Winter Wonder Lotions

Winter is my favourite time of year, my skin, however, is not as enthusiastic about the festive season. Stripped of a lot of moisture, my extremities are forever grateful when treated to various lotions and butters post shower/bath time.

After showers I steer well clear of butters, unless I have time to allow for drying/absorption time. Opting for lotions is definitely the way forward as it becomes less of a nuisance and it’s possible to avoid that horrible gooey feeling as you put your clothes on. The Garnier Body ‘Intensive 7 days’ lotions and gels are great for this purpose. The two I have are ‘Nourishing Shea Butter’ lotion for dry to extra dry skin and ‘Grape’ gel for normal to dry skin. The shea butter smells amazing and the scent lasts for quite some time on the skin, which I adore. It is so moisturising and leaves skin super soft. The grape gel has quite a subtle scent, but I find myself reaching for it most often when I’m in a rush after showering as it really does absorb instantly. This one is probably the more practical of the two when time is a factor.

These are the lotions that I constantly reached for over the summer and are still great to use in winter. That being said, with temperatures dropping below zero and icy winds a regular occurrence, my skin just wants more and Palmer’s ‘Cocoa Butter’ does the job every time. It is so luxurious and comforting to the skin and the smell is delicious. I have purchased this cocoa butter formula time and again. It’s highly hydrating and leaves your skin feeling so soft and looking really healthy with a beautiful sheen. When I’ve some time after my shower I will use this sparingly, but after a bath I love to lather it on. It will also soothe your legs after shaving. I have had this in its solid form in a tub, in the squeezy tube (as in the picture) and with a pump. For some reason, I especially like it in its solid form for using on my legs after shaving. As you warm is up in your hands it turns to almost an oily consistency that is really calming. Love love love this product.

Another rich butter, is the Clinique ‘Deep Comfort Body Butter’. This one is great for those who are sensitive to scents as it doesn't have any particular fragrance and is very delicate and inoffensive. I love to use this body butter after a bath as it has a real calming effect after a tranquil bath and won't overpower the scent your bubble bath has left on your skin. 

Hands possibly suffer the most in this kind of weather as they are exposed all of the time. Dry hands and flaky nails are an unfortunate side effect of the winter months, but I have been using a couple of products that really help to combat this.

One that’s well worth the indulgence is the Clarins ‘Hand and Nail Treatment Cream’. Having quite a thick lotion consistency, it’s a deeply moisturising hand cream. It comes in quite a large tube, but considering I carry what only can be described as a large sack for a hand bag, for me, this it portable. However, for a more traditional ‘travel friendly’ hand cream, the L’Occitane hand creams come in a great little size and there’s usually a pack of two to three different scents available. These are also great gift options for Christmas. This particular one is a zesty lemon and clementine scent, which I received as part of a present last Christmas and has lasted, partly because I have a good few hand creams on rotation, but also because you only need a small amount to get the job done. In comparison to the Clarins hand lotion, the L’Occitane ones are more of a gel consistency. Both work brilliantly when your hands need some comfort due to the cruel elements.

For times when my skin feels exceptionally dry or is suffering with dry patches, whether on my face or body, I will use Elizabeth Arden ‘8 Hour Cream’. This is the most luxurious of all of the moisturisers I have written about. As it gets absorbed by the skin, 8 Hour Creams sill leaves a layer on the top level of your skin, which acts as a barrier. As a result, it is best to use this at night before going to bed since walking around with a shiny face is usually not desirable  As is evident from the picture, my tube is well loved. I have used the large size tube before and now I am working my way through the smaller size. I also highly recommend the 8 Hour lip balm as it works really well on dry and chapped lips. 

These are my tried and tested tips for keeping skin hydrated during the winter months and as I continue to try new products I will update the blog should I find any credible rivals.