BY: KIZZY COURTNEY

Winter is one of the toughest seasons when it comes to beauty. Cold, dry winter air can easily rob moisture from your skin, causing all kinds of problems. This is especially true of the skin on your face, lips, and hands, which are most frequently exposed to the elements. Rough chapped skin becomes more common in these areas and can show visible cracks and wrinkles more easily. Do you adapt your beauty routine to the seasons? If not, you may want to consider a few new products to keep you looking great all winter.

Deep Conditioner: Add dry winter air into the mix, and it’s a recipe for split ends, dehydration, and frizz. Fortunately, a good deep conditioner keeps your hair hydrated and protected year-round. Especially if you’re a naturally curly girl. I swear by coconut oil as a deep conditioner. You can buy it at your local health food store, rub some between your palms, and apply to your hair overnight. You’ll wake up to fabulously shiny and soft hair!

Body Lotion: One of the worst things about winter is how dry your skin gets. Even those of us who never have dry skin can often get it in the winter. That’s why body lotion is a must-have to keep your skin smooth and soft. Which body lotions are the best? I love Korres body butter in basil lemon, but all their scents are to die for! Any of their body butters would make a great winter body lotion. Korres can be found at Shopper’s Drug Mart.

Lip Balm: Probably the most important item on this list for me! Nothing is worse than chapped lips – they look bad, and they hurt. Worst of all they look terrible under your favorite lipsticks. Lip balm is your chapped lips best friend!

Water: Drinking tons of water is one of the best things you can do for your body year-round, but it’s so easy to get dehydrated in winter that it’s even more important. You don’t have to drink eight glasses a day, but keeping a bottle of water near you throughout the and refilling is the best way to keep hydrated. You’ll see the benefits right away – clearer skin, less dry skin, and even more energy throughout the day.

Humidifiers: These little machines are a great way to help prevent all those damaging effects caused by winters wrath, and ensure you maintain a glowing, vibrant look throughout the colder months. Having a good humidifier in place can literally help you feel more comfortable in your skin; using a humidifier can help your sinuses, soothe itchy skin, and lessen sore throats. It will also improve the appearance of your skin and help counteract signs of aging. For those of us who don’t have the luxury of simply relocating to the tropics, try combatting old man winter’s lack of moisture with a humidifier. Just like our skin, humidifiers come in all types. Here are the basics of the three types of units you can choose from.

• Warm Mist: Warm mist humidifiers add moisture to the air with steam. They do not require filter replacements, making them a great low-maintenance option.
• Cool Mist: Cool mist humidifiers disperse a comfortable stream of room-temperature mist throughout a larger space.   
• Ultrasonic: Ultrasonic humidifiers are available in both cool and warm mist options. They are also the quietest type, making them ideal for light sleepers.

With colder temperatures, dry air, and so much time spent indoors, your skin, hair, and nails are faced with a new set of circumstances. Adding these products to your daily winter beauty routine will keep you glowing all winter long. I hope this helps you decide how best to combat the winter temperatures because ain’t nobody got time for dry or dull skin!

BY: KIZZY COURTNEY

Have you left your Christmas shopping for the last minute? If you’re anything like me, then despite all the planning and preparation you do during December you still find yourself needing to pick up some last-minute presents before Christmas. Luckily, if the person on your list is especially into all things beauty and makeup related, there are plenty of easy, inexpensive gifts you can pick up that they’re sure to love. Choosing the right gift doesn’t mean you should spend hundreds of dollars. It’s the thought that is put into your gift that truly makes the difference. Here are a few examples of last minute gift ideas that anyone will be sure to enjoy.

Beauty Gift Sets: Christmas is fast approaching which means there are beauty gift sets galore from amazing brands including Nuxe, Avene, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Nars, MAC, etc. etc. etc. There are way too many to name them all but it sure is fun admiring them.

Bath Bombs: Of course, LUSH makes the best ones, but sometimes you don’t have time to make it to the mall. Amazon has an array of bath bombs to choose from that I hear are very good, and many come in pretty gift boxes. If you’re a Prime member and have one-day shipping, then there’s no need to worry about your gifts not arriving before the Big Day.

Makeup Brushes: Everyone needs makeup brushes but rarely thinks about buying them for themselves. A set of brushes to do a complete look will be much appreciated by any makeup lover. Luckily, we have some brands that offer inexpensive brush sets to choose from. BH Cosmetics and E.L.F are a few brands that offer great brushes at great prices.

Spin Brush: Skincare is very important, so gifting someone with a spin brush such as a Clarisonic Mia Fit or a Spin For Perfect Skin brush from Vanity Planet is always a good idea. These brushes are ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in your hands and take up little space. Adding a spin brush to their regular skincare routine will boost the cleansing power and allow the products to work deeper. These brushes are also a perfect gift for the traveler in your life.

Gift Cards: This isn’t always seen as an easy way out. Gift cards for services you wouldn’t splurge on yourself, like a manicure or facials, are always welcome. For the makeup obsessed, MAC and Sephora gift cards are always a good choice. Knowing the gift receiver’s current needs will help decided the perfect gift card to give them. Did your friend just move to a new place for instance? Then a gift card to Homesense or Pier One will be the perfect gift to give.

Fragrance Sampler: Let’s face it perfumes are expensive. If you have a perfume lover in your life then a fragrance sample set is the best gift to give them. Shopper’s Drug Mart carries a fragrance sampler set that contains a gift certificate that your fragrance lover can redeem for a full-size bottle of their favourite sampler scent. Usually, these sampler sets come with 8-10 perfumes samples to choose from which I’m sure they’ll love.

I know it can be difficult trying to find the perfect gift for someone, so these are great ideas if you’re stuck on what to buy a friend or family member who enjoys trying out new beauty products. And if you’re buying for someone who really has got everything, why not book them a luxurious spa break? This is a Christmas gift idea I’d love to wake up to on Christmas morning! Hope these holiday gift ideas help take some of the stress out of shopping this year!

BY: KIZZY COURTNEY

With winter’s cold temperatures bearing down on us, it’s time to start thinking about our skin and re-evaluating our skincare regimens. In winter, it is essential to provide your skin with moisture and revamping your beauty routine with items that can tackle the issues that come with cooler, drier weather is important. Repeated exposures can result in more than just not looking your best, and without proper care, your skin can crack and flake. The winter is hard on your skin, cold weather, dry wind and bright sunlight all add up to one tough season. Your normal skincare regimen is not quite enough. Keep your skin and lips feeling and looking great by following these simple suggestions.

During winter, dead skin cells build up quickly on our skin, and the only way to get rid of them is to exfoliate. Exfoliating is extra important during winter, particularly at night. Double cleansing your face is beneficial, as the first cleanse removes any surface oil, makeup or SPF protection while the second cleanse your actual skin. Once you have exfoliated, your skin will glow, as you have buffed and removed the pileup of dead skin cells that have caused your skin to look patchy, and flaky, therefore replenishing the skin. Consistent cleansing twice daily assures richer, deeper nourishment for your skin.

Not only does your skin need some extra loving, your lips benefit from some TLC in the cold season as well. Your lips can easily become chapped due to the change of temperature, to revitalize them make sure to use a scrub to hydrate and exfoliate, leaving you with smooth lips. Cover your lips with a balm before you apply your lipstick, will not only help your lipstick apply better, it’ll nourish and protect your lips, too. Make sure to keep them moist however you can with balm, and consider gently exfoliating your lips daily for extra protection. A simple DIY lip scrub you can make yourself at home is by mixing coconut oil and brown sugar together. The sugar will remove any dead skin while the oil moisturizes your lips. Exfoliating at night, before bed is ideal.

Switching to an oil-based moisturizer (rather than water-based) in the colder months provides a layer of protection; plus, it will be better at retaining moisture. Upgrade to a thicker, if not oil-based daily moisturizer to help nourish, hydrate and protect the skin from harsh conditions outdoors. Thicker moisturizers in the winter months are not only regulated to the face, for many, many people, the winter months mean cracked heels. Don’t wait until they become painful and unsightly to care for them. Be sure to use lotions that contain petroleum jelly or glycerin, and exfoliate them every so often to get rid of dead skin.

Sunscreen is especially important during the long, hot summer days, but don’t let winter’s weaker rays fool you. It is still important to protect yourself from the sun’s damaging UVA/UVB rays.

Hydration is essential daily, which is why it’s important to remember to stay hydrated as much as possible, especially from the inside out. Drinking more water helps with clearer skin as well as helps your body function properly. Water helps your immune and digestive systems eliminate toxins and keep your skin nicely clear and hydrated. Hydration is just as important when the weather isn’t hot out.

The change of weather really does impact your skin, and the only way to give your skin some love is if you choose to use the right products in correlation to the season. Cold weather may make your cheeks rosy, but the aftereffects of freezing temperatures, wind, and heaters can zap even the healthiest skin of vital moisturizers. During the winter, it’s important to emphasize hydration, nourishment, and moisturizing even more so than usual. Protect your skin from dryness and any other conditions working against its ideal balance.