Winter Skin nourishment part 2
It’s December 1st, and much to my dismay, winter is approaching. Although it is still technically fall, I have been needing a strategic game plan, a winter toolkit if you will, to help ease my seasonal depression and my spirit. As the season is changing, the days are shortening, the cold and slowness is creeping in, I’ve been focusing on keeping my circulation flowing through warming foods, movement and hot baths. Adding some delicious bath salts like these has been very enjoyable, and also helps to support my detox pathways. After a warm bath, I lather my body with Botnia’s Aura oil and it has been so grounding.
Delicious magnesium soak from Brine
This is a great time to bust out your warmer layers, not just your heavier coats, cozy socks and sweaters, but layers for your skin as well. I often advise my clients to switch to a creamy or oil based cleanser, to help our skin regulate and maintain its delicate moisture barrier this time of year. I love botnia’s essential enzymes and balancing oil cleanser, I also love marie veroniques E.O. Free cleansing oil, and coco kind’s oil to milk cleanser.
Additionally it can be helpful to lock in and layer hydrating mists, serums and tonics with a heavier occlusive. Keep in mind there are many poorly formulated moisturizer’s out there that will end up drying you out more than nourishing your skin, especially with lots of emulsifiers and other junk ingredients. I am loving Botnia’s restorative face cream, and if you struggle with winter dryness, Marie veronique’s barrier lipid complex will be your new bestie. If you need more skin suggestions I have a curated affiliate shop of topical, lifestyle and internal support, you can find them here.
Remember that skin support is not strictly topical, skin is constantly responding to its environment, so considering lifestyle, internal nourishment, digestion and detox pathways all come in handy during the colder slower months. Fiber and fluids are always important for healthy skin, think warming veggie and bean soups, bone broth, and warm lemon water. Castor oil packs, stretching, bundling up for winter walks, and any way you like to get your blood moving will help support winter digestion and detoxifaction, I am leaning into this as I often feel extremly sluggish during the winter months. I also take a vitamin d, its important to get your levels checked!
This is a good time to consider your own winter wellness toolkit, beyond skin, as our skin exists within the eco system of our over health and well being. I am doing a lot of journaling at coffee shops, strength training at People’s strength collective, an inclusive, pay-what-you-can gym in wilkinsburg, watching funny show’s like Derry girls, and hope to get back into knitting and water-coloring.
Coming in for a facial is an excellent way to get more personalized, topical and lifestyle skin support.
In my treatment room have been enjoying gentle exfoliaton with mandelic acid, pomegranate enzymes and misting your faces with Botnia’s seasonal ponderosa hydrosol, as well as lots of juicy stimulating massage :)
Cozy treatment room vibes
