Winter Beauty Routine: 6 Tips for Combatting Dry and Dull Skin

Summer is all about sun-kissed skin that’s glowing and dewy. Cut to mid winter when skin starts to show signs of dryness and dullness, oftentimes leading to itchy, irritated skin. After a lot of trial and error, I’ve broken down my top tips for a winter beauty routine that combats dry and dull skin. Your skin doesn’t have to suffer through another tough winter!

Hydration

You’ve probably heard this time and time again for all things health, but water is one of the most vital elements for our bodies — down to each and every individual cell. Adequate hydration is key, so opt for lots of pure water throughout the day. Also decrease those cups of coffee, tea, and alcohol that increase dehydration.

Healthy fats 

Increasing your intake of healthy fats such as wild-caught salmon, avocado, and walnut/avocado/extra virgin olive oil may be a good idea this time of year when both our skin and gut need a little extra love. I suggest:

• Adding half an avocado to hearty stews and chilis
• A little drizzle of walnut oil to warm root vegetable salads
• Subbing poultry with wild-caught salmon

Supplemental nutrients 

I’m not a huge fan of taking a handful of supplements each and every day. Our bodies are innately wise enough to break down and absorb the appropriate nutrients from whole, unrefined foods. However, we all need a little help here and there sometimes, given our modern day society that’s too busy to nourish our bodies with good food and rest. Organika’s Biotin and BioCell Collagen capsules are two key supplements I began taking earlier this Fall that have given my skin life! Biotin is known to play a major role in healthy skin (and hair and nails!). BioCell Collagen contains hydrolyzed collagen essential in the strengthening of skin, hair, nails, and joints. If you prefer collagen powder, I have a super soothing and warming recipe for a creamy collagen chai tea latte here.

Humidifier 

The dip in temperature calls for the heat to be turned on. Oftentimes, this means dry heat from radiators and built-in heaters. Dry heat means dry skin. To combat this, I like to keep my bedroom cool (which allows for a really good night’s sleep too!) and increase moisture in the air via a good grade humidifier. It’s a bit of an investment, but highly worth it in the long run.

Heavier moisturizers 

Throughout the summer I stick to super lightweight water-based moisturizers, but come late fall I make the move towards heavier, creamier, more lush, moisturizers that contain hydrating plant-based ingredients that are nourishing for the skin. Pro tip: apply a serum and then follow with a moisturizer immediately after a shower to lock in that moisture, baby!

Self-love practices

Last but definitely not least, self-love practices. There are four pillars of self-love that I teach — one of them being ‘taking care of your body holistically’. This encompasses physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental daily practices that are authentic to you. A bedtime ritual of relaxation falls into these categories. Creating a little relaxation routine that settles your body down in preparation for a good night's sleep is one of the most valuable pieces of the puzzle. It allows your body to efficiently rest and repair throughout the night — which in turn majorly helps with skin health. A few examples:

• Chamomile, lemon balm and passionflower blend tea
• Journalling
• Light stretching
• Meditating
• Light reading
• Turning off your phone an hour before bedtime

Give these a go and aim for 7-9 hours of beauty sleep! So there it is, loves: my definitive guide to preventing, treating, and soothing dry and dull skin so you look and FEEL amazing on the inside and out. And please, have fun with these little tips and tricks and infuse them with your very own touch. Try using them as loose guidelines that inspire you to be authentically and radiantly YOU as opposed to rigid rules. And most of all, have fun with the process!