Not gonna lie – I’m not a fan winter. Even with all the cute scarves, warm chai lattes, powdery snow, and winter sports, for me, winter is a rough season. The days are shorter and the cold air makes my skin SO dry. It may be a winter wonderland outside, but my skin often feels like a desert terrain; and I’m talking about the skin on my body, scalp, and lips. To help us all battle the winter skin blues I’m rounding up the winter skincare products I adore that are high-quality and effective so we can brace ourselves for the blustery days ahead.
1. Body Wash
MARIO BADESCU / A.H.A Botanical Body Soap
The Alpha Hydroxy Acids (A.H.A) found naturally in Grapefruit extract makes this body wash an ideal winter skin exfoliator. If you have those rough winter skin bumps that show up in small patches on your arms, legs, and thighs, also known Keratosis Pilaris (KP), this is a great treatment. I tend to develop KP on my legs in the winter and using this wash followed by a super moisturizing cream always does the trick.
2. Bath Soak
R.L. LINDEN & CO. / Ms. Tilly Rosalie’s Beauty Tea
A multi-use tea that can be steeped and consumed, but I mainly use it in a hot bath. Rose tea is known to help fight the premature breakdown of collagen due to stress because it decreases cortisol levels. Firstly, you can infuse into your bath, the soothing plant extracts are a great way to treat inflammation and irritation that results from dry, itchy winter skin. Secondly, you can also freeze the tea into ice cubes to be used as a cold eye compress to help fight morning puffiness. Thirdly, you can rinse your hair and scalp with it if you’re struggling with dry hair and an itchy scalp.
3. Hair & Scalp Treatment
DAVINES / The Renaissance Circle
Deeply repairing hair mask treatment for brittle and damaged hair, ideal for ethnic, thick, curly, or chemically treated hair. Cold air and hot tools mean my hair takes a beating in the winter. I apply this to my towel-dried hair after shampooing and then place a shower cap and a hot towel over my head for deeper penetration, then rinse. Formulated with highly nutritious babassu butter and yellow clay, the babassu butter which, makes detangling a dream (a lifesaver for thick, African American hair like mine) and restores the softness, silkiness, and body to hair. While the copper and iron-rich yellow clay provide strengths and structure to the hair.
4. Humidifier
VIOLIFE / Personal Misting Humidifier
Simple, nimble, and easy to use this humidifier effectively removes the dry air from my room while I’m sleeping. This humidifier restores moisture to winter skin and hair. I like the Violife Personal Misting Humidifier over others because it’s easy to set up and it conveniently works with a standard size water bottle so you can take it with you for all your winter travels. I figured if I’m up-leveling my beauty routine in the winter, by investing in high-quality products and taking extra time to exfoliate, dry brush, and moisturize, you know #allthethings, I shouldn’t undo my good work by overlooking the dry, moisture-zapping air in my room.
5. Hand Care
TATCHA / Tatcha Indigo Soothing Silk Hand Cream
Packed with a concentrated botanical extract of the Indigo plant, this hand cream promotes and treats the skin’s natural healing abilities. The Anti-aging rice germ oil and extract replenishes and maintains moisture levels without added fragrances or dyes, while soothing irritation and reducing inflammation; perfect for dermatitis or eczema-prone skin.
6. Body Cream
J.M. GENERALS x AYLA ORGANIC / Goat’s Milk Body Cream
This extra-rich, organic body cream amplifies the skin’s moisture levels with deeply nourishing ingredients. For instance raw organic fresh goat’s milk, organic aloe juice, and organic shea, and cocoa butter. Additionally, you will find organic hemp seed, jojoba oils, and extracts of olive leaf. African red bush, Ginkgo biloba, and green and white teas will also provide antioxidant and anti-aging benefits. I love how this cream has a satiny feel and finish. The texture is rich enough for dry hands and feet as well as all-over body use. Above all, the mood-boosting scent of Orange and Cardamom warms my spirit and banishes the winter skin blues away.
7. Face Wash
BOSCIA / Konjac Cleansing Sponge With Complexion Clearing Clay
Nutrient-rich, clay-soaked cleansing sponge gently exfoliates the dead skin cells off my face and removes excess oil, for brighter-looking skin. The Konjac root is one of the high-performing ingredients in the sponge. It is a root-based vegetable, native to Japan that is gentle and naturally deep-cleansing without stripping the skin. Also, I like that you can use the sponge from up to three months before replacing it, so it stretches and I get a lot of uses out of it.
8. Face Cream
DRUNK ELEPHANT / Whipped Cream
What dry skin? Known throughout the beauty community as the all-purpose rescue cream, this rich facial cream has a light, whipped texture that provides a super moisturizing feel, without being heavy or suffocating. Additionally, It has a blend of six rare African oils and omega acids that lock in intense moisture for long-lasting hydration. Plantain extract brightens skin, while antioxidant-rich fermented green tea battles the signs of aging and relieves irritation from harsh winter weather. A dream come true for stressed, dehydrated, and dry winter skin. Drunk Elephant is also known for being 100 percent free of essential oils, silicones, and fragrance.
9. Lip Care
HOLCUREN’S / Miracle Lips Serum
Finally, a wax-free chapstick that properly hydrates. I’m a chain-glosser and in the winter my addiction is out of control. All day I would apply and reapply chapstick and I never understood why my lips were still so dry. Well, that’s because I was using wax-based chapsticks, I’m looking at your Burt’s Bees. As a result, the wax is drying, doesn’t penetrate, stops the exfoliation process, and suffocates and wrinkles skin. Miracle Lips Serum reverses the harmful effects of wax lip products and penetrates the skin to the cellular level. The serum delivers over 25 kinds of butter, vitamins, and enzymes that moisturize, exfoliate, and naturally protect against common lip ailments. It’s also naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial. Likewise, it is free of dyes, preservatives, parabens, petrochemicals, and artificial flavors or fragrances. Which means you’re not ingesting tons of chemicals.
If you are a looking for more clean beauty options read our article on Democratizing the Cost of Clean Beauty
Images via: Pinterest
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