As soon as winter starts, most of us start noticing that our skin becomes itchy and dry. Today I am going to share a few tips on how to take care of your body during winter time.
Body:
When in the bath or shower, keep the water lukewarm. Warm water strips the skin from its natural oils.
Exfoliating your skin is one of the most important things to do during winter. This helps to remove dead skin cells and helps your moisturizer to penetrate deeper into your skin.
Choose one of these invigorating scrubs and make your own home-made scrub with these easy ingredients.
Lavender Body Scrub
Take 1/2 cup of coarse sea salt.
Pour in 1/3 cup of grape seed oil (you can also use jojoba, almond or coconut oil – whichever you prefer)
Mix in around 1 tablespoon of dried lavender.
Add 16 drops of lavender essential oil.
Mix together and apply all over your body while in the shower.
Coffee Scrub
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup ground coffee
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tbsp. sea salt
Mix together and apply all over your body while in the shower.
Peppermint Scrub
1/4 cup grape seed oil
2 tbsp. spearmint essential oil
1/2 cup sugar
Mix together and apply all over your body while in the shower.
Using soap can also cause your skin to dry out, especially if you are using a deodorized soap.
Always pat your skin dry after a shower or bath. It will help to lock in the moisture your skin needs.
Don’t wait too long before applying a moisturizer to your skin, the longer you wait, the quicker your skin will start to itch.
Lavender Body Butter
4 tbsp. Coconut oil
1.5 tbsp. Olive oil
2 tbsp. Beeswax
1 tsp. Honey
3 tbsp. Aloe Vera gel
2 tsp. Lanolin
10 drops Lavender essential oil
1 Vitamin E capsule
Directions
– In double boiler over medium-high, heat oils, beeswax and honey.
– In a separate double boiler over medium-high, heat the aloe. Once melted, mix into the beeswax mixture. Stir.
– Add lanolin & stir.
– Once the whole mixture has melted, turn heat to low. Stir in Vitamin E and essential oil. Whip until smooth.
– Pour into small glass jars and let it cool down before covering.
Face:
• A gentle creamy cleanser will not be that harsh on your skin during winter time. A gentle cleanser will gently strip the dirt and oil off your skin, but still leave it feeling
clean and fresh.
• Just as with your body, you need to exfoliate your face 2 to 3 times a week.
• Even if you don’t usually use an eye cream, you might want to do so in the winter, to help plump and smooth the thin skin around your eyes. If you have dry skin, your skin is prone to showing fine lines and wrinkles, so give it a boost of moisture with an eye cream.
• Sunscreen isn’t just for summertime. Winter sun can still damage your skin. So please apply daily.
Hands and Feet:
• Apply lotion every time you wash your hands. Keep a bottle of lotion next to the soap on your sink, to help you remember.
• If your hands are very dry, apply a thick layer of moisturizer to your hands right before you put on your gloves. If you do just this, your hands will hugely benefit.
• Pay attention to your cuticles. You can get a cuticle oil, or you can use your moisturizer or even a dab on a bit of olive oil when you’re cooking. A tiny bit goes a long way.
• Before you go to bed, apply a thick layer of moisturizer to your feet and apply cotton socks. This is a sure-fire way to help heal very dry feet.
• Exfoliate your feet when you’re exfoliating your body and never forget to put moisturizer on them after your shower. This is important because areas of your feet are prone to cracking in the winter months, which is very painful. Prevention is better than cure!
Lips:
• Exfoliate them twice a week to help prevent chapping. Use a lip exfoliator, or make your own by mixing lip balm and sugar. You can also use a gentle, soft toothbrush or a simple damp washcloth to gently exfoliate them.
• Put on a heavy lip moisturizer every night before bed. Keep it on your bedside table to remember.
• Keep a lip balm with you at all times. One at your desk, one in your purse, one at home etc. Preferably one with an SPF, as lip cancer is the most common oral cancer and your lips need protection from the sun’s rays, just like your body does.
• Nothing makes you look older than dried lipstick and chapped lips. Apply a lip balm or hydrating lip gloss over your lipstick, especially if you’re going to be outside. This will help you keep your color and plump your lips, making them look younger.
Homemade lip scrub:
Mix a little bit of olive oil with some sugar in a small bowl. Experiment with the quantities until the mixture is pasty in consistency.
Gently rub the mixture on your lips with a washcloth, massaging in circular motions. The longer you rub in the mixture, the more intensely you will exfoliate your lips. End with a lip moisturizer and you’ll have soft, kissable lips!