winter skin care: beauty

over the past two weeks, we’ve talked about caring for your face and your body in the winter. now it’s time to talk about beauty – i promise this is the last one. when you are talking about every day makeup, i think it should be quick. some people say 5 minutes, i say 3. i don’t like to take too much time on makeup every day, so i’ve gotten myself down to a few key steps that ensure i still look polished and put together for the office.
when it comes to winter makeup, i want to make sure i get a dewy look with rosy cheeks to look invigorated, awake and basically ready to conquer the world – but fast.

here are my picks and tips to get on with it in the morning.

winter skin care: beauty

1. murad bb cream. i’ve tried a few and i love this because it has a little extra something to give you a dewy foundation. i’ve certainly been known to skip step 2 and go out of the house in just this but in the winter….

2. it’s good to have extra moisturizer, so i gravitate towards a tinted one, like this from smashbox. always opt for spf – even in the winter the sun can damage your skin.

3. a flushed cheek is perfect year long, but i particularly like it in the winter. i love when i go outside and come back in my cheeks have a rosy glow from the cold. i love the contrast on paler, winter skin. i love this cream blush from nyx in red – yes red. highly recommend it ladies, but you only need a little – I REPEAT A LITTLE – otherwise you will just look like a streetwalker.

4. finally, a quick swipe of mascara on the top and bottom. whatever you like, i just happen to like shocking from YSL. i go for black for a little more drama.

winter skin: body

last week, we talked about caring for your gorgeous face in the winter. today, we talk about caring for the rest of your body’s skin in this frigid season.

i always get little patches of dry skin in the winter. i am not one for really paying attention to moisturizing anything below my face, though i know i should. that said, i wanted to give you guys a quick and easy way to take care of everything else, especially if you are a little lax like me with this one.

winter skin care: body
1. get an exfoliating body mitt and exfoliate before the shower. yes, before. it’s called dry brushing. it has incredible effects, like stimulating your circulation, and has even been associated with reducing the look of cellulite. it also exfoliates your skin quickly (be careful around sensitive areas – you know what i mean). this is one of those things that i do every day when i get into a routine. if it irritates your skin, brush more gently and don’t do it every day. use your head 🙂
2. then you get in the shower and exfoliate with a body scrub containing coffee. it exfoliates, it energizes, it smells yummy. this is really great in the morning when you are feeling a little sluggish (exfoliation in general will help wake you up!). you really can use any exfoliating scrub, whatever you prefer, and you don’t even have to use it every day! be sure to not irritate your skin – you’ve been warned, don’t blame me.
3. finally, body oil. i love josie maran’s argan oil because it’s great for your body and hair. whatever you use, be sure to moisturize (i also love no name brand cocoa butter – whatever you have or love). this locks in everything and helps your skin regenerate after getting rid of the dead and dry skin.

winter skin: face

it’s cold. that means winter skin is a comin’. which means we need to discuss this and prepare – immediately!

so here’s the deal. winter dries your skin out, regardless of skin type, from the cold air outside and the heated air inside. to achieve perfect skin in this climate, you’ll need to exfoliate so as to remove this dry, dead skin, and hydrate, to stimulate the blood cells and oxygen and all that stuff.

here are my picks to keep your skin looking radiant all winter long:

winter skin care

1. clarisonic. it’s worth the investment – nothing will clean your pores and exfoliate better than this bad boy.

2. face lotion with oxygen. it helps stimulate blood, oxygen, collagen, and so on. the extra boost is hydrating and gives you a little boost of energy.

3. unpetroleum jelly. so, it’s like vaseline and won’t clog your pores. i have sensitive skin that is prone to blemishes, and this stuff does not bother me. you might not want to sleep with this on, since it could get on your pillow case. but, i will tell you right now, i have slept with this on, my pillowcases are fine and my skin is AMAZING after. you could also walk around the house for a bit and then rinse it off. it is shiny so it’s not a cute look when you are going to bed with a significant other.

4. finally, a humidifier. the heat in your house will dry out your skin (consider that, too, before taking steamy hot showers!). keep a humidifier on your side of the bed to have radiant skin in the morning. bonus? add some lavendar essence for a calming and relaxing effect.

winter skin care by herlongwayhome