Komodo No More

Maybe I've watched way too much History Channel, but when January comes around I hear a narrator in my head with a deep, booming voice saying "Betty, we have entered The Time of Great Dryness, when the land is covered in white, the heat is cranked up inside, and the air holds no moisture..." Ugh.

My skin is looking a lot like a lizard, but paler, a light blue lizard.  This year I'm vowing to actually do something about it {which is code for I'm asking someone else what I should do.}  These two are experts, so I'm following their advice.  No more lizard lips.

First up is Kristin Miller, the founder and president of Garden Girl Skin Care.  Full disclosure- she is a Local Betty advertiser- but we asked her advertise because I fell in love with the "Hand it to You" handcream that I bought from her at St. Johns Holiday Market.  {Although I hoarded it, you don't have to- click on her ad on our site and go right to her store}. 

{We also love her blog, where she posted this homemade granola bar recipe.   We couldn't be happier! We've been looking for one, something to jam in our pockets when we go skiing or snowshoeing.      

Here are her recommendations for keeping hands {and lips!} in tip top shape all winter long:

1. Find a good hand cream and keep hands moisturized. Look for products that have natural emollients and hydrators like shea, aloe, jojoba and hyaluronic acid. Those ingredients create a system draws in and traps moisture. Plus they work to repair damaged, chapped skin.

2. For hands that are cracked and extremely rough, use hand cream at night and then cover with cotton gloves overnight. This little trick will quickly restore your hands so they'll be soft and smooth again.

3. Keep hand cream everywhere! I have it next to all my sinks, in my purse, at my desk and in my car. That way whenever I notice my hands are dry, I can take care of it right away. In these dry, cold months I use it many times a day to stay ahead of the game and avoid cracked, bleeding, chapped hands.

4. Avoid water that is too hot when washing hands and showering. Hot water depletes skin of its natural moisture and leaves it dry and dehydrated.

5. When skin gets scaly and rough, find a sugar scrub to exfoliate and soften skin. You can even make your own easily with products right in your kitchen. Simply combine olive oil and white or turbinado sugar. Form a paste, and rub gently into dry, rough skin. Then rinse briefly with warm water and pat dry. Apply hand cream to trap the moisture. 

6. Dry/flaky lips? Use the same sugar scrub to exfoliate lips and keep them super smooth and soft, then apply petroleum-free lip balm. When I'm in a pinch and I'm not at home, I even make a quick lip scrub using lip balm and a sugar packet from a restaurant. A little messy, but a savior when I'm desperate! {Flaky lips drive me crazy!}

Next up, advice from Jessica Bahros, MA PA-C from the SouthShore Skin Center.  She specializes in medical {not cosmetic} dermatology- she keeps my skin healthy.   I know she has a daughter in college but Jessica looks 25, so I'm following what she says:

She says "I know it sounds crazy, but get out the kitchen timer.  It's all about getting the moisturizer on quickly after a bath or shower in order to trap moisture on your skin." 

1. After showering pat dry {don't buff} leaving skin damp.  Cover yourself in fragrance-free moisturizer {for drugstore brands she likes CeraVe or Cetaphil} within 3 minutes. It's harder than you think she says. I say game on.

2. For hands she likes Aquaphor. Slather it on, wait five minutes, and don a pair of cotton gloves.  I'll do that every night for a week {sorry darling, maybe black lace cotton gloves...} as an "as needed" treatment, and then moisturize as usual in between.

Ok, I can do all the above {if you see me out and about with sugar crusted lips you'll know the reason.  Seriously, it's not my addiction to French Memories croissants.}  No more Komodo.

* last words from us: 
I love Buffy {the backside slayer} from Lush.  A fantastic {and serious} exfoliating bar that leaves a rich layer of shea on your skin.  Expensive, but it goes a long way. 
We also love bamboo fiber tees.  Eco-conscious and incredibly soft and whisper-light against winter itchy skin.  Good and good for you.  GettiGear carries a pretty selection.