A Lesson in Loving Winter

Unless you're reading this from the front porch of your winter home in sunny Cabo, you're dealing with winter skin right now.

I know all you summer lovers out there are pinning for warmer, more humidified days, but winter has its perks too, guys! For example, you don't have to deal with bugs. Even on winters warmest days, you don't have to swat a fly or dodge a mosquito once. That right there is enough reason to give Old Man Winter a sloppy wet kiss, am I right?!

One way to help your skin love this time of year and quit complaining in the form of itchiness and flakes, is by taking a less steamy shower.

The thing is (and pardon me as I don my lab coat and glasses as I say this) your skin has three layers and the first layer is the one that, among other things, helps you retain moister. In order to help you retain that moisture, there is a layer of oil that lives on this part of your skin.

When you take a hot shower with soap (of course) you melt and strip that layer of oil. It's kind of what you're going for because that's where all the dirt and potential body odor comes from, but when you pair that with the dry winter air you're left with red itchy skin.

The way to avoid all of this is either take a short hot shower (the shorter exposure time wouldn't hurt you as much) or a long cooler one. And actually when you're cold it's better to take a cooler shower so that your body can adjust its temperature.  Have you ever gotten in a hot shower with cold feet? It's like stepping on needles!

Another good thing to do the moment you get out, is either use baby oil before you dry off to give yourself a new layer of moisture OR lotion up. I like both, but if I had to choose I'd go with lotion because it smells good :)

Bath and body lotions are wonderful (and even Victoria Secret makes some impressive ones) but if it's soothing you're going for, Gold Bond Ultimate Daily Moisturizing Lotion is THE greatest. I have a bottle that lives on my desk for my hands and every time I use it I wish it would follow me around. It soaks in quickly but leaves your skin oooober moisturized. Also it has a scent free option, but the scented kind is so light you can barely tell it's there.

Ok, pencils down, lab coats off. Now go enjoy the day, itch free!

And a special thanks to this article here for all my scientific insight. I know, I know you thought it came from my genius brain, I really do hate to shatter that illusion ;)

Also, don't forget to watch The Spiff live tomorrow morning at 8:15 instead of 8:45! On Fox!