While the end of the year brings holidays, vacations and family time, it’s not all fun and games. Winter woes tend to explode in December - shoveling, shivering and, for many, very dry skin. For men, dry skin can be exacerbated by shaving, making the face a particular area of concern; another key sensitive spot for men is the penis. Finding the right moisturizers to combat dry skin is imperative for overall skin and penis care. For facial flakiness and dry penis skin, any old body lotion simply won’t do.

Moisturizers aren’t just for women. Having an array of skin care products may strike some men as "unmanly," but products specifically designed for male skin can provide real relief for dry, itchy, irritated skin. Health is more important than some construed notion of masculinity, and the number of skin care products a man uses says nothing about him - except, perhaps, that he takes good care of himself.

Facial Moisturizers

Men should look for moisturizers with ingredients that will be kind to their facial skin type. For men with oily, acne-prone skin, it’s best to seek out lotions or creams that are labelled "noncomedogenic," "lightweight," "oil-free" or "water-based"; these terms indicate that the product will not clog the pores and lead to outbreaks. These products often contain ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid or lactic acid.

If oiliness is not a concern and a man has very dry, flaky skin, he can go for a "heavy" facial moisturizer with ingredients like vitamin E and petroleum. These oilier creams lock in moisture, preventing it from evaporating from the skin.

Men with sensitive skin should avoid products with perfumes or alcohol, especially on the face. Look for natural ingredients, such as aloe or licorice.

Whatever a man chooses, he should apply the moisturizer to his face after washing. In order to prevent further dryness, a man should also be mindful of the soap he uses on his face. Regular body soaps and washes can be too harsh and drying on the face; a more delicate facial soap should be used instead.

Finally, men need to be careful about what shaving gels/creams and aftershaves they use. These can also contain harsh chemicals, fragrances and alcohols that leech moisture from the skin.

Penis Moisturizers

Because penile skin is so sensitive, a man would do well to only use products on the penis that are specifically made for this body part. Any fragrances, alcohols, chemicals or astringent ingredients may harm the delicate manhood skin, and therefore should be avoided. Quality products don’t contain these; they include, rather, a host of ingredients that not only moisturize the skin, but support manhood health in a number of other ways. Key ingredients include:

- Shea butter - a natural plant moisturizer

- Vitamin E - prevents moisture from evaporating from penile skin; also, this vitamin serves as an antioxidant that protects cell membranes

- Vitamin C - promotes collagen production, which keeps the male skin looking youthful

- Acetyl L-carnitine - protects penile nerves, thereby preserving sensation

- Vitamin A - has antibacterial properties that keep penile odors at bay

- L-arginine - lends itself to the production of nitric oxide, which helps relax blood vessels; this is necessary in order for proper blood flow, which in turn facilitates strong erections

As with face creams, the penis cream should be applied after a warm shower. In general, soap should not be used on the penis. If a man insists on using a cleanser in the region, he should go for something very gentle and all-natural.

A quality penis health cream (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil), along with a facial moisturizer chosen with a man’s skin type in mind, will help combat dry winter skin. They won’t take the bite out of the air or the hassle out of shoveling, but they will do their part to make the cold season more tolerable.