Skin Protection: Go with the Season

A change in the seasons brings reminders about what elements can do to the skin. Makeup specialist Juliet Cohen says sun, rain, wind, and pollution "wage war on our skin, causing it to age and wrinkle."

Cohen says that thanks to cosmetic science, help is at hand. Moisturizers are important because they can ward off harmful ultraviolet rays and boost the skin's ability to protect itself. Also helpful are vitamins E, C and A, which can act as a protective layer for the epidermis.

Washing the hair daily is vital to get rid of the dirt that rain deposits as it falls to earth, damaging the keratin fibers in the hair shaft. A deep conditioning treatment every two weeks can go a long way toward repairing the damage of wind sucking out hair's moisture.

Pollution is one of the major hazards of modern life, delivering as its does car fumes, chemical waste, and smog that penetrate the skin and lead to the formation of harmful "free radicals." Cohen says that while there is no way to avoid pollution entirely, high-tech skincare "is the most effective armor we possess."