It has officially begun—the war between my complexion and the weather. Currently, it looks like the weather is winning. My skin just can’t cope. Of course, there are other factors involved. The stress of finals is not helping. Neither is the stage makeup that I’ve had to wear the past two weekends for a play I was in.

Sick and tired of having my skin look sick and tired, I am determined to start winning the war against the weather. You can take control of your complexion as well. With the right tactics and supplies, it is easy.

The cardinal rule to taking care of your skin is to wash your face every night. No matter how tired you may be, don’t go to bed with makeup on. This clogs your pores and can create unnecessary break outs.

Don’t forget to exfoliate your skin. But, do so liberally. Exfoliating every day strips your skin and is not healthy. Only do it once or twice a week, but if you find your skin getting too irritated, talk to your doctor.

Moisturizing is a must. Winter weather zaps all the moisture from your skin, so you have to moisturize to prevent dry, chapped skin. When choosing a moisturizer, find one that contains SPF and is oil-free. Clinique, though it is pricey, has the best moisturizer.

Aside from the weather, stress can also wreak havoc on your skin. Unfortunately, stress is inevitable in the life of a college student, but you can still help your skin. When your skin breaks out, no matter how much you may want to, don’t load on makeup over breakouts. Instead use minimal makeup or something like Bare Minerals that still allows your pores to breathe.

Another important thing to remember is to keep your hands off your face. Leaning your face on your hand and constantly touching your face can cause break outs.

Most importantly, no matter what your complexion looks like, you will always look your best with a smile.