I don’t know what’s going on this winter, but I have never been SO dry. I’m not usually prone to dry skin, but this winter has me all out of sorts. My skin was dry and itchy. My mouth was parched. My lips were dry and peeling. My nose was dry and hurting. When I explain how I felt to others, I compared myself to SpongeBob that time he was stuck in Sandy’s house without water. Anyway, it was beginning to get to me. I was having a hard time teaching, having serious issues speaking with a dry mouth and becoming hoarse. I was drinking water, water, and more water, but that alone just wasn’t helping. So, I did a little research and it turns out the heat in my home was literally sucking the moisture right out of the air… and me. With just one week of trying out these new things, I am finally back to my old self!
1. Find a Cool-Mist Humidifier that Works for You: I plugged in my humidifier and it let it run through the night. It helped a little, but I was still on the struggle bus. Not that my house is big, but that one little humidifier wasn’t putting enough moisture into the air to fix everything. So, I got another one. And another mini one for my desk at school. SO much better. I leave them on any time I’m home. I also refill and turn them on for bedtime too. The new one I purchased has wi-fi capabilities. It has an app and is Amazon Alexa compatible! So, I can control it remotely or tell Alexa to turn it on/off or change the mist.
– Regular Cool Mist Humidifier
– Cool Mist Humidifier w/ Wi-fi
– Mini Desk Humidifier
After a few days of 2 humidifiers running in my house and one by my desk at school, I saw a major improvement. What I didn’t realize is that a cool mist humidifier is actually good for your hair too! Erin explained to me that your hair dries out and loses moisture just like your skin and sinuses. You hair, skin, and nails are all connected and all have about the same pH level, so if one is affected by dryness, the others are affected too. A humidifier helps restore moisture wherever it’s compromised.
2. Get a Nourishing Lotion: You need more than just a basic moisturizer this time of year. You need something that is going to nourish your skin and keep the moisture locked in. I have two go-to lotions that fit this description and I use them interchangeably. The first one is from Tarte and is a body butter called Cake Butter. Every time I have it on, people are like, “What smells so amazing?” *Slowly raises hand* IT’S ME! It’s super nourishing and doesn’t feel sticky under clothes. Did I mention it smells amazing?! I stocked up on Black Friday because I use it daily and can’t stand when I run out. (I also carry the Cake Butter hand lotion in my purse).
The other lotion I love is Hempz. I used a ton of the seasonal Pumpkin Spice scent in the fall so my mom got me the Vanilla Plum for Christmas. It’s a lighter weight lotion that is really moisturizing. It immediately soothes my dry skin and is also said to be good for wrinkles!
No matter which one you use, the key is using it every day. I can get lazy and not apply every day. Since my skin was so dry, I made it a point to moisturize my skin daily and it’s made a world of a difference. Ideally, you should apply right after your shower to lock in moisture.
3. Purchase a Lip Mask: My favorite lip mask can be used as a balm or a mask. I have one on my nightstand and apply it heavily before bed. I also carry one in my purse and have one in my desk drawer at work so that I can apply a light layer throughout the day as a balm. It keeps my lips moisturized (and therefore, looking supple & plump, instead of parched!) and stops me from picking and peeling them. My favorite is the new vanilla, but the original berry is also great!
The Bite Lip Mask is also really good. I’ve used it too!
4. Drink, drink, drink: I fill up my 30oz Yeti every morning with ice water and start drinking early (this also gets your metabolism going)! I also fill it up at work about 3-4 times throughout the day– and then a few more times during my workout and in the evening. I make myself drink more water than I actually want because I know it’s hydrating my body from the inside out.
Personally, I love ice cold water, so my Yeti keeping the water cold is a big part of me wanting to drink it. The fact that the ice will stay for 24 hours is amazing to me.
5. Use a Saline Nasal Mist: My mom and dad swear by this, so my mom forced some upon me. I’ve been using it every day, usually 1-3 time per day. It moistens the nasal passages and helps tremendously with dry or congested sinuses. You can find it pretty much anywhere– Wal-Mart, Target, or the dollar store.
6: Invest in a Quality Moisturizer for Your Face: Drunk Elephant is a pricy brand, but I fell in love with their products back when I started using this weekly face mask. This moisture-locking serum definitely quenches dry skin and is very soothing after applying my DE peeling face mask. I also use it to lock in other serums by applying it on top of them. On a typical day, I use it after my shower and before I apply make-up and then after I wash my face, right before bed. Having hydrated skin has helped prevent period breakouts and blackheads and also is keeping my skin nourished despite the current dry conditions.
I know that if I’m having these issues as a person who isn’t normally affected by dryness, there’s a good chance others are too! If you do these 6 things, you’ll be back on your way to hydrated! ♡
xo,
Ashley
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