What happens when the temperature drops 20 degrees? Well, besides craving copious amounts of hot cocoa and snuggling under the covers for just a few more minutes in the morning, my skin is telling me (or should I say yelling at me!) that something is not quite right.
“I’m dryyyy!”, she says.
“I’m itchyyyy!”, she whines.
“I’m flaky and I don’t like it one bit!”, she laments.
Yeah, my skin. She’s a picky one I tell you!
So although my skin’s been a little bitchy as of late I figure I’d better get on her good side or there’s no telling how she may plot my demise. Now is the time to switch up some of my products and transition into giving my skin a little TLC to combat the drying effects of the cooler months of the year. Today I’m sharing with you my top 5 essentials I’ve been using over the past month as the weather has become increasingly more chilly. Let’s take a look, starting first with a new toy I’ve been playing with over the past few months.
Clarisonic Mia FIT, $219 US, clarisonic.com
Clarisonic’s cleansing system has been around for years. and the Mia has been in my skincare favorites since the beginning – we are practically BFF’s! Exfoliating the skin is important to me year-round, but it especially comes in handy this time of year when I’m dealing with flaky skin due to temperature changes. I’ve become so accustomed to my Mia time every night I’m pretty sure I couldn’t go to bed at night without getting my face massaged by her – am I spoiled?
Now I kind of feel like I might be cheating on her a little bit with the latest addition to Clarisonic’s lineup – the Mia FIT, which has a new more compact design and no “handle”. It has two speeds – Delicate and Power Cleanse but I feel like using the delicate setting works the best for my skin. At first I thought using a cleansing device with “no handle” would be weird but it is actually very easy to use and it almost seems like I have more pressure control when I’m using it (so I don’t over-exfoliate by pushing too hard). With the Mia FIT I started using the Radiance brush head and the combination is perfect for my skin!
Exfoliation is key during the winter months, and the way the Radiance brush head and the Mia FIT have been performing for me, it is something I’d highly recommend. Also be sure to check out a special holiday bundle on the Clarisonic website here where you can get the Mia FIT + 2 free radiance brush heads and a cleanser for less than the price of their regular package!
Paula’s Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Soothing Body Butter, $19, 4 oz., paulaschoice.com
I was just sitting there minding my own biz-ness the other day when all of the sudden my skin was so itchy. Dry, dry dry and so itchy! I almost couldn’t stand it.
Does your dry skin ever give you drama?
I briefly panicked but then remembered I still had a golden tube of magic waiting for me in the wings. I slathered on the PC Body Butter and I could almost hear an audible “Ahhh!” coming from my skin. Sweet, sweet relief! There are a few things I love about the Paula’s Choice Body Butter. First, it’s unscented, which is perfect for those of us who are sensitive to fragrance. It is also full of antioxidants which make it actually good for my skin and it lasts a very long time on the skin, yet it soaks in (it doesn’t feel wet or goopy!). I can often feel it the next morning on my skin – it’s just soft and hydrated! Finally I love that this body butter is in a tube so I can squeeze out the perfect amount, warm it up by rubbing it between my hand and it melts into my skin. What a relief I don’t have to dig into a pot of “body butter” and scoop it out, which always grosses me out because I get it underneath my fingernails. Is anyone else grossed out by that or is it just me?
Bottom line, this body butter works and it gives me sweet relief – perfect for my dry winter skin!
Nail Butter Nail Treatment, $24, nailbutter.com
My hands and cuticles are always the first to let me know winter is coming. I start getting hangnails and my cuticles instantly look like I’ve never cared for them a day of my life. I respond by doubling up on my favorite nail and cuticle enhancer routine to twice daily and often more if I’m washing my hands more often trying not to catch the kiddos colds they bring home from school! At night after application I rub the remainder of the product all over the tops of my hands so everything can moisturize even more while I get my beauty sleep.
There are two scents of Nail Butter – the original Gardenia which smells like a floral garden as well as my favorite scent Lemongrass which has a very light lemony scent to it – so fresh! If you haven’t tried out this product that I’ve raved about so much before you definitely should. Also keep an eye out for holiday sales and specials this time of year from the brand by following them on their social media outlets.
Paula’s Choice Radiance Renewal Mask, $36 US, 1.7 oz., paulaschoice.com
I’ve been testing out a few new Paula’s Choice products over the past months and this is one my skin is declaring a must-have for the cold weather months (even for oily skin types) or year round for those with normal to dry skin. I had been feeling a lack of va-va-voom with my skin once the autumn season began and my skin was craving that glow again. Along with one other product which I’ll review next, the Radiance Renewal Mask has been a once-a-week treat for my skin and I wake up with super soft, supple and hydrated feeling skin. The mask is meant to be used as a last step in your nighttime skincare routine. Using a generous amount, I slather it all over my face, neck and even around my eyes. It creates almost like a silky-smooth gel-like hydration mask on my skin that dries quickly, and I sleep with it like that and rinse it off in the morning, revealing soft and smooth skin.
Although I have oily skin and have found she enjoys this once per week, it’s like her Saturday night skin-treat! I would highly recommend it for all skin types, but especially for those who deal with crabby dry skin or the drama of high maintenance combo skin should take a peek to see if it might appease your picky skin too!
Aquaphor Lip Repair $4.99 US, 0.35 oz., walgreens.com
So I thought my skin was being temperamental this season but I guess my lips decided they felt left out and had to join in on the “fun”. I don’t remember ever having the feeling of such dry lips now that the weather is colder. I feel like I have to apply my lip balm a couple times a day just to stay ahead of the game! At night I had been using my longtime favorite Dior Creme de Rose every single night, however in recent months I’ve tried to simplify the lip products I use on my lips at night both for health reasons and to try to lessen my pores being clogged around my lip line (which has always been a problem for me, ugh). Fortunately the switch has worked wonders, and I am actually liking the drugstore find Aquaphor as a nightly – or anytime- dry lip soother. The ingredients are simple, it’s unscented and I love that it isn’t in a pot so I don’t have to worry about dipping my finger into it. Plus at this price point I can keep one on my nightstand, one at my vanity and one in my handbag for dry lip emergencies – woohoo!
So, those are my top 5 skincare must-haves for this time of year, and as I typed this up I’ve applied at least two of them because I’m so darned cold! I may have grown up in the blizzard-ing Midwest, but after living in Houston for several years now I’m not even going to deny I’ve become a wimp when it comes to the temperature change. It’s even comical when I think about it, but yes I am a cold-weather baby now!
By the way, it dipped down in the 40’s this week in Houston which is just. not. right.
Brrr…
What does your skin think of the colder weather we’re having? Is she throwing a hissy-fit like mine is? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and tell me what cold-weather skincare loving products you reach for!
FTC Disclosure: This post features some products sent for editorial consideration, and some that were purchased by the editor. For more details on our sponsored posts, review policy and affiliate link information, please see our Terms & Conditions page.
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