the brand. The glycolic acid toner reduces fine lines while gently exfoliating and reviving vibrancy in the skin. However, since I find it’s a little on the harsher side, so for winter, I’d stick with Mario Badescu’s Aloe Vera Toner ($15). It’s formulated for dry and sensitive skin and is the more chilled-out option.

3. Use a Serum.

Next, I use a beauty serum, my go-to being Ole Henriksen Truth Serum ($48) . It’s a collagen booster, which helps restore moisture to the skin while tightening the skin and resulting in a vibrant glow.

After applying the serum, I follow it up with the Ole Henriksen Moisturizer ($38). I’m not going to lie--its on the pricey side, but worth it. After seeing the hype around them online in the beauty community, I finally gave in and bought the sample kit ($25) from the Sephora samples (you know, the ones at the line that they always catch you with hook, line and sinker and make you spend more on sample sizes because they’re just so cute) and was pleasantly surprised. I was half-hoping I’d hate it, just so I wouldn’t have to buy more, but it’s good.

The sample size Truth Serum has lasted me going into 3 months now, at 2 pumps a day, as one pump into your palm is enough to cover the entirety of your face.

A cheaper, drugstore moisturizer I highly recommend is Pond’s Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream ($8), which has collagen in it as well and is still a solid go-to for me.

4. Slap on a Face Mask.

There’s no denying we all love a good face mask, but during the winter face masks can dry out your skin and cause irritation. Especially clay masks, which are known to suck the moisture from your skin. This winter, try opting for more hydrating and cooling paper sheet or gel masks.

Personal favorites I recommend are Yes To Cucumber Calming Mask ($3), Garnier's Moisture Bomb ($3) Tony Moly I’m Real Aloe Mask Sheet ($4), and Saturday Skin Quench Intense Hydration Mask ($6).

5. Hydrate your lips.

Lips and the dry air are a match made in Hell. The wind is your lips' worst enemy.

Drinking water will help restore chapped lips quicker, but my favorite drugstore lip balm is Carmex ($3). A higher end option I’ve been obsessed with is the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask ($26). It comes in either clear, sheer candy apple red or rose gold pearl, so you have the choice of adding a sheer tint while completely reviving your lips.

You can also exfoliate the dead skin from your lips by using a lip scrub. I make my lip scrubs at home, but my favorite store bought is the vanilla honey lip scrub from Lush ($11).

6. Mist.

The main goal and secret to maintaining a glow during the dry season is to keep your skin hydrated. Spraying a rose water mist on m face throughout the day has saved my skin's life. Doing so prevents your skin from getting dry and flaky throughout the day.

Mario Badescu’s Aloe Herbs and Rosewater ($7) is my ride or die, but another great one is the Rosewater & Glycerin spray ($8) from Heritage Store.

Of course, the best way to keep your skin hydrated is from inside, out. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is what is going to be the best for your skin, as oversaid as it is and nobody wants to hear it. I aim for a gallon a day, and the best way I’ve found to stay hydrated is drinking from one-liter bottles, especially the fun ones with the sippy straws, those always make you drink more because they’re so fun to idly sip o for some reason.

Overall, you want to focus on hydrating the skin as much as possible. Avoid harsh cleansers and exfoliants as skin gets more prone to irritation, and swap out drying clay masks with hydrating sheets to maintain a healthy, hydrated glow during this upcoming dry season.