My Winter Skin Care Arsenal


Oh my gosh, it was brutally cold here over the past few days, and I hate it! I am counting down the years (single digits now) until Gus retires and we move further south where the temperatures are warm in the winter. No, I will not miss the seasons or the snow!

multiple skin care products sitting on a table - infographic overlay with black lettering that says "My Winter Skin Care Arsenal"

(This post may contain affiliate links which were added to make it easier for you to find the items. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). You are free to use the links or not - if you do, I thank you!)

If you live where the climate is cold in the winter, then you know that cold, dry temperatures bring on a special set of issues for skin. My skin isn't usually dry, but when winter rolls around, I can count on my skin being drier, itchier, and more prone to rough spots and eczema. My hands and cuticles especially dry out in the cold, winter weather.

I've learned to combat all of that by switching out a few of my regular body products for ones that provide a little more moisture during the winter months. One thing I do not like is for my skin/hands to feel greasy, so it's been quite a challenge to find products that I love that will moisturize well but not leave me feeling like a grease pit. If you've read the post about my skin, you know that I am sensitive to fragrance. Luckily, that usually only affects the skin on my face, neck, and occasionally my inner arms. I don't use body products on my face or neck for that reason, and in this post, I will be talking about body products (except for the lip moisturizers).

bottle of L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil

The first thing I switch out when the weather turns cold is my shower gel. My winter go-to for the past few years has been L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil. When I first saw it, I thought "Shower Oil? That sounds greasy!" - but it isn't at all. The consistency, when you first put it in your hand, is like an oil. But when you add a little water and start to rub your hands together, it forms a light lather that is amazing. It's perfect for shaving your legs! I prefer to use mine with a shower pouf because I can use much less to get a better lather. And the scent...I just never want to get out of the shower. It smells so good! After showering, my skin feels so soft that I probably could skip moisturizer, but I don't. Love, love, love this stuff! I usually buy the 8.4 oz. bottle ($25) since I only use it in the winter, but there is also a 16.9 oz. bottle for $50, and I just discovered that the L'Occitane stores (brick & mortar and online) sell a 16.9 oz. refill (in a bag) for $37.50. I will probably buy the refill from now on. There's a couple of weird things about me and this product - it contains shea butter (which is something I usually don't like) and fragrance is listed in the middle of the ingredients - but I love this product and I've never had any issues with it. If you are sensitive to fragrance, it is also available in a 2.5 oz. travel size for $9.50, so you can try it before investing in a larger size.

jar of Tree Hut shea sugar scrub

I use a sugar scrub to exfoliate about once every two weeks during the winter. If I purchase one, I will usually just buy a Tree Hut scrub (about $5) because they have those at my local grocery store. I currently have the Original Shea version. It works well and is moisturizing, but since my skin is sensitive, I have to be careful not to rub too hard because some of the grains of sugar are fairly large and scratch my skin. I also make my own sugar scrub. As a matter of fact, I just made the cutest little owls that are single-use sugar scrubs for my neighbors for Christmas. I'll be posting the details on those soon. And I'm so excited, because I found out that L'Occitane makes an exfoliating product called Almond Exfoliating and Smoothing Delicious Paste, so you know who needs to try that one! ME! It's sold in a 7 oz. jar for $42. UPDATE November 2018: You guys! I just discovered a new (to me) company that has the most wonderful scrubs, etc. It's called Naples Soap Company and I shopped in their store in Destin, Florida. I. Love. Their. Sea Salt Scrub!! I bought the scrub and body butter in the Almond Coconut scent, but they have several more. Honestly, they all smell good!

jar of L'Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate

One of the newest additions to my winter skin care is L'Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Milk Concentrate. (The photo above is not the full-size product, this came in a little trio kit I bought.) This is swoon-worthy, my friends. I received a sample of it from Sephora, and I was hooked. It is pricey - it comes in a 7 oz. jar for $50. But - a little goes a long way, and since my skin is already moisturized from the Almond Shower Oil, I don't feel like I have to slather it on. I want to, because it smells so good and the consistency is like heaven, but there's no need for a lot. At first it seems like it's thick like a cream, but when you start to apply it, you realize that it's really lightweight and smooths so easily over your skin that a little really does go a long way. This will always be on my list of items to buy during Sephora's 20% off VIB Rouge sale. This product also has fragrance pretty high on it's list of ingredients, but so far I haven't had any problems with it.

three tubes of  L'Occitane hand cream

Another new addition to my winter skin care is L'Occitane Almond Delicious Hands. Another swoon-worthy product! I seriously cannot get enough of this almond scent, and my hands have never been so soft! I only wish this came in a larger size, because it comes in a 1 oz. tube ($12), and that just doesn't last very long. It contains both almond milk and almond oil, and the scent is divine! It also contains shea butter, and it's high on the list of ingredients, but you would never know by the consistency of the product. The consistency is similar to the Almond Milk Concentrate, but slightly thinner. Again, a little goes a long way, and it absorbs quickly so that your hands are not left greasy. I use this during the day. Love, love, love it! Please make it in a larger tube, L'Occitane! Also, fragrance is one of the last ingredients listed in this product.

At night, to give my hands (and sometimes my feet) a little extra moisture, I've been applying L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream. As I mentioned above, I'm usually not a fan of shea butter because it typically leaves my skin feeling greasy - but this does not. I'm not crazy about the scent (I'm spoiled by the Almond line!), but it's not terrible, and it dissipates quickly. Right now, I'm using a deluxe sample that I got from Sephora, but I like this enough that I may repurchase. Like the Almond Delicious Hands, this is $12 for a 1 oz. tube, but is also available in a 5.2 oz. tube for $28. I bought a tube of  Pomegranate, Argan, & Grapeseed Ultra-Moisturizing Hand Therapy from Crabtree & Evelyn that has a consistency similar to the L'Occitane Delicious Hands. I usually like Pomegranate fragrance, but I'm not a fan of this one. I thought I liked it when I smelled it in the tube at the store (I already had other scented lotion on my hands, so I didn't try it on), but when I got it home and tried it - not so much. It's very pungent, and almost has a floral bend to it. I like the product, but not the scent, so I only use it at night.

CND Solar Oil

For my nails/cuticles, I use CND's Solar Oil (almond again!) twice daily just to make sure they stay soft. My cuticles seem to dry out so easily in the winter, and I like the scent of this oil and the way it absorbs. I apply hand cream right over it.

lip products lying on a tan and white polka dot surface

For my lips, which seem to really dry out in the winter, I've been loving the Tarte Lip Facial Lip Scrub. (I forgot to include this in my photo!) I love that it's a twist-up product so I don't have to go dipping into a jar! It's so easy to use, so moisturizing, and it zaps dry skin in seconds. And if you happen to get a taste of it, it's sugar sweet! I have a smaller version that came in a duo I bought at Sephora, but the regular size is $16. I follow that up with one of four things: FAB Ultra Repair Lip Therapy, which has a slight mint scent/flavor; S.W. Basics Citrus Lip Balm, which is organic and only has 5 ingredients (I got this in one of those $5 Target Beauty Boxes and I love it!); Aveda Nourish-Mint Lip Glaze, also minty and has a thicker consistency + sparkle; or Pure Romance Illusion Instamatch Lip Gloss, which goes on clear and changes to a pink to match your skin (it's actually very hydrating).

several skincare products sitting on a table

And that's how I keep my skin summer soft and smooth through the driest and coldest of winters! If you have any tips, I'd love to hear them! (And don't forget to connect with me on Snapchat!)

Kim
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