by Angela Pohlman, General Merchandise Category Manager
Winter, coupled with frequent handwashing to keep viruses at bay, is brutal on our skin. With all that, you’re looking at some scaly patties. For me, I often have cracked and bleeding skin and itchy rashes on my hands. Working with bodycare products for over 17 years has given me a few hot tips on dealing with this seasonal issue.
Exfoliation
My favorite way to combat gator skin is exfoliation. There are plenty of awesome premade products out there that you can use such as Lusa’s sugar scrubs which are super yummy smelling scrubs that are never too greasy. You can also make a quick version that is my go-to: 2 parts sugar, 1 part oil. You could literally just take a teaspoon and scoop it into your hand—no bowl needed! I suggest using coconut oil. It’s easy to measure out and is nice and moisturizing. Smells great as is. Try half a teaspoon coconut oil, 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix them together in your hands and scrub all over like you are washing them. Give your rough lips a rub too. Keep those puckers soft! Rinse (or lick) the sugar off, you can then continue to work the oil into your hands. You can get fancy and add essential oils to create an aromatherapy experience if you want. I like to make a big mason jar of this to keep in the shower to work off all the scaly bits.
Static hair
I also suffer from static-y and fragile hair in the winter months. I love to take an oil (could be coconut, olive oil, argan oil, anything you have really), saturate my hair and then put it up in a shower cap. Let it sit for a minimum of an hour, ideally overnight. Then put shampoo directly onto your head without getting it wet and start working in a lather—that way you get more of the excess oil off your noggin. It may take a double shampoo session to get it all out, and then condition as normal. My hair is super shiny and silky after this treatment.
Moisturize after every shower or bath. It really seems to make a difference, especially if, like me, you have itchy legs after a shower. So make sure to get in the habit of rubbing yourself with lotion after getting the hose.
Moisturizer
You don’t have to limit your moisturizer to lotions. If you haven’t guessed, I am a big fan of just using oils on my skin. Shea butter is awesome to use all over your body. It is solid at room temperature and a little goes a long way. Liquid oils are nice too; just be careful if you are applying it in the shower—a few drips on the floor and whoops!
My feet can get pretty gnarly. Before bed, I like to use a thick lotion or balm (Booda Butter is pretty great for this), generously coat my feet and put some thick socks on. Careful it’s not your $300 cashmere socks—the oil can stain. Come morning, prepare yourself for super soft feet.
Hair, skin, and nails supplements
Making sure your body is getting good nutrients to support those tissues helps your skin feel better from the inside out. I’m a big fan of Biosil, and Country Life makes some awesome formulas. Doesn’t hurt that it could help with hair and nail growth!
Of course, don’t forget the importance of drinking water. Essential for good health, period!