I've never had skin issues before. My face and body have always been free of acne, completely moisturized, never too dry.... I couldn't ask for better skin.

That is, until this winter.

For some reason, my skin freaked out on me and I think it's because I was home in Queens for the entire winter, for the first time in four years. I say that because when I would come home from school over Christmas break, I'd notice a change in my skin and in my hair. The water just wasn't the same as it is in Westchester.

I also have been commuting to and from Manhattan a few times a week so being in a gross, disgusting subway system for two-three hours a day doesn't help.

I may not know the exact reason but I do know that my skin reacted very badly to the dry, winter air.

I complained a bit about my under eyes being puffy, itchy, and dry and finally I went to the dermatologist and part of that ended up being an allergy to FRAGRANCE. You have no idea how upset I am that I can no longer wear perfume.

It may have been an allergy but I do know that some of it was eczema or extremely dry skin.

It wasn't just under my eyes that was suffering, it was my cheeks and my chin and my entire body. In the few weeks that I was dealing with these dry skin issues, I of course, being the product junkie I am, did my research and found some kick-butt products that helped me and my skin come back to life.

//First Aid Beauty: I had seen this brand everywhere for months before I finally bought something. I knew it was perfect for sensitive, dry, eczema prone skin. Sephora had two items on clearance that I thought would be great for me. I purchased the "Dual Repair Eye Cream" and the "Ultra Repair Lip Therapy" and they both worked wonders. When I didn't know my eyes were reacting to an allergy, the cream cleared it up in two days. I was amazed. The lip therapy is a Vaseline like texture and leaves my lips moisturized but without heavy feeling. I need more from this brand, ASAP.

//Simple Nourishing 24 Hour Day/Night Cream: I wasn't moisturizing my skin at night and I knew it was taking a toll. I needed a good nighttime moisturizer that wouldn't leave my skin feeling tight or greasy. I knew immediately that Simple was the way to go. It's made for sensitive skin and this is an air light moisturizer that can be used during the day or at night, so really, there's nothing better. 

//Evian Facial Mist: I did a whole post on this weeks back but it's such an essential, I know I'm going to need to purchase another one soon. Whenever my face feels itchy or dry, I spray some of this (over or under makeup) and it instantly hydrates my skin.

//Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream: Aveeno is one of my favorite skincare brands (even though I don't own a lot of their products) so when I knew I had a problem, I looked toward Aveeno. I bought this particular cream and it's a more gel like consistency than I expected but it works incredibly. It has a cooling effect and just instantly moisturizes your skin, leaving you hydrated and smooth. I use this on eczema spots but also when my skin feels itchy and dry. It fixes the problem immediately.

//Deramest Eczema Medicated Lotion: This was the first thing I bought besides the Aveeno lotion and it continues to work like a charm. It has that dermatologist like packaging so I figured it'd work (stupid reason but I was right). It clears up any dry patches I have, on my face or body, over night. It's truly like magic.

//Clarisonic: I mentioned this in my December Favorites and it continues to be a huge asset to my skincare routine. It removes all the dead skin cells, leaving a super smooth canvas for my moisturizer. Let me know if you'd like to see a full review post on this bad boy!

//Cetaphil Cleanser and Moisturizer: I use both of these products in the morning because they're super gentle and are simple. The moisturizer has SPF which is great and leaves my skin totally hydrated for my makeup. The cleanser is a basic cleanser that does just that, cleanses. It's better to use a basic cleanser in the morning and leave the fancy stuff for nighttime.

Do you have any holy grail dry skin items that help battle eczema, psoriasis  or basic dry skin? Please let me know in the comments!!

First things first, I'm a beauty junkie, without a doubt. The problem has gotten worse and worse as the days go on, new products hit the shelves, and I watch/read reviews on the best beauty companies out there. I love makeup and I have a lot of it; my bank account cries when I hit the beauty aisle in a drugstore.

As much as I love makeup, there comes a time during the week when I need to give myself a break. I'm the type of girl who will put on makeup even if I'm sitting in the house all day. I just feel better with a full face but sometimes, it's too much.

At least once or twice a week, I won't apply any make up (only if I don't have any big plans) and let my face breathe. It's important to do this every so often so you don't constantly clog your pores with cakey makeup. After a day of no makeup wear, my skin feels fresher and more moisturized. It really pays off.

I recently received an email about a contest entitled "Breakup with your Makeup" which is all about redness and Rosacea. Rosacea is a skin disorder that affects your skin, mostly allowing redness to constantly be at the surface. The reason for this is that blood vessels increase blood flow to the face and causes redness.

It affects more than 16 million Americans and is more common in women than men. A lot of women who experience Rosacea will apply a ton of makeup to hide the redness which in turn, doesn't help at all.

Now, there is a solution for this and it comes in the form of a daily 12 hour gel called Mirvaso which heals the redness that Rosacea causes. It doesn't cover up the redness but keeps it at bay for 12 hours. This is the first of it's kind and is going to change the way women use their makeup, for sure.

During the summer months, redness is common to everyone, me included. There are a few things you could do to help treat redness, even if it's not the point of using Mirvaso.

1. Choose fragrance free sunscreens

2. Avoid sugary foods and sleep enough hours; drink a lot of water

3. Be aware of what ingredients are in your moisturizers and makeup

You can click the graphic below to learn more about Mirvaso and Rosacea, along with entering for a chance to win a trip to the Emmys. 

In addition to that, Galderma Laboratories, L.P are giving one lucky Royally Pink reader a Cetaphil gift pack with tons of facial goodies. When is a better time to buff up your skincare routine than at the beginning of the summer? Enter the rafflecopter below :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PS: Here are all the prizes that come in the pack :)