I can’t stress enough how imperative it is to protect our skin from all the perils of winter. We’re not just talking the face – the lips and body take quite a beating during this season too.

While everyone’s skin becomes more sensitive regardless of skin type, some people experience different degrees of dehydration and dryness, while others struggle with unexpected blemish breakouts. During the winter months we are contending with a multitude of factors that the skin quite literally has to weather. In addition to the cold, crisp air which dehydrates and strips the skin of the nutrients it needs to protect itself, we are constantly transitioning from the arid, manufactured heat of our homes and offices to the dry, frigid air of the great outdoors. This never-ending revolving door between 2 highly contrasting environments whips our skin into a tizzy. The skin becomes like a yo-yo not able to adapt quickly enough to its ever changing environment. It’s uncertain of what to do first to protect itself, so we need to do a little hand holding and take extra special care of our skin so that it can return the favor.

Back to basics! Drink tons of water!

It may be a bit counterintuitive but we need to drink as much water during the winter as we do all summer long. Our bodies are working overtime to keep us warm during the chilly winter months. This requires us to consume more calories and water. Since our skin comes into direct contact with the elements outside, it gets hit hard. If we don’t drink enough water, the skin is unable to carry out its cellular activities as efficiently. As a result the skin becomes dehydrated. So remember to drink.

Skin care by skin type

There is no one skincare regimen that fits all. That said, it’s important to step up your skin care game in the winter, but be gentle! No matter what your type, skin becomes more sensitive during the cold winter months and needs us to cut it a little slack.

Winter blemish breakouts

If you tend to experience bouts of seasonal breakouts during the winter, chances are, you are using too harsh a regimen for this time of year. In a time when even combination and oily prone skin requires more hydration, you may be exfoliating or using peeling treatments too frequently. This can actually strip skin of the nutrients it needs. Parched, the skin responds by going into overdrive and manufacturing excess oil. This surplus of oil rears its ugly head on the skin’s surface in the form blackheads, whiteheads and other varieties of blemishes. Ease up on these type of harsh treatments. Try exfoliating 1 x per week or give your face a couple weeks off. Make sure that the exfoliator you choose is gentle. I prefer all natural exfoliators like Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish. It utilizes ingredients like rice brand and bamboo to exfoliate, extracts of ginger root and ginseng to balance the skin and green tea, geranium oil and camphor to soothe and refresh. (Can be used as a body scrub too!)  I also eliminate glycolic acid peel treatments and products entirely during the winter. If this sounds too scary, try reducing the number of treatments you use. When overused these types of products produce the very blemishes we initially used them to heal.

You may also want to try a moisturizer geared for more sensitive skin that is a bit richer than what you normally use. I can’t say enough good things about Sapelo Skin Care Rejuvenating Cream. It is an anti-aging wonder that is hyper nourishing, yet simultaneously guards against breakouts. It helps stimulate cell growth providing the building blocks to manufacture new collagen, elastin and keratin cells. Alternatively you can try adding 4-5 drops of  face oil to your favorite moisturizer to give it a boost. Cosmetics 27 Huile 27 is an all natural elixir packed with nutrients that boosts the skin ability to repair, moisturize and protect itself. This French multitasker can be used on the lips, hair and cuticles as well.

Chapped face syndrome

Even if your face doesn’t qualify as chapped, like mine does during the winter, you probably want to opt for a richer moisturizer, add a nourishing, water based serum and boost your moisturizer with 3 – 5 drops of face oil. This is by no means taking things too far. If you’re still feeling dry, you may want to try cleansing your face at night only. If you are washing off the remains of the day at night, a bit of warm water followed by a gentle toner is enough in the morning. For those of us with dry skin, even the gentlest cleansers can be extremely drying.

While some of these practices may sound counterintuitive and perhaps even a little scary, dare yourself to conduct an experiment. Giving your skin a break may be just the thing it needs to rebalance itself and keep you looking healthy and beautiful all winter long.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter: @AlyssaBarrie

My skin & body care product obsession started at a young age. By middle school I was doing my own independent reading about – and purchasing of – beauty products. One of the first products I fell in love with was St. Ives Apricot Face Scrub. This product has achieved cult status over the years, and for good reason – it left skin super-soft and glowing. I was thus distraught a few years later when one of the big beauty books said that my scrub with natural exfoliating particles should be shunned, as these irregular shaped bits can cause tiny tears in the skin. YIKES. Never fear, they said – swap in a scrub with manmade perfectly spherical plastic “microbeads”! No more mini-tears; totally skin safe.

This was all years before the green beauty movement took off, so no one really followed this thinking through to the obvious end…where we find ourselves today. These tiny plastic beads, which have become ubiquitous in thousands of products ranging from body scrubs to toothpaste, do not dissolve and therefore pose a major threat to the environment.

In fact, a recent study reported that more than 8 trillion microbeads enter the country’s aquatic habitats daily. These seemingly innocuous microbeads have contributed to an increase in microplastic polluting the planet’s oceans and lakes, and pose a threat to aquatic life. These little plastic perpetrators have since been banned by public policy. However, if your favorite exfoliators contain these microbeads, you might be reeling over the ramifications on your skin.

What To Use Now? What Works?

I’m proud to say that here at Travel Beauty, we’ve only carried scrubs with natural exfoliating particles. By virtue of them populating our virtual shelves, you know they get our stamp of approval as an all-around excellent and effective product. So if you’re on the search for a plastics-free scrub, look no further. Here is our list of the best of the best.

For Face

Lavido Gentle Exfoliator Peeling Cream: This exfoliator/mask is suitable for even the most sensitive skin. It contains Oyster Shell Powder and Pomegranate Peel Grains to provide a subtle scrubbing action, sloughing away dead cells and buildup. Scrub-a-dub for 20 seconds then leave on skin for another minute et viola! Glowing skin is yours.

For Body

Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish: I find myself writing about and recommending this face & body scrub often. Here’s why: At $18 (for an almost 7 oz) tube, it’s one of the best bargains in beauty. Because it contains fine grains of Rice Bran and Bamboo as well as gentle cleansing (no sulfates!) agents, this polish not only effectively exfoliates, but also works into a luxurious foam as you scrub, so no additional cleaning step is needed. Skin is left totally clean and ready to soak up your skin care products like a sponge. It also has Ginger Root, Ginseng Green Tea, Geranium Oil and Camphor – all benefit skin in different ways and give this polish it’s refreshing and invigorating scent.

Mio Skincare’s Double Buff Dual Action Enzyme Exfoliator: you can easily buff away dull, lackluster skin with Mio’s Double Buff. This non-abrasive scrub is dedicated to revealing brighter, smoother, more even toned skin. In place of harmful buffing fragments, this omega-rich exfoliator utilizes perfectly spherical particles of pumice, lava and bamboo to gently but effectively slough away dead skin cells. Extract of Fig and organic Shea Butter hydrate and moisturize while organic Sweet Almond Oil soothes sensitive skin. The results? Smooth and supple looking skin with renewed clarity and radiance. Not only helping skin to look smoother and more even, its formula is packed with essential nutrients which work to maintain elasticity so skin looks and feels younger, firmer and extra dewy. Use on dry body, pre-shower. Like all Mio Skincare products, Double Buff is free from parabens, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance and colorants, xenoestrogens, PEGs, glycols and phthalates.

Juara Invigorating Coffee Scrub: A much stronger choice of body scrub than the two mentioned above. This invigorating body treatment is made with Indonesian Sumatran Coffee Beans, finely crushed walnut shells and gentle, sulfate-free cleansing agents. This scrub will *wake you up* as it stimulates circulation, exfoliates, cleanses and helps to firm, tone and brighten skin. Coffee has been clinically proven to provide powerful antioxidant and tightening benefits for skin – hence the proliferation of coffee scrubs. Juara’s scrub was one of the first and is still the best in my book. This unique scrub also features Vitamin E-rich Rice Bran Oil, which provides additional hydration and helps maintain skin’s elasticity, leaving skin supple, soft and smooth. Many people have cured their pesky keratosis pilaris with it. A true therapeutic body ritual in a jar.

By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram

It’s getting cold and with the drop in temperature our body, hair and scalp can become dehydrated and more sensitive and unruly than usual. Recently we focussed on winter skin care tips for the visage. It is also important to modify our body care routine to protect ourselves from the cold, crisp elements that we suddenly find ourselves in the midst of.

Proper Shower Protocol

Let’s discuss a proper winter shower regimen. It is necessary to exfoliate the body at least twice a week during the colder months. The cold weather dries out our skin and leaves loads of dry, dead skin cells that need to be sloughed away. I use Mio Skincare Natural Dry Brush. Use it while skin is dry right before hopping into the shower or bath. Start with the bottoms of your feet and brush all the way up your body in clockwise circles. Focus time on your wobbly bits like the thighs, bum and side of the waist. Brush your stomach clockwise and then up your bust. Start at you hands and brush up your arms – make sure to get under your armpits. You want to brush towards your heart, in the direction of lymphatic drainage. Not only does this help with skin cell turnover but it helps your body expel any excess bloat or toxins that it might be holding onto.

Body Scrubs

Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish and Mio Skincare Double Buff Dual Action Enzyme Exfoliator are two great choices for all natural exfoliating body washes. Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish can be used daily and contains fine grains of rice bran and bamboo to gently cleanse and turn over dry, dead skin cells. It also contains ginger root and ginseng extracts to balance the skin. Double Buff can be used 2 – 3 times per week. Massage it into dry skin and then rinse. Both will even out skin tone.

Hair And Scalp

Despite the dozens of articles you’ve read claiming that you should only wash your hair three times a week, it’s just not true. Just like you wash your face (and hopefully your body) each day, you also need to wash the skin on your scalp. You can keep the shampooing concentrated on scrubbing the scalp area but the skin on your scalp gets dry just like the rest of the skin on your body and needs to be exfoliated and cleansed. I have dry, thick, curly hair that I bleach blond, so I use a leave in conditioner all year round, but during the winter all hair types can benefit from using a light leave in treatment. Caretrico After Treatment Enrich Milk contains hyaluronic acid that gives your hair the extra added moisturizing protection it needs to ward off the wind and cold. Apply it after showering just before your styling product. Wait – one extra layer: Make sure to use a moisturizing hair mask at least once a week. Philip Kingsley’s award winning Elasticizer was formulated expressly for Audrey Hepburn. This intensive moisturizing pre-shampoo treatment (hair mask) delivers elasticity, bounce and shine for everyone from fine to thick curly hair – Elasticizer is nothing short of a miracle worker and much needed during the cold winter months.

Aprés Shower

Mio Skincare A Cream Firming Active Body Cream is the Mr. T treatment of body care. I’m embarrassed to say that until I was introduced to Mio Skincare I was not a body care person at all and was extremely skeptical about body firming products. This moisturizer is the perfect texture – not too thick, not too liquidy. It’s powerful combination of moisturizing omegas, powerful antioxidant and vitamins create a soothing shield to combat dryness and the elements as well as boost elasticity. When used in conjunction with regular exercise and mindful eating – it makes a difference.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter: @AlyssaBarrie

My skin & body care product obsession started at a young age. By middle school I was doing my own independent reading about – and purchasing of – beauty products. One of the first products I fell in love with (that I could afford to buy for myself) was St. Ives Apricot Face Scrub. This product has achieved cult status over the years, and for good reason – it left skin super-soft and glowy. I was thus distraught a few years later when one of the big beauty books said that my scrub with natural exfoliating particles should be shunned, as these irregular shaped bits can cause tiny tears in the skin. YIKES. Never fear, they said – swap in a scrub with manmade perfectly spherical plastic “microbeads”! No more mini-tears; totally skin safe.

This was all years before the green beauty movement took off, so no one really followed this thinking through to the obvious end…where we find ourselves today. These tiny plastic beads, which have become ubiquitous in thousands of products ranging from body scrubs to toothpastes, do not dissolve (DUH) and therefore pose a major threat to the environment.

In fact, a recent study reported that more than 8 trillion microbeads enter the country’s aquatic habitats daily. These seemingly innocuous microbeads have contributed to an increase in microplastic polluting the planet’s oceans and lakes, and pose a threat to aquatic life. These little plastic perpetrators have since been banned by public policy. However, if your favorite exfoliators contain these microbeads, you might be reeling over the ramifications on your skin.

What to use now? What works?

I’m proud to say that here at Travel Beauty, we’ve only carried scrubs with natural exfoliating particles. By virtue of them populating our virtual shelves, you know they get our stamp of approval as an all-around excellent and effective product. So if you’re on the search for a plastics-free scrub, look no further. Here is our list of the best of the best.

FOR FACE

Lavido Gentle Exfoliator Peeling Cream: This exfoliator/mask is suitable for even the most sensitive skin. It contains Oyster Shell Powder and Pomegranate Peel Grains to provide a subtle scrubbing action, sloughing away dead cells and buildup. Scrub-a-dub for 20 seconds then leave on skin for another minute et viola! Glowy skin is yours.

FOR BODY

Sasawashi Mesh Body Scrub Towel: If you want to forgo scrubs altogether, or want to boost your scrub with extra exfoliating action, this towel is perfect. Can be used in shower in lieu of a loofah or you can put your favorite scrub on the towel. You can also use it for dry brushing skin, if you find a skin brush too harsh.

Juara Invigorating Coffee Scrub: A much stronger choice of body scrub than the two mentioned above – this is not OK for use on the face! This invigorating body treatment is made with Indonesian Sumatran Coffee Beans, finely crushed walnut shells and gentle, sulfate-free cleansing agents. This scrub will *wake you up* as it stimulates circulation, exfoliates, cleanses and helps to firm, tone and brighten skin. Coffee has been clinically proven to provide powerful antioxidant and tightening benefits for skin – hence the proliferation of coffee scrubs. Juara’s scrub was one of the first and is still the best in my book. This unique scrub also features Vitamin E-rich Rice Bran Oil, which provides additional hydration and helps maintain skin’s elasticity, leaving skin supple, soft and smooth. Many people have cured their pesky keratosis pilaris with it. A true therapeutic body ritual in a jar.

FOR FACE & BODY

Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish: I find myself writing about and recommending this face & body scrub often. Here’s why: At $18 (for an almost 7 oz) tube, it’s one of the best bargains in beauty. Because it contains fine grains of Rice Bran and Bamboo as well as gentle cleansing (no sulfates!) agents, this polish not only effectively exfoliates, but also works into a luxurious foam as you scrub, so no additional cleaning step is needed (just like the Juara scrub!). Skin is left totally clean and ready to soak up your skin care products like a sponge. It also has Ginger Root, Ginseng Green Tea, Geranium Oil and Camphor – all benefit skin in different ways and give this polish it’s refreshing and invigorating scent.

Mio Skincare’s Double Buff Dual Action Enzyme Exfoliator: Another scrub that’s safe for face and body, you can easily buff away dull, lackluster skin with Mio’s Double Buff. This non-abrasive scrub is dedicated to revealing brighter, smoother, more even toned skin. In place of harmful buffing fragments, this omega-rich exfoliator utilizes perfectly spherical particles of pumice, lava and bamboo to gently but effectively slough away dead skin cells. Extract of fig and organic shea butter hydrate and moisturize whilst organic sweet almond oil can soothe sensitive skin. The results? Smooth and supple looking skin with renewed clarity and radiance.

Not only helping skin to look smoother and more even, its formula is packed with essential nutrients which work to maintain elasticity so skin looks and feels younger, firmer and extra dewy. Use on a damp face or on a dry body, pre-shower. Like all Mio Skincare products, Double Buff is free from parabens, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance and colorants, xenoestrogens, PEGs, glycols and phthalates.

By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram

I’ve never been a cigarette smoker, and as a working mom with two school-aged kids, I rarely have time for a drink (though the desire pops up frequently). I workout regularly and eat pretty darn healthfully. So totally vice-free am I, I have *no shame* in my coffee-drinking game. If coffee is my one “addiction” in life, so be it. I truly look forward to my Nespresso every. Single. Morning.

For so long, caffeine was seen as little more than an extremely addictive (yet quite useful) drug to be consumed in controlled quantities–a necessary evil without which the world would grind to a grumpy halt.

Then, a few years ago, numerous studies started to surface that declared coffee a life-extending, brain-benefitting wonder food. It was with great pleasure (not to mention vindication), that I read these studies, knowing I was on to something ALL ALONG. And, really, it all made sense: Coffee is an antioxidant rich plant! As long as you’re not drowning it in cream and sugar ( I would NEVER), it should be good for you, no?

Given the beauty industry’s obsession with all things antioxidant, it wasn’t long before caffeine–in the form of black coffee, white tea, green tea, etc.–started popping up as a featured ingredient in all sorts of beauty products. Color me intrigued. I wondered how, exactly, caffeine benefits skin. The same antioxidants that help fight dementia when you ingest coffee also fight signs of premature aging caused by light, pollution and free radicals when slathered onto skin. Caffeine constricts blood vessels, reducing redness (making it an ideal treatment for rosacea and/or flushed skin) and puffiness (hello under eye area!). And–hold onto your venti no whip double pump caramel macchiato–caffeine can even temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. Because caffeine is a diuretic, creams and serums containing it can temporarily minimize the visibility of cellulite by dehydrating fat cells. This shrinks their size, resulting in a tightening  and smoothing effect (less lumps).

Just as drinking a green tea makes you feel bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, using products containing caffeine will leave you *looking* bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, too.

Ready to caffeinate from the outside in? Here are some of my favorite skin and body care picks to give your dermis a rejuvenating java jolt.

Perk Up Your Peepers With These Caffeinated Cosmetics!

Institut Esthederm Lift & Repair Eye Contour Lift Patches – These fast-penetrating (only five minutes!) under eye masks target all eye areas of concern: bags, shadows, wrinkles, swelling and sagging. An intensive eye treatment that deeply restructures and instantly lifts the fragile eye contour area. Dark circles, puffiness, sagging and signs of fatigue are visibly minimized. The caffeine they contain is part of a decongesting complex that activates circulation and breaks down fatty deposits under the eye, whilst hyaluronic acid repairs, hydrates and improves elasticity. The skin around the eye area is instantly moisturized, protected and repaired. Try them at the end of a long flight, or the morning after a long night.

Cosmetics 27 Eyes 27 – This tube’s got coffee and tea! Eyes 27 is incredibly effective at reducing the signs of aging, fatigue and stress that show around the eyes first. Its patented MA2 Complex, a combination of three purified extracts of Centella Asiatica, offers exceptional repairing, regenerating, soothing and antioxidant properties. Black coffee, White Tea Extract and Kombucha cause a draining and detoxifying action. Black Coffee and White Tea Extracts work together to stimulate microcirculation and drain away the toxins and fluids that build-up to create puffiness. Features are relaxed, dark circles and bags significantly reduced and skin’s radiance and youth are restored. Especially soothing after an aesthetic treatment.

Get Your Tummy Taut With…

Mio Skincare Get Waisted Sculpting Body Shaper. Used every day, this 5-star reviewed caffeine-infused body shaper will whittle your waist and tighten your tummy. Formulated with Rhodofiltrat Delessaria™ and pharmaceutical grade caffeine, Get Waisted’s Oat Protein Complex helps to replenish moisture to improve the look and feel of abdominal skin.

Go Green (Tea) With Our Face/Body Combo Favorite

Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish. This scrub can be used on face and body–it’s gentle on body and powerful on face. Unlike many scrubs, no additional soap is needed with it; just polish, rinse and go. Foaming Skin Polish contains fine grains of rice bran and bamboo to exfoliate dead skin cells, while gentle cleansing agents purify and refresh. The rich, foaming texture thoroughly removes excess oils and buildup, allowing skin to immediately look bright, pure and smooth. Ginger root and ginseng extracts balance and tone skin as green tea, camphor and geranium oil calm, nourish and supply antioxidant protection. Skin is left smooth, soft and radiant…and ready to soak up all your skin care treatment products. There is no other product under $20 that will instantly improve your skin like this scrub.

There’s Tea Time For Men, Too…

Alchimie Forever Antioxidant Skin Repair Gel. Alchimie Forever Antioxidant Defense Gel hydrates, protects and soothes your dude’s face to leave it feeling soft, healthy and refreshed. Its invigorating oil-free formula features an antioxidant-rich complex of green tea and tomato extracts to counter premature aging. Soothing rosemary, menthol and turmeric extracts reduce inflammation, while panthenol softens and conditions. Ideal for use as an aftershave to prevent ingrown hairs and in sticky summer months when a cream could be too much.

What’s your favorite caffeinated cosmetic? Share with us!

By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram