During the winter months our skin needs a little more TLC. Constantly going from heated indoor settings to chilly outdoor air can start to take a toll on skin, making it dull, lackluster and downright uncomfortable. This is where body oil comes in very handy.
Unlike lotion, oils do not contain any fillers, making it easier for the skin to fully absorb all of its beneficial nutrients.
Read on to see why body oil is about to become your winter beauty hero:
1. Slather it on before and after you bathe.
For extra velvety skin, slather yourself with body oil before you bathe. Oiling up before will protect skin from those hotter showers we all tend to take during the colder months. Be sure to re-apply the same oil as soon as you get out of the shower (while skin is still nice and damp) for best results. Choose a comforting scent like vanilla or vanilla chai to use during the cozy winter season.
2. Massage it into your scalp.
On dry, dirty hair, massage in a tablespoon of body oil to your scalp. Continue working the oil all the way down to the ends of hair. Once you’re finished, pull hair up into a loose top knot and cover with a shower cap. Shampoo and condition as usual the next morning to reveal shiny hair and a healthy, flake-free scalp. Try a body oil with unrefined jojoba oil and non-gmo vitamin e for mega-nourishment.
3. Use it as a silky bath soak.
Body oil is a more nourishing replacement for bubble bath. Light some candles, draw a warm bath and pour in some oil. A bath is a time to have complete calm and serenity, so try one with mood-soothing lavender.
4. Get creative with it.
Mix 1 cup Himalayan pink salt with a 1/2 cup of your favorite body oil. Gently massage the mixture onto dry skin (avoiding the face) and rinse off in the shower. Apply body oil just after toweling off and leave on. Your skin will be absolutely gorgeous and GLOWING. Airy scents like jasmine sambac, will make you feel as if you are at the spa getting an expensive treatment.
5. Deep condition your hands.
Generously work into dry hands, paying special attention to cuticles and areas between fingers. Apply a pair of cotton gloves to lock in all of the oil. Leave them on overnight and let the oil do its magic.
As an “ingredient-conscious” esthetician and skincare maker, I highly encourage choosing a body oil that contains “cold-pressed” and/or “unrefined” oils. Why you ask? The less processed the oil is, the more nutrients and antioxidants your skin will absorb. Also, try to avoid oils with synthetic fragrance and instead opt for those that contain organic essential oils.
Below are a few of my favorite all-natural ones:
1. John Masters Organics, 100% argan oil
2. Oak & Ashland, floral-infused body oil
3. Laurel Whole Plant Organics, body oil
What do you use to combat winter skin?
Images via Monica Outcalt
2 comments
I’ve never had any good experiences with body oil. For me, it doesn’t sink in at all and makes my skin extra dry! (since it doesn’t absorb into my skin, and just rubs off onto my clothes). I’ve even tried all natural body oils like jojoba but it doesn’t have the effect it has on some other people. I would test it out first in a small area to see if it actually does anything before applying it to the rest of your body (I learnt the hard way after getting a terrible rash from using body oil that never soaked into my skin, making my skin terribly dry and itchy after a few days). I’ll just be sticking with body creams for the winter!
I’m just starting to get into body oils/hair oils they’re so nourishing and multi-purpose
– Natalie
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