The winter season can be beautiful and breathtaking. The gentle snowfall that powders our mountains makes it easy to love winter. There are a few things about the season, though, that can really bring us down. The cold, crisp air that makes all of our beautiful snow, also causes our skin to dry and crack. Our hair can freeze while it’s wet. Our nails will peel and stop growing. 

Replenish Your Hair

Let’s start with those beautiful locks. Whether you’re working natural curls, growing out your summer blonde or about to go dark and sleek, it’s important to keep your hair hydrated and healthy all winter long. During the winter months, the outdoors are cold and dry. Most indoor locations compensate for that with extra heat, which is, yep, you guessed it, also dry. Because of this, your scalp gets dehydrated, dry and your hair becomes brittle. Before you start to worry though, there are ways you can help re-hydrate and moisturize your hair.

First, shampoo your hair less often than usual. Shampoo can contain more chemicals and alcohol which will dry out your scalp quickly. Not only should you try to shampoo it less frequently in the winter, but you should also look into switching to a more winter-friendly shampoo. Check out this Living Proof Restore Shampoo on Amazon. It’s specifically made to nourish hair from dry, winter damage. Plus, a little bit goes a long way with this shampoo. 

Next, treat your hair to a thick, moisturizing conditioner once or twice a week. Layer on a thick oil-based conditioner and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Combined with this tactic, you should also switch to an oil-based conditioner (if you’re not already using one), for winter. Try this one from Amazon for an intense reset!

Strengthen Your Nails

Your fingernails are made up of layers of keratin and serve as a protective layer to your fingers and toes. When your nails don’t get enough moisture, they become very dry and brittle, and in turn, they can break, peel and have a difficult time growing. There are a few ways to strengthen your nails, replace the moisture, grow healthy nails and maintain soft hands.

An effective cuticle oil from Nail Magic, Vanilla Almond Oil, works wonders to heal damaged cuticles. Cold weather can cause your cuticles to be dry and actually crack! Before bed, simply brush this oil onto your cuticle and nail and gently massage it in. This unique blend of oils will replenish the moisture and give your nails and cuticles a new, healthy feel.

Nail strengthener, like this Hardener & Conditioner from Nail Magic, has been trusted since the 1960s to strengthen nails for men and women. The reason it is so important to strengthen your nails all year round is to prevent weak nails from ever setting in. Weak nails can split and peel and take months to recover. When you use the top nail strengthener on the market, you’re protecting your nails and maintaining a healthy, natural state. For five decades, people have trusted this nail hardener because they’ve seen results.

Moisturize your hands, nails and cuticles with the Thai Essence Hand & Cuticle Oil from Nail Magic. A little goes a very long way with this product, so it’s a great bang for your buck! Just a single drop on your cuticle can be massaged into the cuticle and nail. Or, you can massage it into your hands for soft, rejuvenated skin. It will absorb quickly to improve the health of your natural nails and cuticles. With this product your getting twice as much out of it by applying to your hands and nails. 

Soften Your Skin

During the winter, when there is less humidity in the air, we’re often exposed to overly warm heaters while indoors and tend to take long, hot showers. According to Care Everyday, all of these things are making our skin, and nails, dry. This leads to flaky, itchy skin that needs time and a regimen to heal.

One way to start replenishing your skin is by adding moisture back into the air around you. Not easy to do everywhere you go, but you can easily do it at home with a humidifier. This one from Macy’s is quiet and easy to use.

Though you may want to turn the handle in your shower a little more to the left, don’t. As nice as a steamy hot shower feels, it’s actually doing more damage to your skin than you realize. You can develop very irritated, dry skin or even cases of eczema. No matter what, when you’re done with your shower, lather on a good layer of lotion.

If your shower routine usually includes an exfoliant, you may want to reconsider during winter months. Exfoliating is a great way to shed dead skin so a smoother layer can takeover. However, in the winter it can increase irritation to an already dry, flaky skin barrier. The last thing you want to do is compromise the barrier. It is the only thing that’s helping to keep moisture within the skin.

Also, you should switch to a thicker cleanser that is oil-based, like this one from the Dermstore. They can help replenish the moisture in your skin while also cleaning away the dirt. Follow your cleansing routine with a thicker moisturizer as well. Something that is fragrance-free can help avoid further irritation to your dry skin. After your shower, be sure to layer on a thickened moisturizer as well.

While you should be applying lotion to your hands throughout the day, Thai Essence Hand & Cuticle Oil will soften your hands and your nails with just a few drops to the back of your hand. Buy cuticle oil that works, buy a brand you can trust. Nail Magic’s cuticle oil is a unique blend of essential oils of Lavender and Lemongrass. It will help replace the moisture in your skin, nails and cuticles. You will feel the difference after just the first use.

In Conclusion 

When winter comes to an end, don’t forget to maintain a healthy moisturizing regimen throughout the year. It’s easy to lose track once the warmer weather sets in and distracts from our routines. However, as dry as winter, summer can be too! Get your routine down now and summer will be easy!