This week’s theme: Dry skin. Posted on February 6, 2023 by joshuasopko This week we’re discussing cold months and dry skin. It’s commonly known that the winter months can wreak havoc on our skin. Indoor heating and low-humidity leaves can leave our skin dry and scaly. Making us feel itchy and uncomfortable. Sometimes after a refreshing shower or face wash, our skin can feel tight, making us believe it’s supple and smooth skin. When reality, its drying skin is depleted of its precious natural oils. In short, your skin needs moisturizing! Here are a few quick tips to keep your skin moisturized during the last few months of winter and some ways to keep it looking healthy and hydrated. – 1 – Moisturize Daily – Obviously, this is the first tip. There are lots of options for skin moisturizing, however. We cover some of the differences between lotions, butter, and salves in this post, but the best thing to keep in mind is the severity of your dry skin. Tight itchy skin needs more aggressive moisturizing, so lean towards a body butter or salve at bedtime for this. – 2 – Limit extremely hot water and soap – Yes, you should still shower and bathe regularly. However, limiting your exposure to extremely hot water and avoiding detergent-based products that strip your skin of its natural oils can drastically improve the hydration of your skin. Plus, you’ll save money on the utility bill by running your water heater just a bit less! Immediately following a shower or bath, lather up with a solid base body butter to keep your skin protected. – 3 – Humidify – Adding a humidifier to your room can help your skin retain moisture and be less prone to drying out. Make sure, however, to follow your manufacturer’s instructions and change the water regularly to avoid mold and fungi. – 4 – Keep covered up! – Our skin really takes a beating from the cold and windy days. Keeping bundled up in layers and not exposing our skin (including our face and lips) to the elements will be a game changer for dry skin issues. – 5 – Vitamin D – Vitamin D largely comes from our sun. But in the winter, not only is the sun at an extreme angle but our skin is mostly covered up! Or at least it should be (see point 4!). We aren’t big fans of supplements when they aren’t necessary, but in the winter, daily Vitamin D supplements can improve your body’s ability to retain moisture, improve mental health, focus, and even sleep. Here is our favorite. Hopefully, by following some of the suggestions above, you’ll be able to cruise through the rest of this winter with healthy, moisturized skin! We have a full line of moisturizing products you can find here. Shop Moisturizing Products
Lotion, Butter, Salve: What’s the Difference? Posted on February 4, 2023 by joshuasopko Lotion, Butter, or Salve, what’s the difference? As we battle the cold weather during the winter months, our skin can take a beating. There are many options for moisturizers and choosing one that fits your preferences best is key to hydrating your skin! Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common options. Lotions are typically lighter in weight and contain water or aloe. These products are for light moisturizing regimens. They work great for quick rehydration during the day but require reapplication often, especially during the dry winter months. Lotions absorb quickly, they can be a great option for a quick hydrating boost throughout the day and don’t usually have a greasy feeling. At room temperature, body butter is a solid lotion that melts when in contact with your skin. In most cases, these are all oil or butter based. This means no water is added, giving them a dense feel as compared to lotions. Body butter can leave you feeling a little greasy and is best applied at night or right after a shower while your pores are open and your skin is damp and ready to absorb the oils of the product. Butter is a good choice in the winter, especially if you have severely dry skin and want deep hydration. Salves are herbal-infused nourishment that is designed to help treat specific ailments. Our salves contain herbal oils and infusions plus beeswax to help solidify the final product. These can be used on specific areas of the body or face. Salves are great for dealing with red, blotchy skin, or dry, itchy skin around the nose or elbows. These are perfect to pair with lotions and body butter for a full-body regimen. We call these salves the secret weapon to skin hydration and battling the extra tough spots. Some specific salve types examples include our eczema salve, dry and scaly skin salve, menstrual cramp salve, and our most popular Hippie Healer (for general scraps, cuts, and burns). We carry all 3 of these types of products in our store and hope this helps you choose the proper nourishment for your dry skin! Links: Lotions Body Butter Salves Have a question about which one you might need? Send us a message!