Winter Skin Woes

Hello Beautiful!

Penny is not a fan of the Winter season...many of you probably know this. And one reason is because of the havoc it wreaks on my skin. Aside from aggravating my eczema, the cold dry air, or the dry indoor heat causes itchy skin all over. It causes my face to feel dry and my lips to get dry and sometimes cracked. Not only is this not 'pretty' for Penny...but it's uncomfortable. To combat dry, itchy skin I have tried a multitude of products and routines over the years. Yes, many will say I need to drink more water...that's a given...I'm bad at that. I've also been told to use a humidifier at home...and that helps but only a little. Instead, as soon as the weather turns cold  I find myself with the winter woes; having to change my daily routine to help maintain soft, supple, moisturized skin from head to toe. So here's what's been working for me this winter:

Body treatment:
C. Booth Ginger Sugar Body Scrub - One of Penny's faves! Not only do I really like the ginger smell but the sugar buffs my body smooth, and the natural oils makes my skin as soft as a baby's bottom. LOL! This is a staple in my household. ($8.99, ULTA.com)
NOTE: Please be very careful as this product makes for a very slick bathtub/shower floor. Once you safely exit the shower, be sure to scrub the surface with a cleanser as the oil will stay on the surface and create a slippery surface even after it dries. 

Body Gloves

Earth Therapeutics Body Gloves ($6.49, ULTA) - Since I exfoliate daily in the winter months I use these great body gloves to slough off any dead skin cells which preps my skin for the moisturizing treatments that follow. These are easy to use, and inexpensive so you can replace as often as you'd like. I prefer these to the shower 'puffs'  and loofahs because you get better exfoliation and mold  often grows on the puffs at the base of where the rope is tied on (gross!).

Waxelene

Waxelene - A natural alternative to petroleum jelly made of organic soy oil, beeswax, organic rosemary oil and natural Vitamin e. I love the texture and the fact that it absorbs well into the skin. It is a little costly for the size it comes in ($16.99, 9 oz jar). You can find it at your local Whole Foods grocery store or on Amazon.com (sometimes slightly cheaper; $15.49, 9 oz jar on Amazon). I use this nightly mixing in other essential oils at times.

Coconut Oil - Everyone knows that there are many benefits to pure coconut oil. I not only use this in my hair sometimes but I also use it at night in combination with the Waxelene for added skin softening. I bought the Nature's Way brand at Whole Foods ($19, 32 oz jar) and later saw it on Amazon for $17.24 for the same size. Coconut oil is rich in proteins which contributes to cellular health, and tissue repair; which counteracts the damage caused by my eczema. I can even use this on my face at night without breaking out.

• Penny's Perk: Just tried NOW Foods Wheat Germ Oil  for the first time at the recommendation of a friend ($11.69, 16 oz, Amazon.com). I'm not a fan of the smell but will try to use it with my Waxelene at night to see how it works on my eczema. This oil has a heavy fragrance and dark color and should be stored in the refrigerator. Those with wheat allergies should avoid wheat germ oil. 

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Skin is In II

Hi!

I think Penny got tired during the last post because she forgot to mention a couple of products. LOL! Until a week ago when I received my order of Passion Body Butter from Forplai, I was successfully using and loving the following products.

• Trader Joe's 'A Midsummer's Night Cream' Moisturizing Cream, Extra Dry Formula (unscented) - This pH balanced herbal blend body lotion is an excellent, non-greasy, rich cream that absorbs quickly and tackles my dry skin all day. It is inexpensive ($3.99 I think) and works as well or better than lots of the more expensive lotions on the market. Unfortunately if you don't have a Trader Joe's grocery store near you, its not always available online.
• African Shea Butter Oil 100% (unscented) - This is a gem I stumbled upon on one of my many shopping trips at Amazon.com. LOL! I love this oil! It is pure shea butter that is processed differently so that you get a thick oil that pours instead of a hard solid cream in a jar that you have to scoop. It has little bits of solid shea butter in and absorbs into the skin without feeling heavy. Most of all it helps control the nighttime dryness and itching I experience from my eczema. This is exactlty like the pure shea butter I've bought in the past from random vendors but in a more convenient, liquid formula. I found that the product was cheaper on Amazon than on the distributor's site once you add in shipping & handling.  (www.Amazon.com; $10, 8oz; $17, 16oz, plus S&H).

This is my nighttime treatment.  I will continue to use this regimen and use the body butter as an alternate nighttime treatment.To successfully treat my eczema I have combined body lotion with a light body oil for many years. I believe this combination helps keep my skin moisturized the entire day. In the mornings I use the same Trader Joe's Moisturizing Cream combined with Neutrogena Sesame Body Oil or Origins Ginger Glossing Oil.  I love the fresh, citrus smell of these products.

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Skin is In

Penny here!
It's time for us to show some skin! Yes...it's that time of year again to ready our skin for the exposure it gets in the warm spring and summer. One of the best ways to prep your skin is to exfoliate and moisturize regularly. And always remember your sunblock. Those of you living in warmer climates should already practice this beauty regimen.

 

Exfoliate:
Exfoliating helps rid the body of dry dead skin and dullness to reveal smooth more vibrant skin. Focus on elbows, knees, heels, and any place you feel dry, rough, patches. Often we neglect our skin in the winter months because we keep it covered up. So now is a good time to pay special attention to it. Be gentle even with exfoliation; just because you want to rid yourself of dead skin, does not mean you should be harsh or use anything abrasive.

 

Penny has been known to partake in a brown sugar body scrub or two (or five, LOL). I even make my own from time to time with the simplest of recipes using kitchen ingredients:

• Light brown sugar
• Honey
• Pure Olive or almond oil

Combine all ingredients adding the oil slowly until you make a paste. This scrub may be applied to damp or dry skin. I prefer to apply to dry skin in very light circular motions. Be careful when you shower off the paste as the shower floor/bathtub surface will become slick from the oil. (Use a household cleanser strong enough to remove the oil). You can add other essential oils and spices to your concoction if you choose. Surf the Internet for your favorite recipe!

Lately I have indulged in another scrub. Bath and Body Works now has a Sudsing Scrub ($13, www.bathandbodyworks.com ). I love the Aromatherapy lines Energy (orange-ginger) and Stress Relief (eucalyptus-spearmint) scents.  These scrubs not only wash clean and smell great, but they leave your skin super smooth and soft.  BBW's Aromatherapy line also offers Sugar Scrubs ($16) in my two favorite scents as well as others like Sensual (jasmine-vanilla), Energy (lemon zest), Sleep (lavender-vanilla), Stress Relief (vanilla-verbena), and Sleep (lavender-chamomile). 

Moisturize:
Body butters are Penny's favorites. Since I have dry skin (eczema) I need serious moisture and not products with high water contents. Sephora Collection Super Supreme Body Butter ($14) is one of my favorites. It's rich yet light and non-greasy; it absorbs well into the skin. It has a nice smell but scent is a personal thing so take a whiff from the tester while you're in the store if you plan to try this for the first time. LOL!

Penny is also trying a fairly NEW Body Butter. Actor turned entrepreneur Lamman Rucker teamed up with Kofee & Kompany (a Dallas-based spa) to create line of skin care called FORPLAI. I have to confess that I was curious because I love me some Lamman Rucker! (Who doesn't dig Sherriff Troy? LOL!) So I ordered the Passion Body Butter ($22, 4oz). www.forplai.com   There are two lines available containing a body mist, body scrub, and body butter. Passion is described as a "unisex fragrance; warm and sensual with hints of chocolate, caramel and vanilla."

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Could You Please Pass the Jelly?

Penny apologizes once again for letting 'life' get in the way of her blog action. I miss you guys!

A few weeks ago a friend brought to Penny's attention that Carol's Daughter had a new product that sounded fun...Body Jelly. Now who wouldn't want to try something called 'jelly' for the body?  LOL! Penny was on it! With skin like a desert oasis Penny had nothing to lose. This natural, unscented alternative to petroleum jelly promises to moisturize the skin, remove make-up, protect against minor scrapes, soothes sunburns, and is gentle enough to prevent diaper rash on babies.

Body Jelly contains natural ingredients like sweet almond oil, soy oil and jojoba oil. Benefits as described on the company's website include:

• Sweet Almond Oil, a natural nut oil high in fatty acids, alleviates dry, irritated or itchy skin and preserves moisture
• Soy Oil, a protein-rich emollient, replenishes and improves skin’s natural texture and glow
• Jojoba Oil, an excellent moisturizing agent, leaves a rich, non-oily feel while preventing water loss and enhancing suppleness (read full story...)