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5 Green Tips For Keeping Skin Hydrated This Winter
Blog Of The Week
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
by Wendy of ABCs and Garden Peas
Itch, itch. Scratch, scratch. :mad:
Old Man Winter doesn’t seem to discriminate when it comes to drying out skin, leaving it flaky and in need of some serious TLC. Moms, dads, babies – we’re all susceptible to the harsh effects of winter weather.
But that doesn’t mean you have to resort to yucky chemical-laden lotions and creams to find some relief…
5 earth-friendly ways to beat the winter flakies:
Shower less. I know…gross, right? Wrong! If your skin is prone to drying out, long, hot showers or baths can make it even worse. Your hair will probably thank you, too, with more luster and manageability. Bathing every single day is a relatively new practice, anyway, and cutting back to every other day will not only save your skin, but lots of money and resources, too. And who doesn’t love that?
Get a little ‘nutty. I’ve said it before, and I’ll scream it from the rooftops any chance I get – the most amazing product on the face of the planet is coconut oil. Love, love, love this stuff. I smooth it on after a shower and it keeps my skin smooth and nicely hydrated without any yucky, toxic ingredients. There’s just one, pure ingredient – good ol’ coconut oil. It smells heavenly, works wonders, and lasts a really long time. And how many products can you rub on your skin, use on your baby’s sore bum, and throw in your morning smoothie!? Ah-mazing!
Look to the kitchen. Hydrating facial masks can be expensive, and many contain harmful, synthetic ingredients that seem to contradict their very purpose. Putting something on your face to help your skin doesn’t make much sense if it harms your body at the same time, does it? Nope. Did you know there are lots of ingredients right in your own kitchen that can do wonders for your dry, winter skin? Avocado, pumpkin, honey, milk, cream, and coconut milk might sound like a pie recipe, but they are also ingredients that hydrate your skin naturally! Try combining 1 cup pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of coconut milk to make a mask, then add a glass of wine. (No, not in the mask. The wine is to complete the whole home spa experience after you talk Dad in to watching the littles…)
Simmer some cinnamon. Forget air fresheners. Just simmer some spices in a pot of water on your stove, or over your radiator or heater vent. You’ll add a lovely scent to the air while replenishing some of the moisture depleted by your home’s heating system and the dry winter air.
Get more sleep! Really. It’s good for you. (Hey, I never said these tips were realistic…)
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Want more ideas for dry skin relief? Check out our other submissions:
- Nourish Your Skin with Homemade Shea Butter Body Cream by Micaela Preston of Mindful Momma
- Best Moisturizer EVER! by Hoda Elkassem of Drug Free Pharmacist
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The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.
Photo courtesy B.Riordan. / CC BY 2.0
Posted by Jennifer on 01/21/2012 at 10:10 AM
Hydration really does begin on the inside. One of the most effective ways of keeping skin hydrated during the winter is to water it. That’s right - you need to continue drinking your 8 glasses of water every day to keep skin moist and to reap the countless other benefits of water. Another thing you can do is add some humidity to your environment by using humidifiers designed for use in the home.
Posted by Genny on 12/23/2011 at 11:24 AM
Interesting that you use jojoba on your child, Wendy. I believe that Heather Loraine Cosmetics got into the business of selling pure body oils because their daughter had very sensitive skin and the only thing she could tolerate was jojoba. I love their products, Genny
Posted by Carrie- Young Living Oil Lady on 12/19/2011 at 07:30 PM
I love coconut oil too! A girlfriend told me to use it for some skin issues, and it is helping tremendously. Now, I also lather it on my face.. glad to know it is hydrating it. Great tips! Thanks for sharing. I am all about using natural products and I believe there is an oil for everything! Bless you!
Posted by Genny on 12/19/2011 at 05:51 PM
Jojoba is really wonderful, and great for skin sensitive folks. Heather Loraine Cosmetics has the best Jojoba. I use 10% Jojoba in all my massage and body oils because it draws the therapeutic essential ois deeper into the skin. Jojoba has a forever shelf life, it does not get rancid which is great for homemade products that you don’t use very often. You can buy Jojoba and other really pure oils like apricot oil which is absolutely marvelous, makes your skin soooo soft, at http://www.heatherloraine.com. Their Avocado oil is really full of vitamin E. I never add vitamin E to any of my products, the oils contain so much of it and I find that it is tolerated better that way. Enjoy your moisturized skin through the dry winter!
Posted by Suzanne on 12/18/2011 at 11:35 AM
I love these tips! Our house has been SO SO dry lately!
Posted by Genny on 12/17/2011 at 09:16 AM
I agree about the coconut oil, it is amazing. I blend it with Shea Butter for the best chapstick ever. Our whole family uses it, and the kids use it at night which really helps their winter chapped lips. Beeswax is the only other ingredient, sometimes we add organic anti-viral and anti-bacterial essential oils of lavender and eucalyptus. You can find our Organic Chapsticks at GreenWomanStore.com. Another little note, we get our shea butter from TradeForChange.com who is having a Free Shipping sale for Christmas right now! Trade for Change works to increase the sales of Global Mamas fair trade products which in turn creates jobs and increases the income and standard of living of women and their families in Africa.
I love that our Shea Butter comes direct from the women’s cooperatives in Ghana. Bee well and shop green for the holidays!
Posted by Wendy Chu on 12/16/2011 at 04:09 PM
Similar to coconut oil, I love jojoba oil. I put it all over my hands to cure and prevent cracking skin (especially by the thumbs), and along my torso where I am also quite dry. I also use jojoba oil on my toddler.
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Posted by Mimi on 02/11/2012 at 08:03 AM
Where can I get coconut oil? ? Never tried that and for these MN winters, it would come in handy! Cute idea about the kitchen & wine. I don’t drink but having someone watch the kids while I recreate a spa experience sounds good to me!