Here are simple solutions to problems with dry skin

Dear Readers: Winter doesn’t necessarily have to mean chapped-skin season. There are several easy and no-cost things you can do to keep your skin moisturized and happy.

What makes skin dry and flaky? The drying effect of central heating, which tends to zap the moisture out of our skin, is one cause. Try placing bowls of water around the house, and add a few drops of a favorite essential oil. I’m fond of lemon and orange. The added moisture from the evaporating water will help, and the fragrance is a nice addition.

To keep your hands from feeling dry and rough, always wear gloves when working around the house, and avoid putting your hands in water, especially hot water, as much as possible. Remember to pat your hands dry when they do get wet, and then apply a good hand cream.

Before heading outside in the cold weather, be sure to use a moisturizer with sunscreen on your face, neck and hands if they will be exposed. Wear a scarf if there’s a biting wind. Care for your lips by applying a protective lip balm, and reapply often. Heloise

Dear Heloise: My mom kept her indoor extension cords in a toilet-paper tube. This is handy to keep all the cords from tangling, and makes it easier than messing with twist-ties and such. I took it one step further and wrapped the tubes in self-adhesive plastic — they are much more attractive this way. They are best for 7-foot or shorter cords, and you can write the length of the cord on the tube! Jamie Johnston of Montana

Larger tubes can be cut down to size, or you can even store them in an old sock to keep things organized. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I would like to send you a few hints:

•A neat trick to turn pages: Use a sticky-note sheet to turn pages instead of licking your finger to turn them. I saw my attorney do this, and it really works.

• When I shake out my duster, I do it on the rosemary plants outdoors. The duster is clean, freshly scented and is ready to go again. When I water the rosemary plant, I wash off the dust from the duster.

•I got tired of turning over my slippers to see which is the left and the right, so I put a dot of nail polish in the center of the little bow on the right slipper.

Margo Leitner Parks, La Mesa, Calif.

Dear Heloise: If the tips of your shoelaces have been lost due to stepping on them or just wear and tear, take your hot-glue gun and spot the tips of the laces with a little glue. It works great, and the laces are like new. George, Lee County, Miss.

SBlt Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate