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Beauty
A couple weeks ago, I shared my favorite shower products for body. If you would like to see a re-cap of those, click here. Today, I am showing ‘What’s In My Shower – Hair’.
If you live in a state that has brutal winters, you are well aware of the havoc it wreaks on your skin. It is near impossible to keep all areas of the body protected from the elements, at all times. As much as we try, our hands cannot always be snuggled up in a pair of $100 fur or cashmere lined tech gloves. As a matter-of-fact, my hands have NEVER been snuggled up in a pair of $100 cashmere or fur lined gloves, even as a try on. As much as I lose gloves, which is usually one glove and not the other, I better stick to Dollar General. There are measures, however, you can take to ‘Care for Winter Hands’.
5 Tips to Care for Winter Hands
1. Drink Plenty of Water … Sometimes you have to force this, as you may find you’re not as thirsty during cold weather months. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces (ex., if you weigh 140lbs., drink approx. 70 oz. of water, per day). If you struggle getting your water in, here’s a tip – Take an empty clean milk jug, pour (in ounces) the water recommended for your body weight, mark it with a permanent marker, and work off of that, refilling each day. Eventually you won’t need to do this, anymore. Your thirst will naturally require it.
2. Humidify The Air … To put moisture back in, humidify the air inside your house. A GREAT way to do this is by placing a plate of water near heaters. You can use Rose Water that also fills the air with a delicate scent and works as aromatherapy. This simple measure will prevent your skin, including the skin of your hands from over-drying.
3. Moisturize Your Hands … Several times a day, use a hand cream to nourish and moisturize the skin on your hands. Really work it in, especially the often neglected top of your hands. Avoid using hand creams that contain petroleum. Petroleum just sits on the skin, which does not provide any hydration. My absolute favorite daytime hand cream is by L’Occitane. Any surprise? All of the scents smell AMAZING and work the same. But I am never without my favorite, Delicious hands. I have tubes everywhere from my car, to my purse, and all over the house. As for my bedtime hand cream, my favorite is the Burt’s Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme. I have tried many others, but always go back to my tried and true. I have to warn you, however, only use this product at bedtime. It is much too greasy for daytime use. I keep a jar in the drawer of my bedside table. If waking up with baby soft hands is what you’re looking for, this stuff ROCKS!
4. Wear Rubber Gloves When Doing House Work … Always wear Rubber Gloves while washing dishes, and especially so in the winter. Overexposure to both water and harsh chemicals in dish-washing liquids draws natural moisture and lubrication out of your hands. For the same reason, do not wash your hands too often, unless you work in a health care setting. When washing your hands, use tepid water. Hot water will only dry out your hands more.
5. Wear Gloves … The skin of our hands is thin, delicate, and often dry, this is why it is the first to suffer from cold winds, frost, and dry heated air inside our homes. The most important hand protection from winter elements is as simple as just to wear gloves! Make it a good habit to wear warm gloves or mittens every time you go outside, even if it is just to check the mail or get into a car. This measure is especially important if your hand skin is dry and irritated.
What are some of your favorite hand products for the winter months?
Rose Water // L’Occitane Delicious Hand Cream or from Amazon // Burt’s Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme
If you’ve been following my January Jumpstart series, you will notice I am hitting on the topic of DETOXING. We have Detoxing Water, Detoxing Soup, and even a Detoxing Bath. Is everyone detoxed out yet? But what if I told you there was a wellness trick that took only five minutes a day, improved your health, and cost nothing? Would you do it? Well, guess what? There is …. Dry Brushing! Some of you may be asking, “what is that?” I am here to answer that question and give you ‘A Step-By-Step Guide To Dry Brushing’. It is so simple to do and has a number of health benefits.
So how does it work?
Your skin, the largest organ in your body, is an organ of elimination. One-third of your body’s toxins are excreted through the skin. Through dry brushing, you unclog pores and excrete the toxins that have become trapped in the skin.
To get started, follow these simple steps:
1. Purchase a natural (not synthetic) bristle brush with a long handle so you can reach all areas of the body. I use the Yerba Prima Skin Brush. I prefer using my brush with the handle removed, but this can make it more difficult to reach around to the back. Find what works best for you.
2. Get naked and stand in a bathtub or shower to catch the falling skin. It’s a bit gross, but once you start doing this everyday, you won’t even see the dead skin droppings.
3. Begin brushing by starting at your feet, moving in long sweeping motions towards your heart. Remember, always brush towards your heart.
4. Brush several times in each area, overlapping as you go.
5. Take care as you brush over more sensitive areas. Note that your skin will become less sensitive the more you dry brush.
6. Once you’ve brushed your entire body, jump in the shower. I like to alternate between the hottest water temperature I can tolerate and the coldest. This stimulates blood circualation, bringing more blood to the top layers of the skin.
7. After getting out of the shower, pat your skin dry and apply a body oil (preferably natural). I like L’Occitane Supple Skin Oil and Jason Vitamin E Skin Oil . Both these products smell WONDERFUL! You could also use rose hip, almond, or coconut oil.
8. Continue to dry brush your body every day. Like everything, once you get the routine down, it’s easy-breezy.
Remember to periodically clean your brush with soap and water. Leave it out to dry in a clean, sunny spot to avoid any mildew accumulation on your brush. If you self-tan, your brush will get slightly discolored.
Benefits of dry skin brushing:
1. You’ll exfoliate dead skin. As much as I still love my loofahs and my Tree Hut Detoxifying Mediterranean Salt Scrub, you will not get all the benefits from those products that dry brushing can do.
2. It stimulates your Lymphatic System. Dry brushing your skin will kick start your Lymphatic System, which helps you remove toxins from your body. The stiffer the bristles on the brush, the better the Lymphatic stimulation you’ll create.
3. Dry brushing helps to reduce cellulite. This benefit generally catches people’s eye. Don’t expect miracles, but improvement! Simply put, cellulite is a toxic material that has accumulated, and are trapped in your body’s fat cells. Unfortunately, they are unable to be eliminated from the body. Forget lipo, Ladies! Dry brushing helps to break down any trapped toxins from within the body and also help your body eliminate them through its elimination channels. If you want to see remarkable differences in your skin texture this year, incorporate dry brushing, drinking this Lemon-Ginger Water, add in 3-4 days of resistance training, 4-5 days of cardio, and a CLEAN diet …. TRUST me, you will see results in no time.
4. It unclogs pores and de-congests skin. Dry brushing unclogs your skin’s pores and helps your skin absorb more nutrients. Daily skin brushing promotes healthy, breathing skin. It’s a real TREAT for the largest organ in our bodies.
There you have it, ‘A Step-By-Step Guide to Dry Brushing’. I hope you enjoyed this post and give this wellness trick a try. Let me know what benefits you notice. Since we’re on the topic of exfoliating and showering, you may enjoy taking a peek at What’s in My Shower {Body edition}.
Yerba Prima Skin Brush // L’Occitane Supple Skin Oil // Jason Vitamin E Oil // Tree Hut Detoxifying Mediterranean Salt Scrub