Fighting the Dry Winter.

Not growing up around radiators and space heaters and negative temperatures for weeks on end, I'm not well accustomed to how winter affects our skin. As a spectator, lamenting after a "White Christmas", I was all about the snow and hot chocolate and cuddly coats, and less about how everything dries out sandpaper-style, your nose runs when you step outside and you think your finger tips may fall off despite your gloves. Don't get me wrong, I'm pro four seasons. They make you anticipate the inevitable change and appreciate the respite, whether from the heat or cold. Winter for all it's annoyances, does have some upsides (cue the skiing, fires, sledding and twinkly lights). What I have learned (read: learning), is that it is all about your approach. Remember to keep tissues in your bag, buy a good quality pair of gloves (preferably faux fur lined) and be proactive about the products you use on your face and body. 

In the past I have kind of just used whatever but in a quest to really evaluate what I put on my skin, I am learning to work around some new rules. Namely, (where possible), make sure what you put on your face/skin, is safe enough for you to eat. Some people would categorize this as only using ingredients you can pronounce, but even with that, with enough sounding out, a few nasty things could still be in your bathroom cabinet. For anyone interested in trying a more natural approach to tackling dry skin but still wanting good results, I have been doing some experimenting, just for you. 

First I tried good old coconut oil. It was the obvious choice. It has a million uses and is fairly easy to track down. Whilst it can be pricey for the organic, premium brands, it is so multipurpose, where a little goes a long way, and with the products it eliminates, it may be worth the price tag. There are also incentives to buy in bulk so if you know you are going to use it, you may want to buy bigger for less.  I've been using this brand as it's easily available to me and I can use it for cooking, homemade deodorant, for my face, my body and even the dog (it's great for dry doggie ears - just the tips - and gives her a nice sheen over her coat). P.S. the coconut scent is so mild, I don't even notice it.

 

With the polar vortex upon us, I was noticing that even with the coconut oil, unless I applied it several times a day, my face was still getting tight and dry. Not knowing what else to use, I surveyed my kitchen and found some shea butter. This stuff is no joke. It could rehydrate a cactus! Whilst it is very moisturizing, I worry that it is too much so, and to the point where I needed to aggressively rub it in and it took hours to absorb.

 

 

The solution? Mix the two together! 

In a small saucepan, I heated the coconut oil and shea butter over a low temperature until they were both combined. I eyeballed the amounts but my thinking was one part for each. The great thing about this method is that, once the ingredients have cooled and solidified, you could always re-melt them if they are not to your liking. 

So now I have a good combination of the coconut oil for easier absorption and spread, the shea butter for additional hydration during the winter months and I threw in some natural vitamin E oil to preserve my concoction for longer. The best part? I can pronounce all the ingredients and (if I really wanted to) ingest them without consequence. Hear, hear! 

Let me know if anyone tries this and how you like it! It's also a great, natural moisturizer for dry legs, stretch marks and a good base for homemade lip balm, deodorant and make-up remover.