In Summer our skin looks great but in Winter it feels dry, uncomfortably, and itchy. Here’s 10 tips to help you have healthy skin all Winter long.

1. Drink lots of water
Don’t let you skin go thirsty, hydrate it by drinking lots of water. Try carrying a metal bottle (BPA free) with you at all times. Drinking herbal teas are also great, especially when it’s really cold outside.

2. Use a humidifier
Put moisture back into the air with a humidifier which will help your skin remain supple instead of cracked and dry. Look for a cold mist humidifier and fill it with distilled water, as this will help reduce bacteria from forming.

3. Exfoliate face and body
Don’t forget to exfoliate your face and body at least once a week. Scrubs help to remove old dry skin cells and allow the body to breath and better absorb moisture.

4. Use an oil based moisturizer
This will help nourish your skin and protect it from moisture loss. I like using an oil serum at night, in particular Argan oil since it it light, very moisturizing and great for all skin types including oily and acne prone skin.

5. Wear sunscreen
Remember to wear sunscreen all year round as it will protect your skin from aging. UVA rays are strong from summer to winter, but UV rays are actually more intense in the winter due to the glare from the snow. Protect your skin from the elements by applying an SPF-30 every morning.

6. Wear gloves
Don’t expose your hands to the cold. Wear a good quality pair of gloves that doesn’t irritate the skin to keep your hands dry and warm.

7. Eat flaxseed oil
Flaxseed oil can is great to moisturize your body from the inside. It’s rich in fatty acids and can do a lot for your overall health. I like adding it to my morning smoothies – yum!

8. Take an oil bath
Add a little jojoba oil or sweet almond to your bath water to nourish you skin. You can also add some dry milk powder with a few drops of essential oils as an alternative.

9. Lower the blow dryer setting
Hot air dries out your scalp and can irritate your skin. Lower the setting on your blow dryer and hot iron or try the tousled wavy style for the winter.

10. Don’t lick your lips
Saliva is acidic and will dry out and chap your lips. Remember to keep an organic lip balm in your pocket or purse and apply it regularly. Use only lip products that don’t contain petrolatum (petroleum jelly) or other petroleum based ingredients as these nasty chemicals will actually dry your lips even more! Learn how to make organic lip balm at home with only a few ingredients.

Have a happy, safe, and hydrated Winter season!

Tweet This

Many conventional beauty products contain dozens of toxic chemicals. Lip Balms often have petroleum-based ingredients such as Petrolatum, also known as petroleum jelly. It has no nutrient value for the skin and can interfere with the body’s own natural moisturizing mechanism, leading to dryness and chapping. It often creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate. Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap.

This DIY organic lip balm is free of any toxic ingredients or preservatives, is very inexpensive to make, and keeps your lips well moisturized.

Ingredients
2 oz Beeswax
1 oz Organic Coconut Oil (or Olive Oil)
5-10 drop Essential Oil (ex: Peppermint)

Directions
Grate beeswax into a large Pyrex cup and add coconut oil. Fill a large pot with a small amount of water and heat at medium/low. Place Pyrex cup into water and stir to melt fully. Carefully remove cup from water and let cool a minute. Poor into a small glass container and add essential oil and stir. Let cool for an hour or so.

Tweet This

This is a new series of videos where I answer your beauty related questions submitted on my website, Twitter, and YouTube. If you have a question you would like answered, leave a comment below!

Question: What is the right amount of exfoliation per week?
Answer: At least once a week, if you have a thicker skin you can exfoliate twice per week.

Question: What type of mask would you recommend for a normal skin type?
Answer: I would recommend a gel hydration mask, or a cream mask if you want more hydration.

Question: Is it bad to wash your face with bar soap?
Answer: Bar soap strips your skin of its natural oils, an may cause breakouts and premature aging. Try to use an organic cleanser – which is balanced to cleanse your skin with out damaging it.

Question: What is your skin care routine?
Answer: Cleanse and moisturize your skin day/night, scrub and apply a mask at least once per week at night.

Question: Will tanning cure acne?
Answer: No, sun exposure and tanning is only a temporary fix as it hides the redness. In the long term, it will dry out your skin which will lead to premature aging and skin cancer.

Question: Will shaving/waxing cause hair to be darker/thicker?
Answer: No, however, hair will become darker and thicker with age.

Question: Is a higher SPF rating better?
Answer: Not necessarily, the most important factor is which regards to how much it protects you against UVB and UVA rays. A higher SPF may only give you an extra 20 minutes in the sun. Remember to re-apply sunscreen every hour.

Question: Is acne caused by poor hygiene?
Answer: No, acne is caused by genetics, environmental stress, and hormones. However, maintaining a skin care routine can help reduce the severity of acne.

Tweet This

Golden Moor is line of skin care products made of out natural mud. The mud they use is extracted from a Canadian bog which has high levels of humic acids, vitamins, minerals and natural antibiotics that prevents many diseases and ailments, and provides a general feeling of well-being.

The Golden Moor source is one of the rarest of the world that has not been tampered by men or contaminated by modern day pollution. Furthermore it is preserved by Canadian government laws.

I’ve used Golden Moor products for several years, both the mud bath soaks and the facial masks – and I absolutely love they them!

Mud Bath Soak
Helps to hydrate and soften dry skin, relaxes tense muscle, and relieves body pains and stress. The soak will not stain your tub, jacuzzi or towels. This is great after a good workout.

Natural Mud Mask
This is one of my little beauty secrets! It detoxifies and purifies the skin, removes excess oils and clarifies impure properties. It also helps heal acne-prone skin, tones and reduces signs of aging. I recommend using this after a facial scrub.

Body Polish Scrubs
Made with a blend of mud, hemp, essential oils, and pure pumice, these scrubs exfoliate and hydrate without leaving your skin oily.

Tweet This

Congratulations to hayleeHAZEL for winning the Miessence organic perfume! Thanks to Linda from GrandStrandOrganics.com for sponsoring the contest – I invite everyone to visit her website out for other great organic Miessence beauty products!

Thanks to everyone for participating! xx

Tweet This

Pomega5 is a line of therapeutic skin care and nutritional supplements made with organic, biodynamic, cold-pressed pomegranate seed oil. Pomega5 products are all-natural, preservative-free, dermatologist tested and contain no synthetics or fillers.

Pomegranate fruit is rich in many powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins. Pomegranate seed oil also stimulates the production of collagen and helps to prevent the signs of aging.

Pomegranate Cleansing Bar
An olive oil-based, all-natural facial cleanser that gently exfoliates, nourishes and calms the skin. This is a great cleanser that you can use on your face and body and won’t strip your skin like soap.

Revitalizing Treatment for Skin
Ampoules made with organic pomegranate seed oil, calendula oil and rosehip oil to restore nourishment to skin. I found the treatment soothing and very hydrating. This is would be particularly ideal for dry or mature skin types, it absorbs readily into skin, leaving it supple and nourished. I use this in the evening after cleansing, 2-3 times per week.

Healing Cream
An all-natural moisturizer made with pomegranate seed oil to restore suppleness and moisture to dry or damaged skin. As with the Revitalizing Treatment, I’ve also added the Healing Cream to my beauty routine. It has really helped to reduce redness, repair and renes cells, and re-balance my skin.

Tweet This

Enter to win organic perfume from Miessence! A winner will be chosen at random, and get to choose the scent they want. Good luck! xo

Contest Ends: December 1st, 2009

Contest Prize:

• Miessence Organic Perfume (scent of their choice)

To enter:

1. Become a fan of my Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/glamology
2. Or leave a comment here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd5Eci3Q3Ug

Tweet This

Congratulations to Nikki Sherritt for winning the grand prize of Afterglow organic makeup! Also as a bonus schail, PinkLemonade1116, and samanthaajeann will be receiving yummy organic lip care products.

Thanks to everyone for participating, I promise more giveaways and more prizes soon!! xx

Tweet This

Argan oil is rich in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids, it’s fast absorbing and lightweight. Honey and yogurt are also great (and cheap) ingredients to use in any DIY beauty treatment for hydrating and nourishing the skin.

The plant sterols active in argan oil have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which make it safe for all skin types and can naturally treat acne, eczema and other skin conditions.

This is a DIY beauty mask to add hydration to your skin, neutralize free radicals responsible for aging, and minimize the appearance of fine lines by boosting collagen and elastin.

Ingredients
1 tsp organic honey (draws and retains moisture)
1 tbsp organic yogurt (skin-nourishing natural fats and lactic acids)
1-5 drops argan oil (rich in Vitamin E, anti-age, reduce inflammation)

Directions
Microwave honey for 10 seconds in a microwave. Mix honey, yogurt, and argan oil in a small bowl. Apply to face, leave on 15 mins and remove with a warm towel.

Tweet This

Jurlique Skin Care is a great organic and natural skin care line and they also have several wellness day spas. I was invited to their spa on Madison Ave in New York to experience their signature aroma therapeutic facial. If you have a chance to visit one of their day spas; I highly recommend them and if you’re in NYC, ask to book with Elizabeth – she is fantastic!

The products that are used during treatments are all available for purchase for home applications. These were some favorite products used during my facial:

Daily Exfoliating Cream
A daily non-granular exfoliating cream, rich in oats, almonds and honey to loosen and lift away dead skin cells. Leaves the skin deeply cleansed, smooth and radiant.

Balancing Cleansing Lotion
A balancing cleansing lotion, rich in the living energy of rosewood and lavender to gently lift away surface impurities. Leaves the skin balanced and hydrated. Ideal for maintaining balance.

Intense Recovery Mask
A hydrating mask, rich in the living energy of herbs and precious plant oils to clarify and revitalize the skin, leaving the skin smooth, glowing and refreshed. Ideal for maintaining balance.A hydrating mask, rich in the living energy of herbs and precious plant oils to clarify and revitalise the skin, leaving the skin smooth, glowing and refreshed. Ideal for maintaining balance.

Balancing Day Care Cream
A light, absorbing moisturising cream infused with the living energy of daisy, chamomile and rose, and precious plant oils to minimise the visible signs of ageing. Leaves the skin with a smooth, healthy-looking glow. Ideal for maintaining balance.

Why are facials important?

Our skin is our largest organ and performs several key functions, such as protecting us from foreign substances and assisting in the release of toxins from our bodies. Facials are deep skin treatments that cleanse, rehydrate, rebalance, rejuvenate the skin.

Professional facials involve a cleansing procedure, massage, steam, and the application of a mask. Cleansing removes the dead, dull outer layer of cells along with pollutants. The massage helps blood circulation, which aids the removal of toxins from the body. Steam softens blackheads and whiteheads so that they can be removed easily. And the face mask tones and clarifies the skin as well as treating conditions such as dry or blemish-prone skin.

It is recommended to book a professional facial at least 4 times a year, as the seasons change. Estheticians are trained specifically to help identify your unique skin type and help treat and improve skin conditions.

Tweet This