Leah Payne
Looking great in the winter comes naturally - when you have a winter beauty plan. Follow these beauty tips for top-to-bottom, inside-out, frigid weather fabulosity.
Looking great in the winter comes naturally—when you have a winter beauty plan. Follow these beauty tips for top-to-bottom, inside-out, frigid weather fabulosity.
Purchase a coordinating scarf to wrap around your face when cold winds threaten to dehydrate facial skin, and top off your look with a fashionable hat to keep you warm while also protecting the condition of your hair.
Be sure you have a pair of rubber gloves by the kitchen sink to use when hands are immersed in water. For a softness boost, rub on nourishing hand creme containing shea butter or jojoba oil before pulling on the gloves.
With dry skin and brush, start at the soles of your feet. Use long, firm strokes and brush upward on your bare skin toward your heart, covering each area only once. Brush across your buttocks, and use a counter-clockwise motion on your stomach and abdomen.
Finish with your arms and each hand, remembering your palms. Start with gentle pressure, and as your skin becomes more fit and firm, you’ll be able to work more vigorously. Follow with a rinse in the tub or shower.
If you have extra-sensitive skin, simply lather coconut oil onto your body before you enter the shower, and gently wash with a cotton cloth. Coconut oil and olive oil are excellent facial cleansers if your skin is dry or dehydrated, and are even able to remove makeup.
If you have oilier skin, try cleansers containing botanical soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) or Castile soap, which is a simple combination of olive oil and soda.
Lock moisture in place before outdoor activities with occlusive ingredients such as coconut oil and shea butter. (Occlusives can block pores and lead to pimples, so be sure to remove them at day’s end.)
Look for products containing nicotinamide (B3), which helps to increase epidermal lipogenesis and improve skin barrier function. Always moisturize when skin is slightly damp.
Look for lip care products containing lysine, and boost intake of lysine-containing foods such as eggs, fish, and lima beans. For supple lip skin, roll on a balm containing nourishing castor oil, olive oil, vitamin E, and cocoa butter. Avoid licking lips, which can lead to chapping.
Wear cotton and natural fabrics close to skin, and be lavish with emollient lotions. Soothe skin with extracts of calendula, cucumber, or mallow. Use soap-free cleansing milks containing healing aloe vera and camomile.
Eight hours of nightly sleep can also prevent weight gain—which is important because come spring you’ll shed the bulky sweaters. Aim for seven to nine hours nightly. When sleep won’t come, try supplemental melatonin, L-lysine, or 5-HTP.
Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E are also key to healthy skin: consider taking a multivitamin for insurance. Of course, having adequate H2O available is crucial, so aim to drink about eight glasses of water daily.