Recently I went on vacation and discovered that though the trip was great, the climate was incredibly different than that of where I live. I suddenly found my skin not adjusting as well as the rest of me to the dry climate.

Balancing your skin can be real work. Here are a few tips and great products that help combat oil and dry patches, without breaking you out!

1. Facial Cleansers without sulfates: My favorite is the iS Clinical Cleansing Complex. The iS Clinical Cleansing Complex may be odd to some first time users, as there is basically no foam or "soap". That is actually one of it's best properties. I used mine daily with my Clarisonic Skincare Brush and my face always feels very clean, without that tight, dry feeling you get from a lot of cleansers.

2. Toner: The dilemma of whether or not to use a Toner is a question skincare consultants and patients have been asking for years. I personally believe, you must prepare your skin before putting on all of your other products, or they just don't work as well. If you skin pH is off, you may be putting products on your skin that aren't doing as good of a job as they can. I think one of the best toners out there is the SkinMedica Rejuvenative Toner. It is nice, light and doesn't leave your skin smelling of alcohol and witch hazel.

3. Sunblock, Sunblock, Sunblock: Whether you use a moisturizer that includes your sunblock, or you layer, this is one of the most important products any woman can use. A great Vitamin C or anti-oxidant to protect your skin from free radicals and other harsh pollutants in the environment is very important. If you can get both a Vitamin C and Sunblock, that's the best. For this combination, my favorite is the Cosmedix Pure C, which are 100% Vitamin C crystals that can be mixed into any moisturizer or sunblock. There are a number of great sunblocks on the market, and your skin type will be one of the biggest factors in what kind you choose. Many sunblocks contain 2 or 3 different types, which together can sometimes be too harsh for sensitive skin. I love the Obagi C-Rx Sunguard SPF 30. It has a nice whipped texture and is never too heavy or greasy.

4. No matter what you're using, don't overdo it! So many people with oily skin think they need to use all the products with Salicylic Acid in them, to keep them from being oily or breaking out. In most cases, this just does the opposite. The more people dry their skin out, the more your skin thinks it needs to produce moisture. Therefore, you end up with the exact opposite reaction than you wanted. Many people with dry skin also use moisturizer on top of moisturizer, or something too heavy. If you continue to supplement your skin with moisture, it's going to quit producing any on it's own.

Let's hope we can all find our perfect skin balance. You can find these products and 1000's of other great one's by shopping at www.BeautyStoreDepot.com