How To Naturally Save Your Skin From the Cold Weather Blues

Autumn is becoming more and more evident around us everyday.  Despite the fact that the weather in Seattle is still nicer now than it was June, it’s definitely beginning to get a bit cooler the leaves are beginning to change and fall, boots, sweaters and scarves are coming out, and our skin and lips are becoming dry and chapped.

I absolutely love fall, but the mess that it makes on my skin and lips is unforgivable.  My skin feels taut and flakes under my makeup (so gross!), and my lips seem to want to peel no matter how much water I drink and lip balm I apply.  It will only get worse as we approach winter, so I’m definitely ready to take some action against the cold weather, and help my skin to naturally heal from the inside out.  Here’s the plan:

• Get plenty of fluids.  I’ll be guzzling water, tea, fresh juice, and soup like it’s my job.  Staying hydrated helps your skin to stay hydrated.  Make sure you’re drinking at LEAST half of your body weight in ounces everyday.  If you weight 120 lbs, make sure to get at least 60 fluid ounces of fluids.  However, this is the minimum.  Up to about 3 liters a day is advisable.
• Add healthy fats.  Avocado, coconut and coconut oil, olives and olive oil, nuts and seeds are excellent sources of good fat.  Especially make sure to get plenty of omega-3′s from sources like flax, chia, or hemp seeds.  Healthy fats help maintain the integrity of your skin cells, allowing them to hold water and remain plump, instead of drying out, flattening, and looking dull.
• Eat lots of fruits and veggies.  Antioxidants and vitamins A and C, which are prominent in fruits and veggies, especially those of darker color, are excellent for the health of your skin.  Added bonus: the fiber from the fruits and veggies will help keep you regular.  Good bowel health is translated to good skin health.
• Take a vitamin D supplement.  The sun isn’t quite as penetrating now that summer has gone, so there’s a good chance that you aren’t getting enough of vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin”.  Vitamin D2 supplements are appropriate for a vegan diet, but can be a bit more difficult to find than the usual D3 supplement, but can usually be found in your local health food store.  Vitamin D3 is derived from lanolin from sheep or fish, or from fish oil, where as vitamin D2 is derived from yeast.
• Work out.  Working out keeps your blood circulating throughout your body, ensuring that your skin has adequate bloodflow to bring it the nutrients and repair that it needs.  Walking, yoga, and rebounding are my workouts of choice for the cooler months.
• Moisturize with natural oils.  Use natural oils to keep your skin lubricated.  I try to stick to the rule that if I wouldn’t put it in my mouth, I won’t put it on my skin.  I’ve been experimenting with the oil cleansing method, since I heard about it from my bloggy friend, Sonnet, and have found the combo of olive and castor oils to treat my skin quite well.  I’m also a huge fan of coconut oil as a body moisturizer, and, sometimes, as a facial moisturizer at night.  However, I do fine coconut oil to be too slippery to use on my face during the day, as it makes my makeup run right off my face.  I usually end up with major raccoon eyes before too long.  Point is, find a natural moisturizer that you love, and use it.
• Dry brush.  I’m a huge fan of dry brushing, or using a dry body brush to exfoliate the skin of the body.  It’s exfoliating, plus it helps move lymph fluid out of the body, helping to detoxify the body, in course improving the skin.  I dry brush prior to every time I shower.
• Don’t turn the shower too hot.  As nice as that hot water feels when the weather is cooler, make sure it isn’t turned up too high.  Hot water is quite drying to the skin.

Moral of the story is: love your skin and it will love you right back.

Do you have any cold weather skin tricks that I missed?

Affirmation of the Day: My skin is clear and bright.

<3 Lindsay