Hair, Skin & Nails in Cold, Dry Weather

Our winer is officially here and it is definitely affecting my body.  But there are many things we can do to keep our bodies hydrated and healthy throughout the winter.  The best thing to do is stay ahead of it, prevention!

Hydrate: Our bodies work as one unit, from the inside out.  The best way to keep your skin hydrated is to drink lots of water.  I try to drink close to a gallon of water a day.  This is about 14-16 glasses (8 oz glasses) of water a day.  This will make a huge difference in your skin!!!  Your skin will be so much more dewy and glowing.  This is something that is impossible to achieve if the skin is dehydrated, no matter how great your skin care routine is.  So grab some water or a non-caffeinated tea and start drinking.

Skin Care:  Add additional steps to your skin care routine for extra hydration.  Use a hydrating mask 1-3 times a week.  At night, layer beauty oil then moisturizer or hydrating sleep mask.  Always use an eye cream before bed.

Body Lotion: Apply body lotion immediately after getting out of the shower.  The lotion will seal in moisture for some extra hydration.  If your skin is really dry, apply lotion after your shower and again before bed and in the morning when you wake up.

Hand Cream: Keep hand cream by your bed and apply every night before bed.  For additional moisture apply oil to the cuticles, then apply hand cream.  I also keep hand lotion by my kitchen sink.  I apply every time after I do dishes or any time thru out the day my hands feel dry.

Lips:  I keep lip moisturizer all over my house and always have some with me in my purse.  I apply any time during the day as needed.  I always apply a generous amount right before bed.

Hair:  Go as long as you can in between washes, this will be dependent on your hair type.  Use dry shampoo or just get your hair wet and not wash it.  When you wash your hair, first brush it root to tip.  This will bring the natural oils down to the ends of the hair.  Also, use a hair mask every 1-2 weeks.

Short Showers & Warm Water:  Hot water and long showers are extremely drying to the skin.  Keep the showers as short as possible and the water temperature warm, not hot.

Mild Shower Gel:  What you wash your body with in the shower makes a huge difference.  Skip the stripping shower soaps.  Instead use a shower gel or body wash that is mild and gentle.  Also, you don’t have to wash your arms and legs every day.  Wash just your body and skip drying out your arms and legs.

Get a Mani/Pedi:  When it’s really cold outside all I want to do is hibernate.  Getting a mani/pedi is a great way to keep your nails looking nice through out the winter.  It gets off all that dead skin and keeps the cuticles clean.  Trust me, when you’re sitting inside looking out at the dreary weather, having beautiful nails will help brighten things up.

Get a Humidifier:  Adding humidity to your house is a great way to keep your skin hydrated.  You can get a whole house humidifier on your furnace or a room humidifier.  If you have a room humidifier keep it in the room you spend the most time in during the day.  Then at night put it in your bedroom.  I have mine pointed right at me while I sleep.