Winter Skin Survival

Time to say goodbye to a season of thirsty skin and hello to a nourished clear complexion this winter.

It’s definitely here again, the cold, the wind, the rain, along with the all telling redness just beneath the nostrils shouting loud and clear to all who look “Yes, it’s winter and Yes, I do have a cold”. 

To be fair to the seasons Winter and Spring are my favourite times of year but winter really is a tough season for our skin. There are some tremendously effective natural and organic products on the market which help maintain supple healthy appearance of skin but today I’m here to begin my Winter Blog series all about surviving the change in season.  I’ll be sharing some specific tips and a great simple recipe or two to help alleviate some commonly occurring winter skin at home.

 

Tip #1

After all the sun, sandal wearing and abuse from high heels over the summer our heels have a tendency to get cracked, dry and in need of attention.  I've included a simple nourishing Foot Scrub recipe at the end of this post for you to try at home.

 

 

 

Before you scroll down to the recipe and method let me explain the ingredients, what they do for your skin and why I've chosen them.

Virgin Coconut Oil smells so beautiful! I always recommend Virgin coconut oil because this type of coconut oil is extracted from fresh mature coconut meat using either cold-pressed or centrifugation without high heat and chemicals.  Ideal for this recipe because of it’s antimicrobial, conditioning and deeply moisturising properties. 

Avocado Oil is High in Vitamin E, lecithin and phytosterols which is great news for feet!  This beautiful rich green oil is also known for its healing and anti-bacterial properties.  

Honey is one of the most natural humectants, which is a substance used to reduce the rate at which skin loses moisture by drawing moisture from the atmosphere and retaining it against the skin.  This helps skin to stay more supple. 

Brown sugar has a dual purpose, its also a humectant and also an exfoliant, so it’s the scrubby element of the scrub.  This will slough off any dry, dull skin by removing dead skin cells from the surface of feet.

 

Tip #2

What we put into out body directly effects our skin so veer toward moisturising foods to combat dry, chapped skin and keep it in optimal condition.  Foods high in omega-3 along with natural antioxidant rich foods are great for retaining the moisture in our skin;

Oily fish like fresh tuna, mackerel, sardines and salmon. 

Green Leafy vegetables.

Whole Foods like seeds and nuts – pumpkin seeds, walnuts.

Try a colourful salad with avocado, piccolo tomatoes and cranberries to help stave off those free radicals.

 

Tip #3

Stay hydrated throughout the day, drinking water helps your skin to maintain it’s natural moisture levels because the body isn’t pulling water away from the skin to hydrate internal organs and blood.

 

Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day is recommended and
                                          as about 20% of our fluid intake comes from foods
                                          eat more fruit and vegetables, their high water content
                                          will add to your hydration.

 

Foot Scrub Recipe Ingredients

30g Virgin Coconut oil
20g Avocado oil
10g honey
50g Brown sugar

 

Method

Very gently melt the Virgin Coconut Oil, take it off the heat when it begins to liquidise. 

Whilst its slightly warm add the Avocado Oil and Honey.

Mix together well.

In a clean empty jar pour in the Brown Sugar, then add the oil and honey mixture. 

Gently stir to combine.

Apply to wet feet massaging heels and any hard skin.

Wash off with warm water.

All that’s left is to enjoy your wonderfully soft skin.

 

PLEASE USE CAUTION

• The recipe weights are enough for a single use this is because although the recipe doesn’t contain any water, water may be inadvertently introduced from wet fingers scooping out the scrub from your jar or dish.  If water is introduced the scrub will spoil quickly so I advise not to store it for any length of time.  Just whip up a new batch next time your feet need a pamper!
• Goes without saying, but to be on the safe side, please be very careful not to slip in the bath tub or shower.  You could even use this sitting on a chair in the living room with a bowl of water soaking feet and a couple of towels laid down to avoid spills.