Winter time definitely takes a toll on my skin.
Coming from Hawaii especially where my skin is used to an abnormal amount of moisture in the air, this is a doozy for me.
Getting accustomed to the dryness is very difficult, however I do a few at home remedies to save my poor Hawaiian skin from dying here in the desert oasis.
A major thing for me is to exfoliate. I have to do this almost every other day, but definitely I do it twice a week for my body.
I use a few different types of homemade body scrubs that are gentle but also affective and leave my body feeling more hydrated and softer.
You can mix your own ratio’s to your liking or follow the recipes.
ROSE SCRUB
I use a Himalayan salt and coconut oil scrub most of the time. This is my go to and absolute favorite DIY body scrub. I add rose hips or miniature roses into it just for a little bit of fragrance and added softness.
Ingredients:
1 cup Himalayan salt (fine)
1/2 cup natural oil of your choice: olive, grape seed, coconut, or almond
2 tbsp slightly smashed dried roses
This scrub is absolutely wonderful and so hydrating.I put it on after a shower. Just turn off the water and use the scrub on all the areas that need exfoliating, and let it sit for a few minutes. (please don’t use this or the any scrubs on your eyes, mouth or genitals) Then rinse it off before exiting the shower.
COFFEE SCRUB
Another really great scrub that I use is a sugar coffee scrub. This scrub is actually wonderful to use in the morning and pretty much everyone has these ingredients already at home.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp coffee grounds (new, if possible)
1 tbsp natural oil of your choice: olive, grape seed, coconut, or almond
1 tbsp brown sugar
It wakes your body up with a bit of caffeine and the smell of coffee obviously is amazing in the morning. Coffee scrubs make you feel like you’re ready to start your day. This scrub is not quite as hydrating and it is a bit more abrasive. I would recommend using the coffee scrub only maybe once or twice a month.
ALOE HAIR MASK
Another thing that I use during the winter time to combat dryness is actually for my hair. I make an aloe hair mask that is not only nourishing for your hair but also is supposed to help it grow faster. The castor oil is an alleged hair growth miracle. I don’t actually know if this is true considering my hair grows extremely fast already, but I do know that it makes my hair feel less dry throughout the week.
Sometimes I don’t use the castor oil and use lemon juice instead.
Ingredients:
1 aloe leaf, made into gel
1 tbsp castor oil/lemon juice (add to make preferred consistency)
This hair mask you just put on dry hair, let it sit for about 30 minutes and then rinse. You’ll want to shampoo (mild shampoo) and condition as usual afterward.
You could do this in the shower and put the mask on before you get in or you could even put the mask on your hair while you take a bath and kind of let the heat and moisture from the bath really penetrate through the mask and help it do its job. Then just rinse after your bath.
AVOCADO MASK
My face is probably by far the part of my body that goes through the harshest time during the winter here.
I have to change my cleansers, my moisturizers, and the types of masks so use. I also do a homemade facial mask that I love because it is all natural ingredients and I can kind of make the consistency to my liking.
One of these masks is an avocado face mask.
I’m sure everyone knows the benefits of avocado by now, all of the healthy fats etc.
Ingredients:
1/2 avocado
1/2 banana
1 tbsp olive/coconut oil
Mash the first two ingredients and then add the coconut oil and mix thoroughly. You can use a wooden spoon or a masher or even a food processor if you want to. I make mine in my NutriBullet because it’s super fast and easy to clean.
After you have added all ingredients and the consistency is nice and smooth you can add to your clean face and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse face with warm water or a wet towel to clean. Follow up with your favorite moisturizer.
NO MORE ALLIGATOR SKIN
If you use one or all of these, your skin will surely thank you.
I want to note that I also use commercially bought products as well. These DIY’s alone, however, will give you great results. Clean ingredients always win.
As always, comment below if you try one of these or if you have your own recipe to share. You can also reach me for questions or just to say hi on my Instagram @moto.glam. Don’t be scared to slide into those DM’s!!
