WINTER DELIVERS A SLEW OF CHALLENGES to our well-being: freezing temperatures, dreary days, colds and flu, etc. One of the most irritating is super-dry skin. This time of year, your skin needs moisture, stat.

Two kinds of ingredients help you get it: humectants and occlusives. Humectants such as lactic acid or urea (both occur naturally in the body) draw moisture to the skin, attracting water from the atmosphere to the outer dermal layer where it's needed. Natural occlusives--think: shea butter, or almond, jojoba, and avocado oils--prevent dryness by "sealing in" the skin's natural oils and moisture. As a bonus, many occlusive ingredients infuse the skin with nutrients and essential fatty acids.

To help us sort through scores of lotions, potions, and specialty creams, and identify Some of the best products out there to meet specific dry-skin needs, we consulted three top specialists:

JEFFREY DOVER, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and co-founder of SkinCare Physicians in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

JEANNETTE GRAF, M.D., dermatologist practicing in Great Neck, N.Y.

RHONVA POMERANTZ, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center in New York City.

Here are their skin-care picks for the 10 most vexing trouble spots--along with some really good advice for feeling comfortable in your own skin all winter long.

SCALP A dry, itchy scalp is often diagnosed as dermatitis (chronic inflammation of the skin), a condition easily exacerbated by winter weather. if you have severely itchy or flaky skin, consult a dermatologist; if your skin is only mildly scaly, a super-hydrating treatment may help. Phytopolleine Botanical Scalp Stimulant ($30; 800-557-4986) contains a blend of lemon, rosemary, and cypress oils to cleanse and nourish. Apply it at least a half-hour before shampooing, then rinse it away in the shower (you may need to suds up twice).

EYES The skin around the eyes--the thinnest on the body--is especially susceptible to moisture loss. Whenever you're outdoors, wear sunglasses to shield your eyes from cold, Rusty winds, and indulge in a rich moisturizer morning and night, Dab on Zia Natural Skincare Ultimate Eye Creme ($32; zianatural.com), which has mango butter to deliver intense moisture. aloe vera to soothe irritated skin, and urea to attract moisture from tile environment.

CHEEKS Blustery weather can strip facial skin of its natural oils, leaving it rough, raw, and chapped. Unless you're sporting a ski mask, your cheeks will suffer most from the effects of air and wind. Shea butter and avocado oil are two of the best occlusives to slow the stripping. Find them n Astara Antioxidant Rich Moisturizer ($33; astaraskincare.com). developed for the cold air and high altitude of the company's home base in Telluride. Colo. Smooth it on morning and evening after cleansing.

LIPS While the rest of the skin on the body is composed of three layers, the lips are lacking the outermost one (stretum corneum), so they're often first to feel dry and chapped. The key to treating dry lips is frequent application of lip balm, so use it as often as necessary. Keep your whistle wet with June Jacobs Lip Renewal ($20; ebodytreatments.com), which contains moisturizing shea butter, mango, and I soothing aloe.

ARMS & ELBOWS Thick elbow skin tends to get rough and calloused when dry. Exfoliate regularly, and apply a thick coat of moisturizer. Arms, which are both susceptible to environmental exposure and easily irritated by constant rubbing from sweaters and coats, are likely to feel itchy and raw. Massage in Naturopathica Creme de la Creme ($28: naturopathica.com), made with antioxidant-rich rosehip seed oil to protect and rejuvenate dry skin.

HAIR While a lack of humidity in the air dries out strands, how you style them can worsen the problem. Blow-drying, chemical treatments, heat styling, and dyes take a serious toll on hair. Cut back if you can. and switch to a deep conditioner to treat damaged locks daily. Dove Intense Moisture Deep Conditioning Treatment ($3.69; at drugstores) is made with silk amino acids and borage oil to restore parched strands.

NECK & DECOLLETAGE Unless your coat zips to the chin, it's likely your neck and decolletage are getting a considerable amount of wind and weather exposure. Because this area's skin is so thin, it loses moisture easily, and you may notice it feeling tight and itchy. Smooth on Immuderm ($90; immunocorp.com), a reparative formula with occlusive sunflower seed oil to lock in moisture, and beta-glucan (a natural yeast extract) to strengthen skin.

HANDS & CUTICLES To protect your hands, use a nondrying soap and apply skin cream after every washing. Opt for a heavy-duty moisturizer, and slather on a thick layer before bed. AmLactin 12% Moisturizing Cream ($10.15; at drugstores) contains 12 percent lactic acid--most products only have 1 or 2 percent--to draw desperately needed hydration into parched skin.