Winter is a great time for feeling toasty and warm by the blazing fire or under the blasting heat while wrapped in our cozy wool… but these elements, along with the freezing temps, whipping wind and low humidity, leave my sensitive skin feeling dry, itchy and flaky. So I did a little research and the best (and easiest) way to minimize the toll and repair the damage is to just simply switch up your beauty routine a bit.
So today I wanted to share those tips for battling the dry wintry weather with you.
1. Re-Think Your Water. First, it’s important to clean up the right way. A boiling hot, long shower might feel great on a cold day, but this can strip the moisture from your hair and skin, leaving them dry and dull (I am definitely guilty of this one). Instead, you should minimize your exposure to the drying heat by reducing the length of your showers as well as the temperature. While water that is too hot will cause your skin to tighten and your hair to break, water that is too cold will constrict your pores preventing proper cleansing. I put a lot of time into my hair making sure it’s strong and healthy, so the last thing I would want to do is sabotage all my efforts with a super hot shower. A great way to find the right temperature is by using the new Delta Faucet Temp2O technology hand-shower. Temp2O features a LED digital temperature display that shows the temperature of the water (pretty awesome too if you’ve got kiddos you don’t want to scorch or freeze). Three helpful color indicators signal different temperature ranges for an easy, visual indication of the water temp. This makes it super easy to find the right temp for you. And as for your skin and hair, it’s best to begin your shower with a warm rinse to open pores and release impurities, and then finish with a cool rinse to lock in the added moisture.
2. Exfoliate. As for your skin, one of the most important steps (and I can’t stress this enough) is exfoliating. During the winter months we tend to load up on heavier creams to compensate for the dryness. But dry skin means you have dry skin cell build up, and what good will your expensive creams do if they can’t reach your pores? So find a good body scrub and face exfoliant, like the Clarisonic brush, that can help remove those dead skin cells. I personally love to make my own sugar scrubs – not only do they exfoliate, but the natural oils pack in the moisture (and they smell amazing too… on your skin and in your house).
So here are three super easy yummy recipes for you to try (they have very few ingredients and make for great gifts too):
LAVENDER LEMON HONEY SUGAR SCRUB:
Ingredients:
1 C organic cane sugar
1/4 C olive oil
2 T raw honey
2 tsp dried rosemary
15 drops lemon essential oil
15 drops lavender essential oil
Directions:
Mix sugar, olive oil, honey and rosemary together in a bowl. Then, add essential oils and stir to combine.
VANILLA SUGAR SCRUB:
Ingredients:
1 C raw sugar
1/2 C organic cane sugar
2 T vanilla
1/4 C almond oil
Directions:
In a bowl, mix the two sugars together and then add the vanilla and almond oil. Add more sugar or oil to get desired consistency.
GRAPEFRUIT SUGAR SCRUB:
Ingredients:
2 C organic cane sugar
1/4 C coconut oil
20 drops grapefruit essential oil
3 drops red food coloring (optional – and no, it won’t dye your skin)
Directions:
Combine organic cane sugar and coconut oil into a bowl and mix. Add the essential oil and red food coloring and stir.
A personal note on the recipes: I loved all three recipes for different reasons. The vanilla sugar scrub was a delicate scent and I loved how simple and natural the recipe was. The raw sugar also did a great job exfoliating. I loved the smell of the grapefruit sugar scrub and it left me feeling refreshed and invigorated. Lastly, the lavender in the lemon honey scrub was very calming and helped to calm my chapped winter skin while the lemon helped detox and the honey gave me even more of a moisture boost. In sum, they were all awesome and I can’t wait to make them again.
Want a few extra tips? Here are some of my favorites I’ve found that work great:
Olive Oil. Protect your hair and skin by massaging your body and scalp with Vitamin E or olive oil before hopping in the shower to replenish natural oils. I also recommend adding a bit of jojoba oil to your regular body wash while rinsing for an extra dose of moisture (I’ve been doing this for years).
Hair Hydration. As for your hair, don’t think that because you’ve treated your hair with oil before your shower that you can skimp on the conditioner. A dried out scalp produces fewer oils, making your hair full of static. The added moisture simulates and replenishes your natural hair oils, giving your hair the nourishment it needs. Obviously everybod
y’s hair is different, so the length between your washes will vary.
Post-Shower Moisture. Choose a cream over a lotion and avoid anything with alcohol. I recommend finding a moisturizer that will lock in moisture after your shower and provide some protection of the dermis to encourage healing, but that still lets the skin breathe. I personally love to lock in moisture after my shower with virgin coconut oil… it can speed up healing and increase hydration and water loss in seriously dry skin (it also smells amazing). And for my face,
lately I have been using Bobbi Brown’s Hydrating Face Cream and it’s been great for my skin here in Arizona’s dry heat. I also recently started adding in their Hydrating Eye Cream to make sure this sensitive area of thin skin doesn’t dry up and wrinkle (prevention is key, people).
Drink Up. Lastly, aside from the water (and your regulated temperature) that you put on the outside of your body, don’t forget to hydrate from within by drinking plenty of water. I find I tend to drink more water when I fill up a tumbler or water bottle first thing in the morning and carry it with me throughout the day because it reminds me to refill it once it’s gone. You could also add a few slices of lemon or cucumber for a post-shower refresher, which will help you flush the toxins and hydrate your system for healthy looking skin that glows. And who doesn’t want that?
The Giveaway:
Ok so now onto the great news! Delta Faucet is generously offering one Darling reader a Temp2O Hand Shower (in Stainless) – a $299 value! All you have to do is follow the instructions in the widget below. You have until March 24th at midnight to enter and this giveaway is open to US residents only.
Thanks for reading! Let me know how you like the sugar scrub recipes and good luck winning the shower head for your pretty home!
Thank you to Delta Faucet for partnering on this post.