Winter Essentials

Although winter is my favourite season, it can sometimes be hard to feel...nice. I think many ladies can relate to me when I say sometimes its hard to find the motivation to exfoliate, moisturise etc, when you know that you'll be wearing jeans/tights and not much of you will be on show. I have to say though, I'm guilty of going weeks on end in winter without moisturising, and my skin pays the price, particularly on my legs. When I do force myself to exfoliate and moisturise however, the difference it makes is amazing! It also makes it much easier to slip back into my summer routine, when I don't have to start from square one at the start of every summer.

 

The following things all make a huge difference in winter, and I find that when I get into my routine, I feel so much better, and less like I need to cover up all the time!

1. V05 Hot Oils

Artificial heating, wind, cold - these things can all play havoc with your hair. I have quite dry hair to begin with, but in winter it definitely ends up looking a bit lacklustre. The other problem with my hair is that it can't hold much product. That is, heavy leave in conditioners and masks can often weigh my hair down and make it look super greasy, so I don't have too many options on the hair front. What I love about the V05 Hot Oils is that they are a wash out treatment. Simply hop in the shower, run the little ampoule under the hot water for a minute or so, crack it open and apply to your hair, leave for one minute and wash it out and voila! For something that only stays in your hair for a minute, the difference it makes is amazing. I would aim to use one of these once a week.

2. Soap and Glory The Breakfast Scrub

Exfoliating your skin does wonders in winter. Its all very tempting to not bother, and cover up with tights, leggings and jeans, but the difference that a body scrub makes is amazing! Having said this, this is the first winter during which I've actually kept up with my skincare routine, and I must say I'm feeling quite nice. Soft, smooth legs in the middle of winter? Who'd have thought it? I've raved about The Breakfast Scrub before so I won't go into too much detail, but if you want a scrub that leaves your body feeling impossibly soft, without leaving an oily residue on the skin, then this is the product for you. Something else worth mentioning is I have extremely sensitive skin, and none of the Soap and Glory products have caused an issues to date. 

3. Clinique 7 Day Scrub

Exfoliate that face! Go on! Do it! Its important to scrub away all those dead flakes of skin that are more common in winter. Your face will look much brighter, and feel much nicer too. 

4. Soap and Glory Hand Food

Again, this product has received rave reviews from me, so I won't go into too much detail about the product itself, but a good quality hand cream is essential in winter. Most people don't give much thought to the fact that the combination of cold winds outdoors, and artificial heating indoors can wreak havoc with your skin. I generally have dry hands all year round, but its really something else in winter. Again, it can be easy to throw in the towel and not bother during winter, but I guarantee a nice manicure and soft hands will work wonders in beating those winter blues!

5. APIVITA Lip Balm

Again, this is another product that I've sung my praises about, and for good reason. Much like my hands, my lips are dry year around, but cold harsh winds and stuffy heating make them not only dry, but irritated too. This lip balm, and L'Occitane Shea Butter Lip Balm are the only ones I've ever found that actually make a difference. I apply lip balm frequently throughout the day, in addition to popping a bit on underneath my lipstick, and before bedtime. 

6. And a couple of extra things...

If you like, you could use a shimmery highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones and down the centre of the nose for a little bit of lift in the winter months. I wouldn't go too overboard though, as you'll look a bit more like you've dipped your face in glitter, rather than looking healthy and glowing. 

The same goes for a bit of fake tan. If you don't wear fake tan in the summer, I probably wouldn't bother with this in the winter either, as you won't fool anybody, but if you generally have a bit of a tan in the summer, it doesn't hurt to carry it over to the winter too. Just remember, go a little bit lighter, and perhaps try a gradual tanning moisturiser, rather than a full on fake tan. 

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