Although it may not be possible to achieve flawless skin, the following measures can help keep your skin moist and healthy:

Wash 'n' go : For most people, a once-daily bath or shower is enough to maintain good hygiene. If your skin is very dry, bathing every other day may be best. Keep in mind that the longer you're in water, the more protective oils you lose. For that reason, and because it takes just a few minutes to wash thoroughly, limit baths and showers to 15 minutes or less. And use warm, rather than hot, water. Less is more when it comes to washing your face, too. Although it may be difficult to break the habit of cleansing your face morning and evening, once a day should be enough to remove dirt and oil. If your skin doesn't feel fresh on this abbreviated schedule, try rinsing with cool water in the morning and using a cleanser only at night

Avoid harsh, drying soaps : If you have dry skin, it's best to use cleansing creams or gentle skin cleansers and bath or shower gels with added moisturizers. These don't have to be expensive, celebrity-endorsed brands. Many dermatologists recommend Cetaphil and Aveeno cleansers, for instance, which are reasonably priced and available in most drugstores. Department store cleansers are considerably pricier, but most cosmetics companies offer free samples that you can try. If you just don't feel clean without soap, choose mild soaps that have added oils and fats, such as Neutrogena, Basis or Dove. Avoid deodorant and antibacterial detergents, which are especially harsh. You might want to experiment with several brands until you find one that works particularly well for you. A good rule of thumb is that your skin should feel soft and smooth after cleansing, never tight or dry. Try to use soaps and cleansers of any type only on your face, underarms, genital area, and your hands and feet.

Don't scrub, rub or soak in the tub : You've heard that last one before, but it bears repeating. As for the first two, it's best to use your hands or a cleansing sponge on your face instead of a washcloth. Although a cloth can help remove (exfoliate) dead cells, it may be too irritating for very dry skin. After washing, pat or blot your skin until it's just barely dry, then moisturize immediately to help trap water in the surface cells.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize : Nearly 9,000 cosmetic, hair, and skin care products were introduced in the United States in 2003 alone. Many of these were moisturizers of one sort or another. And it's not only baby boomer women with lots of disposable income who are driving this trend — men, teens and even children account for an increasingly large share of the skin care market. What's more, most contemporary moisturizers bear little resemblance to your mother's cold cream. Instead, they're highly sophisticated products that tread the fine line between cosmetics and drugs. Many contain ingredients that claim to boost your body's production of collagen and elastin, plump up wrinkles and fill in lines, paralyze muscles, unblock pores, and exfoliate dead skin cells.

Given the array of products, the broad audience to which they're targeted, and the even broader price range — moisturizers can cost from less than $10 to more than $500 — how do you choose the right one?

The best place to start may be to understand the different types of moisturizing agents and what they do. On the most basic level, moisturizers hold water in the stratum corneum. They also act as a temporary barrier, allowing damaged surface cells time to repair themselves. Many moisturizers contain some combination of humectants and emollients, as well as other ingredients:

Humectants : These are substances such as urea and glycerin that attract water when you apply them to your skin. But humectants need high humidity levels to be effective, and even then, any water added to the surface of your skin tends to evaporate quickly.

Emollients : These fill in the spaces between the cells in the stratum corneum, helping replace lipids and thus smoothing and lubricating rough skin. Emollients are water-in-oil emulsions, which means that a small amount of water is dissolved in an occlusive oil, such as petrolatum, mineral oil or natural plant oils. If you have mature or very dry skin, your best choice may be a water-in-oil moisturizer, which will be tend to be heavier and richer than other moisturizers. Most creams labeled night creams have water-in-oil formulations. Oil-in-water moisturizers, on the other hand, are primarily water and have a light, nongreasy feel. These may be a better option if you are younger, your skin tends to break out, or you have mild or occasional dryness.

Vitamin A : Retinol and retinyl palmitate are forms of vitamin A that may be converted in the skin into retinoic acid, the active ingredient in the prescription creams Retin-A, Renova and Tazorac. Retinoic acid helps keep pores clear and has been shown to improve some of the damage caused by sun exposure.

Alpha hydroxy acids : These encourage skin cells to exfoliate properly and have proved effective in treating some forms of ichthyosis.

Antioxidants : Vitamins such as C and E can help protect and repair skin exposed to pollutants and UV rays.

Keep in mind that many of these ingredients can be drying and irritating to your skin, and you may want to talk to your dermatologist before trying products that contain them. Preservatives and fragrances also can dry and irritate sensitive skin, so it's best to look for creams that are fragrance-free and contain as few preservatives as possible. Preservatives that seem to cause problems for many people include quaternium-15, imidazolidinyl urea and propylene glycol.

Many moisturizers also contain sunscreen, hydrating your skin and protecting it from UVA and UVB radiation in one easy step. But combination creams may not always moisturize or protect against sun damage as well as individual products do. In addition, some companies make extra-rich moisturizers that claim to shield you from the elements better than ordinary creams do. With names like flight cream and high-altitude cream, they may or may not offer extra protection against cold, dry air.

Apply any moisturizer as often as needed, especially after bathing, showering or washing your face, before exercising outdoors in cold weather, and every time you wash your hands. Although often ignored, your hands are more exposed to the elements, to soaps and to chemicals than is any other part of your body.

These other measures may also help keep your skin healthy:

Moisturize your house : With your home thermostat set high and your central heat blasting, your home may stay warm and cozy. But hot, dry indoor air can parch sensitive skin and worsen itching and flaking. As a rule of thumb, keep your house between 68 and 75 F and use a humidifier to maintain moisture levels at 40 percent to 50 percent. Tabletop humidifiers usually moisturize the air in a single room and require frequent fillings, sometimes several times a day. They also need careful cleaning to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in the tank. The bedroom may be the best place for this type of humidifier — your skin is hydrated as you sleep. Although it's a more costly option, you may want to consider a humidifier that's built into your forced air heating and cooling system, especially if you have severely dehydrated skin or live in a climate that's dry year-round.

Choose fabrics your skin loves : Natural fibers such as cotton and silk feel wonderful and allow your skin to breathe. But wool, although it certainly qualifies as natural, can irritate even normal skin. If your skin is already sensitive and dry, you may need to forgo cashmere sweaters and pashmina scarves and choose other fabrics for winter. And when you wash your clothes, try to use detergents without dyes or perfumes, both of which can irritate your skin. Look for these products in the grocery store or choose fragrance-free detergents in natural foods stores.