Natural Winter Skin Care

I'm so excited to introduce you to our newest guest blogger, Camille Leinbach.
Camille is an holistic skincare expert and owner of Autumn Moon Aesthetics.
​I hope you enjoy her insights!

When the winter’s glorious chill sets in, it often brings about a new set of skin care concerns. When the temperature begins to drop, spending more time in indoor forced-air heat can quickly dehydrate your skin. Going outside into the cold causes skin to quickly lose moisture to the air. It is a recipe for dry, itchy, flaky, unhappy skin.

Here are a few tips to keep your skin naturally healthy and moisturized in cold weather:
​

• Drink plenty of water, coconut water and herbal teas to help keep your skin hydrated. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies to also increase hydration in your body.
• Try to avoid caffeinated drinks, as they dry out your skin. If you must have your coffee in the morning (and, believe me, I understand!), drink an extra glass of water for each cup.
• Try to avoid alcohol, as it also dehydrates your skin.
• When headed outside, cover your skin as much as possible with clothing. Cover any areas of exposed skin with a thick, natural lotion to prevent moisture loss.
• Apply lip balm frequently throughout the day, especially before you go outside.
• Keep baths and showers short and warm (not hot). Hot water dries skin out by stripping your skin of its natural oils. 
• Gently exfoliate dry skin with a brush, loofah or exfoliating gloves prior to getting into the bath or shower. Dry, flaky skin needs to be removed from the surface of skin to allow products to work more effectively. Be SUPER gentle if your skin is overly sensitive, and perform this treatment only a few times a week.
• Avoid cleansing your entire body every day, especially with a foaming soap or body wash, as they can strip your skin of precious oils. Skip a day of sudsing, or wash only those most important bits daily.
• Try replacing your regular body wash with 1 part honey to 1 part oil (jojoba or coconut is lovely) a few times a week in place of your regular body cleanser. You can also wash damp skin with a simple body scrub made of a bit of oil added to organic sugar to make a paste.
• Apply oils and lotions immediately after showering or bathing, while your skin is still damp, to capture moisture and seal it into your skin.
• Layer your products to protect skin from loss of precious moisture to the elements - start with a layer of oil, followed by a rich lotion or body butter.

Helpful Ingredients for Dry Skin:
​

• Oils like olive, coconut, hazelnut, grapeseed, jojoba, sesame and sunflower work to replace lost moisture, while being easily absorbed into skin.
• Humectants like honey and vegetable glycerin help to pull moisture from the air into your skin.
• Oils like rosehip seed and carrot seed help to increase cell regeneration, repairing damaged tissues.
• Products containing beeswax add a breathable, protective layer to skin that helps to retain moisture.
• Products containing aromatic essential oils like helichrysum, patchouli, lavender, ylang ylang and sandalwood help to soothe and heal dry, itchy skin. Gilded Camellia™, an aromatic facial oil available in the Autumn Moon Etsy Boutique, is ideal for supporting healthy, moist skin.
• Aloe soothes, heals and stops itching. Look for 100% pure aloe, as many packaged aloe products actually contain fillers, dyes and added fragrances.
• Herbs like calendula, chamomile and lavender are soothing, healing and anti-inflammatory for dry, irritated skin. A nice oil infused with these plants is a great treat for dry skin.
• Herbs like rose, licorice, marshmallow and chickweed are cooling and demulcent (they form a soothing, protective layer on dry skin). Try using an infusion of one or more of these in place of your usual toner. Keep your infusion refrigerated and use within 48 hours for freshness.

I hope this offers some easy, helpful ways to hydrate, repair and protect your skin during these upcoming months. 

​Stay cozy, warm and soft!

Camille

​Camille Leinbach, owner of Autumn Moon Aesthetics, is a holistic aesthetician, aromatherapist and herbalist with over 15 years experience in the skin care industry. Visit her at www.plantglamour.com for more natural skin care tips and artisan botanical skin care and cosmetics.