How do I ensure that my skin is well-protected in cold, wintry weather?

Nothing ruins your winter holiday or business trip quite like dry, cracked, painful and flaky skin.

To prevent that, remember a few things:

• Buy a thick face and body cream. You can never use this in Singapore's humid weather, but it is exactly what you need for cold climates.

• Stock up on rich lip balms to prevent lips from cracking.

• Start your skincare routine the moment you step out of the shower, when the skin is still moist and supple and skincare products are better absorbed, than when your skin is extremely dry.

• Stay moisturised throughout the night as the heaters in the room will suck the moisture out of your skin while you sleep.

• Drink lots of water to keep your skin hydrated.

Here are some products that will keep skin protected in cold weather:

1. Sulwhasoo Essential Lip Serum Stick, $50 each, exclusively from Sulwhasoo at 01-72 Capitol Building

Blended with camellia oil, apricot kernel oil and the prunus mume flower extract to moisturise, protect and smoothen lips. The No. 2 balm also stains lips with a natural pink hue. Wear it alone in the day or under lipstick, or apply a thick layer at night as an overnight mask for the lips.

2. Creme de La Mer Moisturizing Cream, $280 for 30ml, from La Mer counters

This iconic product is a fail-safe option for keeping skin protected in sub-zero temperatures all day. A little bit goes a long way.

3. Lancome Absolue Precious Cells Nourishing Lip Balm, $70, available at Lancome counters from next month

Made with acacia honey and rosehip seed oil to prevent lips from becoming dehydrated and cracked.

4. Cle De Peau Beaute Intensive Fortifying Cream, $210, available at Cle De Peau Beaute counters from next month

If thick and heavy creams are unsuitable for your skin no matter the weather, try this rich but relatively light-textured product to keep skin moist without a greasy afterfeel.

5. Chanel Sublimage La Creme Texture Supreme, $546, available at Chanel counters from next month

This is a new version of the best- selling La Creme. It promises to be more potent due to a new extraction method to distil the new active ingredients from its key plant source, vanilla, which is said to have skin-regenerating effects.