Winter Skin Saviors
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It's officially winter now, and my skin is definitely feeling it. The mixture of dry winter air and the dry heated indoors pretty much turns my skin into that of a lizard's. This year, I've been fighting back more than ever before and I have yet to have a scaly episode.
I've always had problems with dry, itchy skin (mostly on my legs) after a shower. I decided to up my shower gel game and started using The Olive Branch shower gel from Lush, and soon after I got a sample from Sephora of the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil. Both are extremely lovely and have ended all itchiness post-shower. I was surprised by the thin consistency of the Lush product, but a little goes a long way. It gets its name from the olive oil it contains, which really helps to moisturize the skin. It still lathers up nicely, so I still feel like I'm getting clean. I love the smell as well - not like olives at all, but quite unisex. The L'Occitane oil took a little bit to get used to - it felt weird to wash myself with an oil - but now I love it. I always make sure I'm using this if I'm going to be shaving my legs. It's even more moisturizing than the Lush shower gel, and it leaves a nice residue afterwards that sometimes I don't even feel the need to use body lotion. Also can we talk about the smell of this one - heaven. It's sweet, but not sickly, and it's absolutely perfect.
Post-shower, I'll always use a body butter on my legs (to quell the aforementioned scaliness). One of my favorites is The Body Shop Olive Body Butter. Like the Lush shower gel, this also does not smell like olives, but rather light and slightly fruity. I love these body butters because they're so rich and nourishing that I can usually go a full 24 hours before needing to reapply.
Moving on to skincare, two products I don't know where I'd be without are the Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Serum and the Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask. The serum is definitely one of my best discoveries this year - it's a clear gel that's packed with hyaluronic acid, allowing your skin to better absorb whatever moisturizer you put on top of it. Paired with the mask, the results are amazing - plumped, hydrated, and glowing skin.
I always have a problem with chapped lips, but in the winter it's so much worse. I've been fighting that by using the Lush Mint Julips lip scrub to slough off the flakes and then following up with the Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm. The scrub is really effective and contains nourishing oils as well as the sugar, and the balm is so luxuriously thick (but never sticky) and moisturizing. This is the most interesting lip balm I've ever tried - it has a matte finish and sinks in beautifully.
Lastly is a step I need to be more consistent with - hand cream. I try to use it at least every night before bed and any time during the day that I can remember. I've been loving The Body Shop's Almond Hand and Nail Cream. It sinks in quickly and doesn't leave your hands feeling super greasy after applying.
What are your favorite products for battling winter skin?
