Cold Weather Glow: 5 Ways to Keep Melanin Skin Radiant
No 10-step routine, just 3 easy steps.
Every year when cold weather hit, my skin used to do the same thing: dry, flaky, and tight by lunchtime, no matter how much lotion I put on.
5 things that changed everything for me.
Exfoliate away dead skin
Dry dead skin blocks absorption
2 or 3 times per week, use an exfoliating scrub. Massage onto damp skin in circles, spend extra time on your elbows, knees, and heels, then rinse.
Avoid over-exfoliating, and skip broken, irritated, or freshly shaved skin.
Hydrate the skin
Pat damp. Don't dry off.
When you rub completely dry, you're wiping away water your skin needs. Hydrating after the shower, while your skin is still damp, locks water in instead of letting it evaporate.
Use body butter, not lotion
Lotion feels great for an hour, then disappears.
A body butter is richer. It's made with butters and oils like shea, and it sits on top of skin and seals in the hydration from Step 2.
That's the difference between moisture that fades before breakfast and moisture that lasts all day.
Do the 8-hour test
Look at your skin at the end of the day.
If you did steps 1-3 right, your skin should feel soft and glowing 8 hours later.
Still ashy by afternoon? You're probably drying off completely before you hydrate, or using lotion instead of butter. Go back to Steps 2 and 3.
Use products that work together
3 bundled products to exfoliate, hydrate, and moisturize.
These steps work if you do them in this order.
That's why I created the Gleam System. It's the exact routine from this article in one set:
- Exfoliate with I Don't Want No (Other) Scrub
- Hydrate with Hydration Potion Body Oil
- Moisturize with Your Bread & (Body) Butter
Save 20% Off when you get all three together as the Gleam System, plus free shipping.
The Gleam System
- I Don't Want No (Other) ScrubClears away the dry, dull layer
- Hydration Potion Body OilHydrates damp skin, zero grease
- Your Bread & (Body) ButterLocks it all in so it lasts all day