Winter’s crisp air may be beautiful, but it often brings a not-so-welcome guest - dry, irritated skin. The combination of cold temperatures, low humidity, and indoor heating can leave your skin feeling tight, flaky, and dull. However, with a holistic approach to skincare, you can keep your skin hydrated, nourished, and glowing all winter long.
Let’s explore some dry skin remedies, DIY skincare recipes, and essential oil blends to help you embrace radiant winter skin.
UNDERSTANDING WINTER SKIN CHALLENGES
Winter weather can strip your skin of its natural oils, leading to:
Dehydration: Low humidity and dry indoor air draw moisture out of the skin.
Barrier Damage: Harsh winds and temperature shifts weaken your skin's protective layer.
Increased Sensitivity: Dryness often leads to irritation, redness, and itchiness.
By addressing these challenges with natural solutions, you can protect and restore your skin during the colder months.
HOLISTIC DRY SKIN REMEDIES
Stay Hydrated from Within: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain hydration. Incorporate hydrating foods like cucumbers, oranges, and leafy greens. Drinking herbal teas, such as chamomile or green tea, can also provide hydration while soothing your skin from the inside out.
Humidify Your Home: Combat dry indoor air by using a humidifier to maintain optimal moisture levels. For an extra boost, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your humidifier to create your desired mood and atmosphere.
Choose Gentle Skincare Products: Avoid harsh soaps or alcohol-based products that strip the skin. Opt for natural, plant-based cleansers and moisturizers enriched with hydrating ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera, and jojoba oil. As a bonus tip, avoid products containing the word “fragrance” – that one word can be hiding over 1,100 chemicals.
DIY SKINCARE RECIPES
Hydrating Honey & Oatmeal Face Mask
This mask soothes and hydrates dry, irritated skin while restoring your natural glow.
Ingredients:
2 tbls oatmeal (finely ground)
1 tbls raw honey
1-2 drops Geranium or Frankincense essential oil
Instructions: Mix all ingredients into a paste. Apply to your face and leave for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.
Rejuvenating Body Butter
Nourish your skin from head to toe with this ultra-hydrating body butter.
Ingredients:
½ c shea butter
¼ c coconut oil
1 tbls jojoba or almond oil
5 drops each: Lavender & Peppermint essential oil
Instructions: Melt the shea butter and coconut oil together, then let cool slightly. Stir in the jojoba oil and essential oils. Whip the mixture with a hand mixer until fluffy, then store in a glass jar. Apply generously to dry areas like elbows, knees, and hands.
Lip Scrub
Enjoy soft, smooth lips, keeping chapped lips at bay with this gentle exfoliating scrub.
Ingredients:
1 tbls sugar (preferably fine granules)
1 tsp honey
1 tsp coconut oil
1 drop Wild Orange essential oil
Instructions: Mix ingredients until well combined. Gently massage onto your lips in circular motions, then rinse off and apply a nourishing lip balm – my personal fav is highlighted below.😉
ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS FOR WINTER SKIN
Deep Hydration Blend
Add the following to your daily moisturizer for an extra dose of hydration:
Soothing Bath Soak
Relax while hydrating your skin with this luxurious soak:
1 c Epsom salt
½ c baking soda
5 drops Lavender essential oil
3 drops Roman Chamomile essential oil
Add to warm bathwater and soak for 20 minutes.
Protective Skin Barrier Blend
Create a natural balm to shield your skin from harsh winter elements:
¼ c beeswax pellets
¼ c coconut oil
5 drops Tea Tree essential oil (cleansing and protective)
5 drops Myrrh essential oil (nourishing and restorative)
Melt the beeswax and coconut oil, stir in the oils, and pour into a small tin or jar.
LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR WINTER SKIN
Eat Skin-Loving Foods: Include omega-3-rich foods like salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds to keep skin supple. Vitamin E (found in almonds and avocados) also supports healthy skin.
Bundle Up: Protect your skin from harsh winds with gloves, scarves, and hats.
Exfoliate: Gently Use a gentle exfoliator 1-2 times a week to remove dead skin cells and allow better absorption of moisturizers.
GLOW THROUGH WINTER NATURALLY Some of my favorite, ready-made doTERRA products that are excellent at supporting your skin, all the time, but especially in the winter months.
Frankincense Stick + Naio Wood: innovative, easy-to-use stick delivers restorative topical benefits while promoting the look of renewed and revived skin.
Veráge® Moisturizer: The base of my deep hydration blend (recipe above), is a rich combination of essential oils and plant extracts that are designed to hydrate and nourish the skin while reducing appearances of fine lines and wrinkles.
Hydrating Cream: Saturated with emollient-rich ingredients and probiotics, this hydrating cream provides intense hydration and nourishment to the skin, improving skin’s natural health and beauty.
doTERRA Spa Lip Balm (Tropical): Well, it actually comes in three flavors (original, herbal, and the my fav, tropical) and aromas. They contain a formula of CPTG® essential oils, botanicals, and emollients to soothe and hydrate lips while delivering the unique aroma and taste of essential oils. Yum!😋
Hydrating Body Mist with Beautiful Blend: Feel completely rehydrated all over your body! The aromatic benefits of our Beautiful Captivating essential oil blend combine with the nourishing properties of coconut, sunflower, avocado, and passion fruit. This hydrating mist, with the unique 360 degree technology sprayer, will help improve overall appearance of healthy-looking and radiant skin.
Replenishing Body Butter: The base of this natural formula combines shea and cocoa seed butters, known for their deep moisturization and ability to promote skin suppleness. Jojoba seed oil absorbs quickly into the skin and helps keep skin looking hydrated while avocado oil provides essential fatty acids to nourish and soften skin. CPTG® essential oils of Wild Orange, Douglas Fir, and Frankincense turn this indulgent formula into an intensely aromatic spa experience while providing purifying and rejuvenating benefits.
Correct-X®: This multipurpose ointment helps soothe the skin and enhances its natural return to a healthy state after being distressed. It includes Frankincense, Helichrysum, Tea Tree, Cedarwood, and Lavender essential oils known for assisting with soothing skin irritations. Correct-X provides a moisture barrier that protects and hydrates the skin. It’s petroleum- and preservative-free that absorbs quickly and is gentle and nonirritating, making it ideal for sensitive skin.
Winter may be tough on your skin, but with these holistic hacks, you can nourish and protect it from the inside out. From hydrating DIY recipes to powerful essential oil blends, embracing natural solutions will leave your skin radiant all season long.
xoDanette