Every year around this time as the temperature dips, my skin goes haywire. My hands become chapped and look like sandpaper. My lips appear painfully red, as though seventeen wasps decided to attack me at once. And the worst part is that it feels like I have a million paper cuts on my mouth. Ouch.

A little known fact about me is that I am quite the skincare connoisseur. I have tried virtually every product on the market from the mega-luxe to drugstore cheapies. I can wax philosophical for hours about lip balms, moisturizers, eye creams, alpha-hydroxy acid exfoliating pads — you name it. I had adult onset acne in my late twenties and this launched my obsession with finding the most effective skincare.

Fortunately, my acne-ridden days are long behind me, and my years of research resulted in fool-proof essentials for when my hands and lips get crazy. I have a good daily skincare for my face now too, but I’ve discovered that it mostly has to do with getting enough sleep.

The best hand salve for my money is L’Occitane’s Shea Butter Hand Cream. I have the small size in my bag and use it all the time. A little goes a long way and it doesn’t leave that annoying greasy residue common with so many hand creams.

For my parched lips, good old Vaseline is my go-to lip balm. I smooth on some at night, and I wake up the next day with normal looking lips. Yes, I realize it’s a petroleum-based product, but I’m still on the hunt for an eco-friendlier alternative that actually works. Until then, I’ll have to live with the guilt while sporting baby smooth lips.