5 Tips to Winterize Your Skin!

Tis' the season for steamy hot showers, numerous tea and coffee drinks throughout the day, and pumping high drying heat in our homes. Although, those are all comforting to us during the cold weather, they take a huge toll on our skin. Dry-chapped, flakey lips, scaly alligator skin, rough cracked heels and itchy dry scalps are just a few of the downfalls of the winter on our bodies, making us feel sluggish and unattractive. Here are a few tips to winterize your skin, so it is glowing right into the spring!

1. Switch to oils. Ditch the usual lotion when you get out of the shower. Try an oil such as, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil or jojoba oil. These oils absorb into your skin but tackle the dry, flakiness without the chemicals and unnecessary ingredients found in the store bought lotions and creams. It's heavier in consistency and feels really luxurious. If you hate the feeling of oils, try something heavier than a normal lotion like a body butter or a thicker ointment like Eucerin. 

2. Exfoliate. Exfoliate. Exfoliate. You can moisturize dry skin over and over again, but until you slough off the dead skin, that moisturizer is not going to absorb into the skin the way it should. It can also clog pores. So exfoliate 3 times a week with a mild exfoliant. DO NOT GO OVERBOARD. You do not need to use an abrasive scrub to get the results you are looking for. A sugar scrub for the body, should do the trick. 

3. Increase Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Besides increasing your water intake, Omega 3 fats are extremely important to hydrate the skin from the inside out. Omega 3's prevent dehydration and hold the moisture in your cells keeping them strong and also helps to calm irritated skin. 

4. Hyaluronic Acid. Look for Hyaluronic acid in your products. This is a substance that is created in small doses in our body. It attracts moisture, and bonds with water giving the skin instantaneous moisture when in contact with this serum. It also increases collagen production, which will help with the prevention and reduction of aging. This is available in a serum form, or you can find it as an ingredient in moisturizers.

5. Tea Tree Itchy Scalp Relief. If you suffer from a dry winter scalp that is flaking and itching, you can create your own scalp scrub using tea tree oil, a carrier oil and sugar.  Mix granulated sugar, a few drops of tea tree oil and a few teaspoons of a carrier oil such as coconut or olive oil and gently rub the scalp. Tea tree oil is antifungal and antibacterial and will help to kill the bacteria that is causing the dandruff. Also, limit the amount you wash your hair during the week. If you can skip shampoos it will help the scalp from loosing its natural oils.  

If you love to drink dehydrating teas and coffees during the winter to keep warm, switch to caffeine free green tea. It actually helps hydrate the body. If you don't like green tea, make a detoxing tonic using hot water, lemon, honey and some cinnamon.