Winter Skin Solutions (while at home sick with the plague…)

So it has finally happened -- the inevitable when you work in a school with small children…. I AM SICK. No, this is not your run of the mill stomach bug or even the evil, but ever prevalent strep throat, NOOO, this is the full on PLAGUE!! Ugh!! My nightstand and coffee table look like a shrine to the multi-symptom God known only as, VIRUS. Cough drops, Ginger Ale cans, empty tea cups, Kleenex boxes, Chloraseptic spray and various other useless medication all offered up in supplication….but to no avail! Alas, I am permanently ensconced in a nest of blankets and pillows on my couch -- from which, I fear, there in no foreseeable escape!! But at least I have the internet…and Netflix!

But however humorous my whining may be that is not why you are reading my post (or maybe it it, who knows?!). Why you are most likely here today is because I have some fabulous body lotions to recommend that are sure to banish that dry, itchy winter skin. I take moisturizing very seriously -- our skin is our largest organ and it is constantly being abused. Especially in the winter, when the elements are not our friend, our skin needs a little extra (or a lot extra) TLC to help it get by.

I am religious about my lotion use. Everyone morning (and sometimes in the evening) I use some kind of lotion all over my body. You might think I am completely nuts and in all seriousness that debate is still being waged, however I really attribute the elasticity and strength of my skin to the fact that I moisturize every, single day.


One of my favorite lotions for seriously dry winter skin is Kiehl's Creme de Corps. This lotion is truly a splurge, clocking in at $48 for a 16.9oz bottle (don't worry there are smaller and larger sizes) but it is not a lotion I use year 'round. I turn to Creme de Corps only for the driest of days when it is below zero wind chill and my body needs that extra thick layer of moisture. Creme de Corps is heavy duty, without feeling that way. It is unscented and thick, but sinks into your skin pretty quickly, which is important because there is nothing I hate more than that greasy, sticky feeling. Creme de Corps contains coco butter, which is a must for dry skin as well as sesame seed oil, which skins into skin quickly and doesn't leave any greasy feeling. This lotion also contains Beta-Carotien, which is an antioxidant found most famously in carrots. Finally, many of Kiehl's products contain something called Squalane, which is a botanical lipid that is similar to your skin's own lipids. It is easily absorbed, has softening properties and helps skin retain moisture. I nab my bottle of Kiehl's Creme de Corps at Nordstrom.

My other favorite lotion for winter skin is Bliss' Lemon + Sage Body Butter Maximum Moisture Cream. Ounce for ounce, at $29.00 for 6.7oz, this cream is basically just as expensive as Kiehl's but you can often find it at a steep discount at stores like Nordstrom Rack, TjMaxx or Marshall's. I scored a haul of this stuff back in December at a TjMaxx and the bottles were like $12.99 each. In the winter this is my go to, every day lotion. It sinks in immediately and provides an excellent moisture barrier for those cold, but not (my nose hairs are freezing to the inside of my nose) kind of days. This body butter is paraben free and has a subtle lemony scent (although there are other scents too). Skin saving ingredients like coco butter and shea butter round out some of it's top five ingredients -- making Bliss' Body Butter a great all around choice.

So what are you using to help combat winter skin? Hit me up @lovelyincolumbusblog on Instagram and check out my Instagram only pick of the week -- G.M. Collin Hydrating Cream.

Stay warm and as always…
Stay lovely, Columbus!

XOXO - Ann

Life Gets in the Way -- But Sheet Masks will make it all OK!

These last couple of months have been challenging to say the least. Our baby (an incredibly spoiled miniature schnauzer named Pieper) became very ill, the cause of which was unknown. Initially, the vet thought that she may have had cancer. Needless to say my world stopped at that moment. For those of you that don't know me personally, Pieper is our world -- and although after many months of tests, medicine and eventually surgery she did NOT end up having cancer, I have been fairly well consumed with this experience. Now it is January, and she is almost back to normal! The stitches from her surgery come out on Wednesday and we are almost done with her last course of antibiotics!! Life is starting to feel more like it should, and I am beginning to get back on track personally and professionally.

In other news, my instagram feed is up and running again with my daily fashion posts and an occasional pick of the week to pass along if I find a good deal. I also hope to feature some quick beauty recommendations -- either preview things that will be coming to the blog soon or possibly instagram only selections for quick recommendations. Not sure where I am headed with the social media exactly but I may experiment with a few things. Fan feed back is always welcome! Either way, it is worth checking me out @lovelyincolumbusblog -- there will also be Pieper updates for her fan club. Seriously, she has a fan club, no lie.

So this week's beauty pick of the week and the feature for the next few weeks will be dealing with our winter skin! As I sit here this Sunday morning, snow is falling outside, there is a definite chill in the air and the wind is howling! It is a perfect day to stay indoors, drink tea, cuddle Miss P and turn on the crock pot -- and although I love this weather (yes, I am a cold weather girl!) it wreaks havoc on my skin. That dry, tight feeling you get in the winter, especially after you wash your face is something that I feel like I am constantly trying to treat this time of year. I have also noticed a lack of brightness as my parched skin tries to compensate for the lack of humidity and brisk, cold wind.

One treatment I love no matter what the weather, are sheet masks. I have been snapping them up and trying them all ever since they started to become popular last year. Sephora has a great selection as does my favorite Korean beauty websites Peach & Lily, Soko Glam and Pretty and Cute. To combat dehydrated winter skin I have been keeping a supply of Egg Cream Sheet Masks from the Korean beauty brand Too Cool For School. The hypoallergenic microfiber sheet mask is drenched in a serum made from eggs and egg yolks to nourish and brighten your skin. The egg acts as a clarifying agent, improving skins texture but without striping the skin. The egg serum is super moisturizing and non irritating. The results are instantly brightened, moisturized skin that had me running out to grab more of these babies from my local Sephora.

My second recommendation for winter sheet masks is the fabulous Boscia Sake Brightening Hydrogel Sheet Mask. This mask is designed in two parts -- one for the top half of your face and one part for the bottom half. Initially after opening the package I was surprised by this but, I quickly saw the benefit to the two parts. Not only does it allow you to fit it better on your face, but the two parts are smaller and a bit more manageable than the whole face sheet. Be careful though, the Boscia Sake Brightening Hydrogel mask is made up of hydrogel, which makes it super moisturizing but slippery as all hell. Not gonna lie, almost dropped part of this sucker in the sink while trying to put it on. Once on though, it didn't seem to slide or anything so as long as you don't drop it on the floor you will be fine!

For skin that is super parched I love the Boscia Sake Brightening Hydrogel Sheet Mask. It is composed of 100% hydrogel, which adds an extra layer of moisture to your mask experience! No dryness here! This mask includes sake to brighten and enrich your skin with various antioxidants and vitamins. It also includes marine collagen, which adds additional moisture as well as protects your skin from moisture loss and makes your face super soft and smooth! An extra added bonus? This mask utilizes jojoba leaf to help protect your skin from future damage and support skin's moisture levels.

So stay warm, stay in and try a sheet mask tonight!
And as always….
Stay lovely, Columbus!

XOXO -- Ann