June signals the end of autumn and the beginning of another winter, which triggers dry, flakey, itchy, and raw skin — well known features that often accompanies this time of year.
If you vow to do some serious preps for what your skin will have to deal with over the next few months, I’m here to help you.
First start by checking in with your skin, I ask yourself how it’s feeling, what do you hope to accomplish during the winter months, and if you find there might be any obstacles in achieving those goals. Identifying your goals and possible barriers will help you creating the right plan.
Basically, stock up on hydrating products and treat your skin to some nourishing ones. Make sure to drink a ton of water every day and eat the right food to address skin dryness. Your skin can look dull and malnourished not only during winter. Many factors, such as your genes, age, and lifestyle, can lead to dry skin. But there’s one solution to take care of all these factors from within. Food. Yes, when you eat the right foods, you can heal dry skin. Find out in my previous blog post Which is Your Right Skin Food? the foods that will help you the most during the dark season.
But even with the best of intentions and a meticulous, borderline psychotic plan, by July your skin may have inevitably relapsed, right? Luckily, there are a handful of easy, not-at-all-psychotic ways to power through these last winter months and; not only keep your skin hydrated and healthy during these struggling wintry times, but get it in excellent shape for the merriment of Spring.
Swap Your Cleanser
If you’re devoted to foaming soap because you swear your skin “just doesn’t feel clean” without bubbles… during winter, get over it. Unless you have some chemistry background and understand the difference between surfactants, there’s no way for you to find out which are the mildest ones that would suit your dry skin. The ingredients required for foaming are incredibly drying and that foam you swear by, is actually stripping of your skin its natural, and necessary, hydrating oils. Instead, swap in a hydrating and non-drying milky, oil-based or powder cleanser like our Floral Cleanser that excels at removing dirt and impurities without stripping the skin of its moisture. It can be mixed with water, a nourishing face mist like Mist of Roses or Dew Drops or a beautiful oil like sweet almond oil for the most sensitive skins.
Embrace The Steam
Don’t go overboard steaming your face — too much can actually dehydrate your skin — but a gentle, not-too-hot steam session every few days can go a long way in prepping your skin to really drink up all the moisturising goodness your skincare products have to offer. Here’s how to do it.
H2O is the way to go for moisturising, add some herbal goodness like marigold, chamomile or rose petals for blissful results!
Boost Up On Hydration
Do you know what’s the best way to make sure your skin is getting enough to drink? Fill the deck with a water-based moisturiser, AKA serum. While you may want to reach for the super heavy balms and creams to combat dry skin, my advice is to actually lean into non-comedogenic serums (water-based moisturisers) all of which will help draw moisture into the skin and keep it there. Our gold standard Aqua Serum Elixir contains four core Australian botanicals: Kakadu Plum, Quandong, Lilly Pilly and Davison Plum for maximum protection and regeneration. In addition to Aloe Vera, green coffee beans extract and organic rose otto hydrosol, the protective mineral complex derived from the mineral gemstone Malachite will play an important role in the skin as an antioxidant, keratin synthesis and on collagen and elastin production. Aqua Serum excels in hydration and regeneration.
Nourishing Skin Treats—Don’t ignore the rest of your body.
Balms and heavy creams are good providing protection against the elements. Remember to apply them ALWAYS after the serum. Read my article about How to Optimise Skincare for a better understanding on how to use your skincare more efficiently.
Yes, your face is the most visible and also the most likely to feel the wrath of the cold winter weather, but that doesn’t mean the rest of your skin won’t benefit from a routine change up. The body lotion you use during the rest of the year isn’t going to cut it from June to August—it doesn’t have the staying power you want during the winter. A great body oil, however, will satisfy even the most parched skin by protecting the skin’s lipid barrier and trapping moisture, preventing it from evaporating. I love avocado for very dry skin, macadamia to get a cushiony skin and peanut oil (one of my faves) because the peanut is one of the few plants which can actually produce warmth. Peanut oil helps making skin soft and supple and it’s very cost-effective.
I guess you could even make body butter with just raw coconut oil, but I wanted to get all the goodness of shea butter, and offer other alternatives too. In a clinical trial, it performed just as well as a medicated cream containing ceramides to heal dermatitis. Shea butter also has antioxidant effects to protect skin from free radicals, as well as anti-inflammatory effects that soothe irritated skin. Here’s my two ingredients body butter, a nourishing treat for your skin you want to keep at hand.
Nourishing Body Butter
Ingredients
3/4 cup shea butter
1/4 cup avocado or macadamia or peanut oil or a mix of all of them.
Instructions
Place a heat-proof jar or measuring cup in a saucepan (for double boiling) and add the shea butter. Initially shea butter will be fully melted before reaching 40 degrees. Put aside the jar and stirring frequently, add the oil/oils until well combined.
Pour the mixture into a separate bowl and pop into the refrigerator until cooled to room temperature (about an hour). Speed up the process, if needed, by placing it in the freezer for about 20 min. You’ll want to stir every now and then to help the oils cool evenly and prevent any chunks from forming.
With a stand or hand mixer, beat the oil mixture for 5–7 minutes at a medium-high speed. The mixture should turn white and become fluffy, sort of like frosting. If you’re having trouble getting it to fluff, increase the speed and move your hand mixer up and down through the lotion to add a little air. You can also try placing the whipped body butter back in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes before whipping again. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of your bowl occasionally.
If you plan on adding essential oils or colourants, you can do so now. Roughly 5–10 drops should be enough, but you’re free to add as much as you like (max 3% of total volume). I recommend sticking with colourful herbs, like turmeric, beetroot powder, and chlorella. They’re non-toxic, and they’ll give your butter some beauty-boosting benefits thanks to vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Just make sure to add a small amount to avoid staining your clothes.
Sparkle Naturally this Winter,
Sonia x