59th & Lex: TOP 10 :: COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL GUIDE

January 26, 2013

TOP 10 :: COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL GUIDE

Those of you in the New York area will know that the weather has taken a sharp turn for the colder and the temperature now almost (!!!) resembles the lows I had to deal with back home over Christmas. My skin and hair have been suffering the most in the past few days, so I’ve decided to put together a sort of a “Cold Weather Survival Guide” for those of you feeling the freeze as well.

Clockwise from left: Organix Penetrating Moroccan Argan Oil in Extra, Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque, Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, Eucerin Intensive Repair Hand Cream, Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream, Aveeno Active Naturals Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion, Realemon Lemon Juice, Free People Faux Fur Beanie, Trina Turk Royal Cloche Hat

It’s important to remember the following:

1. Avoid taking long hot showers (although I'm sure you’re tempted to) as the heat strips moisture from your skin.

2. Moisturize head to toe EVERY time you take a shower. I have found that the Aveeno Skin Relief lotion does a pretty good job at keeping my skin itch free.

3. Use extra moisturizing face cream day and night, ideally one without any fragrance (scents cause further irritation). My skin happens to be incredibly finicky so I use Vanicream which is one of those “free of everything” creams my dermatologist recommended. So far it has kept my skin soft and moisturized, even when the temperatures dropped to the low teens.

4. Apply eye cream every morning to avoid your make up settling into fine under eye lines making you look 10 years older. My eye cream is Clinique.

5. Apply foundation or tinted moisturizer to act as a barrier against the wind and cold. It will also keep you from looking like Snow White with a red nose. I love the Sonia Kashuk Radiant tinted moisturizer but a full-blown foundation might serve you better in this weather.

6. Take care of your hands! I abuse mine constantly and have to fight off little cracks around my nails on a daily basis. I have found that using a cuticle oil nightly keeps my nails in check and as for the rest of my hands, I apply and reapply Eucerin’s Intensive Repair hand cream every time I wash my hands and generally throughout the day.

7. Apply foot cream at bedtime, put on some cotton socks and have a long snooze. I think it’s almost impossible to fall asleep wearing socks in the summer so I’m happy to jump at the chance to give my feet some deep moisturizing action during the colder months.

8. Don’t forget to show your hair some love. I have found that my hair is especially dry in the winter so this time around I invested in the Macadamia Natural Oil deep repair masque to keep my hair manageable and under control. For an extra shot of oomph (and because I refuse to give up my blow dryer) I add some Organix Penetrating Moroccan Argan Oil in Extra strength to my ends before applying heat.

9. Wear a hat when you venture outside, it makes a massive difference to your level of warmth! After years of fighting this, I’ve had to admit defeat and start wearing one myself. There are lots of varieties out there, mine is a faux fur Cossack hat that covers my ears but a beanie or a bright cloche could do the trick as well.

10. Drink lots and lots of water (I know, Shocking!). I think it’s harder to have large quantities of cold water when the weather is chilly, so I stick to hot water with a tablespoon of pure lemon juice. It’s supposed to be a naturally detoxing, plus the extra vitamin C can’t hurt when everyone around me is getting the flu.