Helllooooo,
Coming from Canada (Winnipeg, to be exact), I know cold. But the Asian side of me yearns for heat and humidity. Since moving to the southern USA, I've been introduced to a new climate all together. Dry and slightly cold. However, after being here for over a year, my cold scale has become more sensitive and thus, what I find cold now would have been barbeque weather back home (for reference, it's currently 16F where I am now and -4F in Winnipeg).
So no, I won't be needing my Canada Goose jacket nor a toque/beanie. But the drier climate does have me reevaluating my skin's needs. Today I've decided to share with you my winter essentials.
The Skin
I've embraced my oily skin with full force and decided that instead of trying to dry it out with mattifiers and oil control cleansers, I would keep it as healthy and supple as I can and my favourite way to do that at the moment is with Lush's Full of Grace serum bar, my nighttime serum moisturizer. My skin is noticeably softer and more radiant every morning. It also lasts a long time (I've had it for 3 months and am only halfway through it).
Not specific to low teens Fahrenheit weather, but I also need to protect my hands from the dry air, with my favorite hand lotion, the Heavy Duty Hand Cream. Picked this up at TJ Maxx, reminds me a lot in texture of the Glysomed (you Canadians will know this!), and I have never looked back. I'm running low on this stuff though, so you might see it in this month's empties.
I go for a body wash and body butter in the winter, and save the bar soap and lotion for the spring time (I love using bar soap in the summer, I can't do thick, heavy body washes when it's hot and humid out). I guess one body wash worth mentioning is the Olay Shea Moisture 24H Body Wash. This stuff is legiiittttt.
The Clothing
When I'm out and about, I'm all about the Uggs or the combat boots. I have both in black, and between the two of them, they've got my wardrobe covered. I wear the uggs for a laid back feel (or if it's colder than Katherine Pierce's heart). The combat boots are appropriate for every other casual occasion - or when uggs just look too sloppy. Of course, can't complete an outfit of mine without a large fluffy scarf that looks like a baby anaconda is choking me (somebody put out the fire, cuz I'm blazin'!).
When I'm at home, I wear PJ bottoms (below are my FAVOURITE) and a terry cloth robe, with fuzzy socks or slippers. I'm usually wearing this as soon as I get home from work and it's my uniform on weekends too.
The Beverages
It's tea, coffee, and hot chocolate all the way in the cold months. I love black tea with milk and sugar, Tim Horton's hot chocolate, and basic Folgers coffee with powdered creamer and sugar (it's an acquired taste, and boy have I acquired it!). And although I can't do it here, there's something really joyful about walking around on a cold day with a steaming hot cup of Starbucks/Second Cup/Tim Horton's. Unfortunately, I live in the desert, we don't have Starbucks, and we don't have people walking around. Otherwise, I'd totally do it.
The Candles
That is all.
Stay warm and happy everyone!
