Winter Skin Tips

The seasons are changing and winter is creeping in.  It's starting to get colder outside and heating inside is kicking in.  This can cause havoc for your skin.  I know that this happens to mine.  The extreme in environments increases the development of dry skin along with having longer, warmer showers, and baths.  We also spend a lot more time indoors in the winter months kicking back watching Netflix curled up on the sofa or hanging out with friends.  I find it harder to remember to drink 2 litres of water.  Maintaining hydration is very important as I've said previously.  Here are my tips for keeping your skin healthy during the winter months.Hydration! - This one is a little bit harder to do in the winter.  I sometimes substitute water with warm water with a slice on lemon it or herbal teas.  My favourites are mint or rooibos.  I keep a bottle of water on my desk at work and make sure I slowly sip my way through it during the day.  I find it useful to monitor how much I've drunk.Dry Skin Brushing - This is an easy way to work the lymphatic system and cleanse the skin.  Our skin is the largest organ of the body.  It's the one that is usually the most neglected as well.  It's important to remove dead skin cells so that your body can eliminate toxins from the body.  I dry brush before having my morning shower.  It's a positive way to get your circulation going, helps with toning, removes dead skin cells, and encourages cell regeneration.  I use a natural bristled body brush from Aveda.  Start brushing from the feet upwards in long strokes up to the torso, then from the hands along the arms to the shoulders.  The sweeping motions should always be moving towards the heart.  It's quite a therapeutic process.Moisturising your skin - I love using sweet almond oil as it's jam packed with antioxidants.  There are alternatives that you can use such as coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil or olive oil.  I sometimes add essential oils to my almond oil.  It depends what mood I want to create.  My most used oils are peppermint, eucalyptus or frankincense.  Warm a small amount of the oil in your hands and then massage a light layer all over the body.Cold showering - Err this sounds counterintuitive but go with me on this for a moment.  A quick cold blast of water can help stimulate your central nervous system.  It gets your blood pumping through your veins which in turn leaves your skin looking really radiant.  I can't do a complete cold shower in the morning.  I need to warm up first!  I start my shower warm and then switch it to a cold one for at least a minute to a max of 2 minutes.  It does feel good after so please give it a try.