There is so much to love about winter like the holidays, cozy evenings, and winter sports. Winter skin, however, can be a little less charming. Dry skin can be itchy and unflattering. Luckily, it doesn’t have to ruin your seasonal fun. We’ve got a few all-natural tricks to help you keep your skin hydrated and looking great!

Why Does Your Skin Dry Out in Winter?

Actually, the first question we need to ask is: “Why does skin dry out in winter?” Well, your skin is a permeable substance. That’s science-speak for letting stuff in and out. Some of what the skin lets in is moisture from the air and your environment. In fact, the moisture from the air is a key source for your skin. Dry air can even pull moisture out of your skin. Since many winter environments have less moisture in the air, it’s a lot harder for your skin to access one of its crucial moisturizers. See? Simple. 

All-Natural Tricks for Fixing Dry Skin

Take a Milk Bath

This might sound decadent, or maybe even strange, but a milk bath can be very hydrating. Milk has a high concentration of fat which sticks to the skin, giving it a smooth and soft feeling. Don’t worry. You don’t need a dairy farm for a milk bath. Adding just a cup or two to your bath will do the trick. If the smell has you feeling a little hesitant, try adding a few of your favorite essential oils.

Exfoliate with a Homemade Remedy

Because exfoliation involves removing something from your skin, this tip might come as a surprise. However, removing dead cells is an essential part of allowing new skin to breathe. There are approximately a bajillion homemade exfoliant recipes, all with unique benefits. The basic formula is a mix of something granular that exfoliates the dead skin and something oil based that hydrates the surface left behind. For our granular ingredient, we like sugar. For the oil base, we the silky feeling olive oil leaves behind. If you’re feeling fancy, try adding some essential oils or honey. Whatever mix you choose, we’re sure you’ll feel moisturized and refreshed afterward.

Rub Down with Aloe

Unless you’re an aloe farmer, using aloe vera directly from the plant is best suited for small patches of dry skin. So if your aloe vera farm is still on hold, try taking an individual leaf or stalk and slicing into it to expose the interior gel. Rub the gel on your skin and leave it overnight. The gel hydrates the skin leaving the skin feeling smooth and soft. It’s worth noting that aloe is in the succulent family and if hydrating with a succulent isn’t trendy, we don’t know what is.

Relieve Dry Skin with All-Natural Products

Once you’ve dried off from that milk bath, you might be looking for that extra boost. If that’s the case, consider bringing in a high-quality moisturizing product. Made from a mix of florals, seeds, and proteins, Lavilin’s Jojoba Gel Cream soothes and reduces irritation. Lavilin’s commitment to healthy, all-natural ingredients guarantees its made free of dehydrating chemicals. A light application after a shower or before bed is sure to chase off that onion skin feeling that we know all too well.

Here come the holidays! Yay or yikes? This season is chock full of delightfully decadent temptations. And with the New Year in sight, it’s easy to push off healthy habits until January 1. But keeping it healthy doesn't have to be a resolution.

Actually, we feel staying healthy doesn’t have to be a major sacrifice. There’s no need to strive for perfection. It’s better to create a few handy tricks that work for specifically for you so you’ll stick to ‘em. Here are some healthy tips we’ve used over the last few holiday seasons that can work for you.

Eat Before You Go

Sometimes we give into tasty treats because we’re famished. If you know you have a long car ride ahead of you or have an uncle that gives a really long speech before letting anyone eat, have something healthy before you even get out the door. A small salad, banana, or smoothie are all easy and effectively filling options to have before any festivity. Taking the edge off your hunger can be the difference between eating too many sugar cookies and enjoying a reasonable portion.

Curb Cravings with Healthy Snacks

If you have to take a flight this holiday season, make sure you put “snacks” on your packing list. If you’re not a list person, try having healthy snacks in a bowl in a visible space in your house, like a countertop or even a console table near the front door. If you’re running out the door or even running around your house for visiting family, keeping nuts or dried fruit out and easy to grab is the way to go. Pro tip: Keep some in your car too!

Workout Wherever You Are

If you’re someone that enjoys exercising but doesn’t have as much time to do so during the holidays, remind yourself that you don’t need a gym to get your sweat on. In fact, you don’t even need to go through your full routine for the workout to have an impact. A few sit-ups, a couple of wall-sits, and some lounges are free, fast, and effective. Heck, a jog through a relative's neighborhood could feel like a new adventure.

Choose Indulgences Wisely

It’s not realistic to think you can say no to every gumdrop tree and gingerbread house you pass this season. And we completely support indulging in some of them. If you have traditions, special foods, favorite drinks that are a part of your holiday cheer, you should still feel like you can partake! Before the season kicks off, choose a few of your favorite treats that you wouldn’t want to live without. Keep to these choices and put the rest on the naughty list. As you go through the holiday season remind yourself that those are worth waiting for.

There’s an army of chemical-based products out there just itching to irritate or even damage your skin. We recommend going the all-natural route. (No surprise there.) So before you reach for something harsh, check out a few of our tips and tricks for removing makeup without the burn.