Winter is a beautiful time of year, but it can be harsh on our skin. The drop in temperature, the dry air, and harsh winds can all damage our skin, leaving it feeling dry, irritated, and prone to a host of unpleasant issues.

These essential winter skincare recipes can help you to restore healthy, glowing skin after the harsh winter season, and help bring skin back to life.

Why winter skincare is important

Our skin is the biggest organ of our body, is super sensitive, porous (meaning it absorbs everything), and acts as our first line of defense against any germs or diseases.

Your skin is also a good indicator of the health of the rest of your body too.

While it’s an essential part of our health to take care of our skin in every season, with winter often having the harshest climates and affects, it makes it even more important to keep your skin healthy and nourished.

Some common skin issues caused by the colder weather include:

• sore chapped skin

• flaky skin

• eczema, psoriasis & dermatitis

• redness & irritation

• dry chapped lips

• more sensitivity

With these natural skincare recipes and natural ingredients, you'll be able to combat the effects of winter and maintain radiant, healthy skin all season long.

The benefits of Natural Ingredients

The wonders of natural ingredients are many, and I can still be surprised by a plant or natural ingredient that can be used to nourish the skin. These are a few that can restore your skin's glowing, radiant appearance after enduring the harsh elements of winter.

These natural ingredients can begin to start rejuvenating and refreshing your skin, undoing the damage caused by the cold weather and leaving you with a healthy, vibrant complexion. Often more effectively and gently than many shop bought skincare items…. and for half the cost! You may even have some of these ingredients in your cupboards already!

Stay tuned for a few recipes you can make yourself; skincare solutions that harness the power of Mother Nature to bring back your skin's natural glow after a tough winter.

1. Honey: Known for its moisturizing and antibacterial properties, honey helps to lock in moisture and soothe dry, irritated skin. It’s also packed with antioxidants that can help repair and rejuvenate the skin.

2. Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a gentle exfoliant that can help to remove dead skin cells, leaving the skin soft and smooth. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it great for soothing sensitive or irritated skin.

3. Avocado: Rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins, avocado is deeply moisturizing and helps to nourish and hydrate the skin. It also contains antioxidants that can protect the skin from environmental damage.

4. Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is well-known for its soothing and cooling properties, making it ideal for relieving dry, itchy skin. It also helps to promote healing and can provide a protective barrier for the skin.

5. Coconut Oil: With its excellent moisturizing properties, coconut oil helps to hydrate and soften the skin. It also contains antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory components, which can benefit irritated or inflamed skin.

6. Turmeric: With it’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components Turmeric can revive your skin by bringing out its natural glow, reducing inflammation and redness. You may want to try a turmeric face mask at home by adding a teaspoon of turneric with two teaspoons of raw honey to see if the spice has any positive effects on your skin. But be warned, it can stain things a very brigh yellow!

7. Rosehip oil: Rosehip oil contains carotenoids, which help keep your skin fresh and healthy by creating new skin cells. Rosehip oil also contains vitamin F, which helps trap moisture in your skin and protect your skin against damage. Rosehip can also help treat acne caused by clogged skin pores, and works to brighten dull skin.

Using natural ingredients as part of your skincare routine is not only beneficial for your skin, but ensures you are only putting natural and safe ingredients onto your skin, and no harmful chemicals are being absorbed into your body. While you can are still effectively working nourish and revitalise your skin, combating the effects of winter weather and restoring your complexion's natural glow.

As an additional bonus I also wholeheartedly recommend my Heal All Skincare Balm. Not only does it heal everything from cuts and grazes to dermatitis, dry eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin. Made with raw honey and beeswax this balm is excellent for protecting skin and trapping in moisture. I apply it over my normal skincare whenever I leave the house, as well as apply a thick layer over the top of my nightly skincare routine to add an extra layer of nourishment.

Winter Skincare Recipes

Here are a few of my winter skin care recipes and skincare routine for you to try for yourself —

Stimulating Massage Oil

This is good for warming and stimulating muscles, joints and skin. Much needed for that winter stiffness.

INGREDIENTS

• 75ml/⅓/ cup almond oil infused with rosemary leaves, dried or fresh (p.20)

• 2 tbsp mustard seed oil

Essential oils:

• 5 drops rosemary

• 5 drops black pepper

• 5 drops cardamom

• 5 drops ginger

MAKES & KEEPS

Makes 75ml/½ cup. Keeps 1-2 months.

METHOD

Mix the ingredients in a bottle and gently shake.

Fissure Salve

Heals painful skin fissures (fingers, feet or anal) that do not respond to other interventions.

INGREDIENTS

• 28g/ 1oz Japanese knotweed root, dried and cut into tiny pieces

• 28g/oz Stephania root (a Chinese vine with strong anti-inflammatory effects), dried and cut into tiny pieces

• 7g/¼oz dried thyme

• up to 500ml2 cups olive oil, enough to cover

• ½ tsp vitamin E oil

• 3-6 tbsp grated beeswax

MAKES & KEEPS

Makes up to 500ml/2 cups.

Keeps at least 1 year in the fridge.

METHOD

Make an infused oil (p.20) by putting the herbs in a lidded ovenproof dish and adding olive oil to cover to a depth of 1cm (½in). Leave overnight in the oven on its lowest setting.

Cool for an hour or so, strain and measure, then add the vitamin E oil and slowly reheat, adding 2 tbsp of beeswax per 250ml/1 cup of oil.

Apply frequently.

Wintertime Facial Toner

A facial toning elixir for all skin types. It soothes irritated skin, tightens pores and keeps acne at bay.

INGREDIENTS

• 375ml/1½ cups water

• 1 peppermint tea bag

• 1 rooibos tea bag

• 1 chamomile tea bag

Essential oils:

• 1 drop rosemary

• 4 drops lavender

MAKES & KEEPS

Makes 375ml/1½ cups.

Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge.

METHOD

Bring the water to the boil, then leave to cool for 3 mins. Pour the water over the tea bags in a pot and leave to stand for 5 mins.

Cool completely before removing the tea bags.

Add the oils and pour into a glass bottle.

Shake bottle before use. Apply toner daily to clean skin prior to moisturising.

Choca-coco Sugar Body Scrub

For brightening & revitalising will, tired skin.

INGREDIENTS

• 100g/just under ½ cup coconut oil

• 200g/ 1 cup whole cane sugar

• 60g/¼ cup coconut sugar

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

• 2 tbsp jojoba oil

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• oil from 5 vitamin E capsules (400 IU)

MAKES & KEEPS

Makes 3 x 125ml/½ cup-sized jam jars.

Keeps up to 1 year.

METHOD

Gently melt the coconut oil in a bain-marie, then blend with the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl before decanting into jars.

Use as for Tropical Body Buff (right).

xo Emily