When it comes to your skin and hair, winter can do a number on them! Cold temperatures and low humidity can really make your skin dry and cracked and your hair dull and lifeless. Fortunately, there's plenty of natural remedies you can use to bring life back into your dull winter skin and hair.

Your hands need extra protection in the winter especially since the skin there is very thin. Wearing gloves when you go outside will help protect your hands from the harsh elements. After washing your hands, make sure you dry them thoroughly and use a good hand cream.

Winter can be very drying on your skin and your elbows, knees and feet can get forgotten underneath all that winter gear. Clothing and winter footgear can cause friction that creates a buildup of thick skin. A good scrubbing with a natural lofah sponge, followed by a rich cream will remove any problems in these areas.

Most people don't think about the sun during winter, but sun protection is very important even in January. The sun can reflect off of the snow and ice so if you are going to be engaging in outdoor activities it is a good idea to wear sunscreen on any skin that will be exposed.

Give your skin a lift with beans - finely ground until powder-like, beans make a great cleanser for your face and body: just add the powdered beans to your favorite cleanser and massage into damp skin. Dry beans are rich in protein, potassium and iron, all good ingredients for healthy skin.

Your lips can get chapped all year long, but winter is really harsh on this sensitive skin. Carry chapstick with you at all times and reapply often. Avoid licking you lips even when they feel dry as this will cause them to get chapped and crack - use lip balm instead. If you do get badly chapped lips, apply Vaseline intensive care at night.

Your hair can suffer in winter just as bad as your skin. Low humidity and frigid winds can cause our hair to become dry so using a rich, deep hair conditioner is important to restore moisture to your hair. If you really want to give your hair a boost, wash it with baking soda. This will remove residues from hairstyling products, making your hair clean and shiny. And while you have the baking soda out, you can also use it for a deodorant, a bath powder and a tooth whitener.

Maple syrup is great on pancakes but it can also help revitalize your hair and skin. Use it as a facial mask or a hair conditions. It may be sticky but maple syrup is one of the best natural moisturizers and can give your skin and hair what it needs in winter. For best results, make sure you look for syrup marked 100% pure.

Give your skin some bacteria fighting help with citrus fruit and tea tree oil. Cirtus fruits contain citric acid, which kills bacteria on the skin and the fresh scent is a known energizer. Your hair can benefit from citrus too - just rinse it with lemon juice mixed with water to revive dull tired hair. Tea tree oil has very powerful antibacterial and antiviral qualities, and it's easily absorbed by the skin. It's great any time of year but especially in winter!





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Lee Dobbins writes for