'Tis the season for mulled wine, cozy slippers, long books and drying out like a prune. Even in our native Northwest with all its recent rain, we can't get away from the skin irritation, dryness and breakouts that come like clockwork with December. So when we heard Kate Somerville, skincare expert for more than 20 years and industry pioneer, was going to be in Seattle, we couldn't let her leave without asking a few survival questions and gleaning year-round skin-saving insight.

Winter is here and with it holiday travels. For those of us traveling to (or stuck for good in) harsher climates, how can we defend our skin?
Airplanes are so brutal. They just suck every bit of hydration out of you. Try not to wear makeup if it's a long flight. I really recommend taking the Dermal Quench on your flight, along with the moisturizer that's right for your skin. If you have a lot of oils, you'll want to go oil-free. If you have normal skin, use our Age Arrest. Nordstrom is also launching our KateCeuticals line soon, which is really geared for dry skin and mature skin. The moisturizer is Multi-Active Revive. When you get back from wherever you're going, steam your face. Take a wet washcloth as hot as you can handle and place it over your skin for about five minutes. Or put it over your face in the bath and really allow your skin to steam.