Winter Skin Care
Ahh winter. A time of swirling snow, cozy nights by the fireplace, carefree jaunts through an iced-over pond and mugs of steaming cocoa. Right…if you live in a Disney movie. For the rest of us, winter typically means pushing through heavy wind and dodging freezing snow for the shelter of a room that will be full of hot, dry, moisture-sucking air. So much for those visions of carefree snowball fights and rosy cheeks.
And as if battling arctic weather weren’t bad enough, you’ve also got to contend with what it can do to your skin. Because the thing about winter skincare is that it’s not just a case of, “oh I’ll deal with it once I notice a problem.” Winter skincare is about being proactive and then maintaining so you don’t have to chase a problem and hope you can figure out a way to fix it.
Put your trust in TC Essential oil.
The true power of a great face oil is that it will prevent moisture from evaporating from the skin. Since moisture is in short supply during the winter, and the moisture your skin does manage to retain will likely be sucked up by dry air from a heater, keeping as much of it in as possible is crucial. If you’re game, try swapping your standard daytime moisturizer for a TC Essential Oil’s Rose Absoluteoil to ensure your face is ready for the day’s elements. Oil under makeup will also impart a lovely, soft dewy-ness and healthy glow.
And at night, definitely incorporate an oil into your skincare routine if you haven’t already. Not only will the oil be able to work its restorative magic while you sleep, but it’ll also seal in everything else you put on your face before it, securely locking it all in for the evening.
To get the most out of your oil, you’ll also want to pay attention to how you’re applying it. If your skin is raw or sensitive from the weather, the last thing you want to do is haphazardly slap product on your face and vigorously rub it in. (Actually, you never want to do this, even if you have the healthiest skin in the world.) Instead, add a few drops of oil to your palms and gently rub them together to warm up the oil and wake up the active ingredients. Then place both of your hands against your face and push, like you’re giving yourself a very gentle hi-five, and repeat over your whole face for 30 seconds. Why the elongated application? It’s kinder on your delicate skin, it helps with blood flow, and it pushes the oil deeper into your skin without disturbing the carefully layered products you’ve already applied.
Choose Skin Care Moisturizers Wisely
If your skin needs it, by all means add a moisturizer to your routine as well. A great lightweight moisturizer applied beneath an oil is an unstoppable combination. The moisturizer gets to the heart of the skin’s hydration needs while the oil locks it all in. That said, be sure to choose your moisturizer carefully: opt for one that’s free of petroleum-based ingredients like paraffin wax, mineral oil or anything that ends in -eth. Ingredients like this can actually do more harm than good by temporarily hydrating skin, only to block pores and cause skin to suffocate. Instead, find a moisturizer with nourishing, gentle plant-based ingredients and an oil base. Water-based creams are fine in warmer weather, but a moisturizer that has an oil base can help keep the good-for-you ingredients in the skin.
