No one has to tell you to moisturize to make your skin feel better in winter. You can figure that out by yourself from the way your skin looks and feels.
But there are a few ways to weave in winter-proofing your skin more effectively.
The first approach might surprise you: Cotton pajamas.
Now, some of you might like flannel pajamas when it's chilly out and for those of you not hot flashing, I say go for it.
But flannel sheets? Ugh! Unless you sleep stick straight, it is very hard to switch positions.
But I digress. Cotton pjs are ideal put on after you've showered or bathed — and preferably moisturized while you were at it: I've been showering with Olay Total Effects body wash because it exfoliates (very important especially in winter if you want lotion to penetrate) and moisturizes, and Yardley bar soap in the bath.
Then, slather yourself with your moisturizer of choice, and slip into the breathable cotton pjs (I'm a fan of Victoria's Secret Mayfair collection — they're affordable, come in fun prints that they are always changing, and have pockets!). Cotton pjs also help keep the lotions on your skin and hand help it penetrate.
I'm a big fan of Body Shop Body Butters, as I've said, because you can feel them stay on your skin. My friend Ildi loves the chocolate, but it makes me hungry. Although it's a great Valentines gift — men love it I'm told.
I tend to opt for peppy scents like orange or ginger so I can get a little reading in before falling asleep. I also love the super emollient Cindy Joseph's all-natural BOOMSilk and Mamma Glow products (which I have covered here but can't find).
Don't forget the feet because they can get especially dry. Some people like wearing cotton socks over the cream but it drives me crazy to sleep in socks. Which is why cotton sheets are so important. I just got a 400-thread count set from Elegant Linen I can't wait to try.
Hands too are important to moisturize because cuticles can get so dry that they can actually hurt:
For inside moisturizing, I like beauty expert Mary Schook's WINTER SKIN CHECKLIST. (Why is drinking so much water so hard?!)
But I had to ask her about "Eat a tablespoon of coconut butter a day ..."
I have heard of coconut oil, not coconut butter. What's the difference? (I also told her I'd never seen any results with coconut oil, but I meant for weight loss).
The list is really really long as to the benefits of coconut oil," She said. "I have witnessed people losing weight from eating just a tablespoon of it a day. The skin looks amazing with it too. You have pretty creamy skin if I recall, which is why you may not see as big of a difference?"
But why butter I persisted.
The temperature is really the difference — butter becomes a liquid in warm temps, but still has 'meat' in it whereas the oil is just purely oil. We use fractionated coconut oil with essential oils like an edible lemon oil to help cleanse the liver!"
I assumed she meant at M.S. Apothecary which has a bevy of beauty treats. But she cautioned:
One client took it [the coconut butter] too far and did 4 tbsp a day and got sick! I always have to remind people everything in moderation!!"
Except for lots of water. Otherwise I'm not sure you can moisturize too much from the outside. Moist people don't do it enough, which is why you get such dry skin. So start slathering.
More seasonal beauty tips: