Whenever NYC expects a snow storm, it becomes a worst case scenario snowpocalypse for the ages media story, covered for days on the national nightly news in the most dire terms. Whenever Chicago expects a snowstorm, it’s business as usual. We know things are bad if schools close. In the five years that I’ve lived here, I’ve never seen lines at the supermarket or suffered a kale shortage the likes of NYC’s.
It’s fair to say that winter conditions in the Midwest will wear you down. You get used to snow. You get used to negative degrees. They say Chicago’s weather weeds out the weak. I don’t know about that, but I do know that the climactic conditions here force you to be tough when you do leave the house, and resourceful when you’re stuck inside. As a beauty lover and product junkie aficionado, I have come to love snow days. Cozy days when you’re nestled inside away from the cold, watching snowflakes drift past the window – you’d better learn to love them when you live in the Midwest! On snow days, I love to treat myself to a little self care and indulge in DIY beauty treatments I otherwise would leave for the Sunday beauty ritual.
Avocado facial photo via Shutterstock
I have two specific criteria for snow day beauty treatments.
#1 – they must be moisturizing. Obviously. Winter is drying and harsh and miserable enough as it is. Your skin and hair are crying out for moisture. Replenish your situation!
#2 – they must be relaxing. I’m not talking about anything that will be stressful or will result in a major cleanup afterwards.
You should emerge from your DIY blizzard beauty treatment feeling rejuvenated and relaxed, and your skin and hair should be emollient yet dry (nobody wants wet hair or skin in winter). Here are my top picks of treatments to while away your snow day in luxury!
– Hair pre-poo treatments and deep conditioning treatments. During the winter, your hair gets super crunchy and dry because of the air outside and central air inside. You need to replenish that moisture in terms of internal consumption and external application. This is the time to bust out your coconut oil and your olive oil and whip together a pre-shampoo treatment, or add some oils to your deep conditioner of choice. Another thing…
– Hot oil or steam treatments. A hot oil treatment can truly increase the shine and luster of your hair in the dull and drying winter months. And steam treatments can enhance your conditioner and allow it to penetrate the hair cuticle even better.
– Moisturizing face masks. Even though it’s winter, my skin remains acne prone and oily. But BECAUSE it’s winter, my face is also dry. It can be such an unfortunate situation, oily combination skin. In chilly winter weather and during blizzards, I love doing a good face mask. You can make moisturizing at home face treatments with honey, yogurt, oatmeal and avocado. Check out this helpful post on Brit+Co for inspiration!
– Sugar and oil based body scrubs. Perhaps the easiest at home beauty treatment to do during a blizzard (or just on a weekend because you feel like it). Of course there are a bajillion fancy pre-made sugar scrubs for sale on drugstore and department store shelves, but this is TOTALLY something you can make yourself with turbinado sugar, olive oil (or your carrier oil of choice), skin-friendly essential oils for fragrance. Add honey or oatmeal to enhance the moisturizing smoothness factor and your skin will be SO happy. Word of advice, don’t slough off your skin with this gunky mixture while in your shower stall, that’s a quick path to clogged-drainsville. Instead stand on old newspapers and then throw all that mess away. It’s still smart to use a drain hair stopper when rinsing yourself smooth.
What’s your favorite DIY beauty treatment?
Cute love little quip about NYC, my city. No, we are not accustomed to blizzards and such the way that the Midwest is used to them! We get them spaced apart enough to remember them as: “the blizzard of so and so”… But yes, keeping your body and hair during the harsh winter is so important!
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