Winter looks lovely, but it can really do damage to your hair, skin and nails. Dr. Ahmed Abdullah is a cosmetic surgeon and skincare expert (He is founder/formulator of the Lexli line of aloe-based professional skincare, and author of the book Simple Skincare, Beautiful Skin). According to Dr. Abdullah, there are just four steps to take, to winterize your skincare regimen:
Evaluate your product inventory. Are your skin care product working the way they should, or do they seem less effective now than in the past months? Winter is a good time to try more emollient products such as moisturizers. Get rid of anything that has broken down, is expired,or smells wierd. s
Assess your Skincare regimen. How many skinc are steps do you use each morning and evening? If it is more than four: cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing and protecting with SPF, you may be doing extra steps you don’t need and that might actually do more harm than good.
Utilize products that address cold weather concerns. The changes in air temperature and humidity in the cooler months can lead to dull, dry skin that, in turn, creates inflammation — and that can lead to a host of additional problems, such as breakouts. While exfoliation is essential year-round, it is particularly important during colder months when skin is drier. Exfoliating not only makes your skin look better, it actually can help pave the way to welcome other skin treatment products.
Optimize your environment for skin comfort. Lack of humidity in the air causes the skin’s surface to lose moisture quickly and in large amounts, resulting in dryness. Therefore, proper humidity levels should be maintained in the home through the use of a cool mist humidifier. If you don’t have the budget for this, put a pan of water on your radiator, or leave it on a sunny window sill to evaporate. If you wish, add some aromatherapy oil for added benefits.
One obvious thing you can do is just moisturize much more often. In the Winter time, I leave a tube of hand cream and body moisturizer in just about every room in my home, and I keep a tube of good hand cream right by my computer so I remember to use it. Your skin will just continue to drink it in all day long and you can’t really over-do it.
Winter doesn’t just dry out your skin, it also dries out hair in the most horrible way, leaving it dull, frizzy and full of static cling! Why most everyone understands how to moisturize their bodies. if your hair gets overly dry it will look sad and straw-like, but even worse, it can be more susceptible to breakage.
One easy way to help bind split ends and add much-need moisture to your hair on the days when you’re not shampooing and conditioning it, is Carol’s Daughter Monoi Split End Mender 1/7 fl. oz. $25.00. This easy to use product in a has a nourishing blend of carob seed extract and babassu oil,. These pack a punch against dryness and help to bind split ends. Also good is the fact that this product has no parabens, mineral oil, artificial colors, or petroleum.
Monoi Oil is an infused perfumed oil made form soaking petals of Tahitian gardenias (best known as Tiare Flowers) in a waxy coconut oil. According to Wikipedia, Monoi (prounced Mah-noy) is an ancient Tahitian word meaning “scented oil” If you like white florals, this exotic fragrance will linger just a while on your skin and hair, giving you a tropical aromatherapy boost.
Babassu oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the babassu palm, which grows in the exotic Amazon. It has similar properties to coconut oil and is very moisturizing. This really is a must-have for dry hair, and especially hair that has been relaxed or transitioning back to natural. I can’t promise you’ll never get another split end, but I can assure you that it’ll help deal with the oens you’ve got! Visit: www.carolsdaughter.com
Another way to keep hair from feeling and looking dry and dull in the Winter months, is with a smoothing, anti-frizz product that adds shine. Brazilian Blowout has a couple of products I really like, especially in the Winter. The Anti-Frizz Shampoo ($34.00 12 fl. oz) and Conditioner ($26.00 12 fl. oz.) are enriched with a Brazilian Super-Nutrient Complex (and without sulfates so it is good for color treated and chemically treated hair), The shampoo gently cleanses and retains moisture for your hair. The Brazilian Super-Nutrient Complex infuses hair with a rich source of amino acids that locks in moisture and locks out humidity for less static and frizz.
Another product from Brazilian Blowout that I like because it helps at least a little, to combat “hat hair” and limpness due to dry heat, is the Instant Volume Body Boost Powder ($24.00). This little jar of white powder looks like a dry shampoo, and actually, you can use it to add some “oomph!” to your hair and get away with one more day before shampooing, but the Talc-free formula was designed to do something else. It gives your hair instant volume and texture. You can feel the powder literally grip your hair with just a bit of grit (not unpleasant, but it does add a dry grippy feel). If you want to get an updo that lasts and lasts, use a bit of this. If you just want those roots to stand up and cheer a bit, add some directly to those areas. Trust me, it helps and it does so instantly! Use just a little, and let your fingers rub the powder in where you need it, until it disappears. The small container is great for travel, too.
I didn’t add these to my holiday review, but they are so much FUN, I thought it would be a great idea to suggest these in this “Winterize your skin” article. FUN from Lush ($6.95) looks like a roll of modeling clay, and it sort of is, but this moldable soap cleans and softens your skin. Play with it, wash with it, and even use it in the bath for lots of bubbles. Even better, a portion of the global sales (2.5%) of FUN will go into a newly created FunD and will be distributed as
grants to projects providing recreational activities for children living in difficult surroundings. Through previous work LUSH has done with Japanese charities after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, they created the FunD to help bring fun back to the children in Fukushima by identifying charities, community groups and parent initiatives that are providing fun-filled activities for these children. Fun comes in five different colors, each with a different fragrance. YELLOW FUN: Vanilla absolute and gardenia extract yield a marzipan aroma; GREEN FUN: Uplifting and zingy fragrance with lemon and lime oils to awaken the senses; BLUE FUN: Gentle and soothing lavender and chamomile oils are perfect for sensitive, irritated skin; RED FUN: Fruity and revitalizing with orange and mandarin oils; and PINK FUN: A sweet treat with ice-cream scented tonka absolute and warming benzoin resinoid.
Another newbie from LUSH is something for (bluntly put)” a man’s sweat. Guv’ner )$9.95 2.8 oz.) is a unique, powder deodorant that is made for guys, but girls who produce plenty of perspiration, too. The product is strong, and it has anodor-busting blend of sage, lavender and patchouli in a super absorbent charcoal and lycopodium base. Sure it’s for his “pits” but you can also use it on your heels and toes. Patchouli, apparently, is also naturally antibacterial, so I sprinkled a little into my running shoes before heading out to the gym. The only downside to this product is the application. You have to put it into your hand first, then pat it on your underarms and rub it in. Don’t wet it…and aftewards, don’t sweat it! The men who tried this product loved it, but didn’t like the delivery system. Still, it’s a good product and a novel one. If you find that sweaters make you…sweat more…try Guv’ner.
LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics can be found in over 800 locations worldwide with 45 LUSH locations across Canada and 112 in the U.S, online at www.lush.com or by calling 1.888.733.LUSH
