With the summer well and truly behind us and the cooler autumn weather becoming a daily occurrence, it’s time to think about winter. Now, we love the cosy nights in front of the fire and the excuse to enjoy some tasty warming food – but what we don’t love is the effect the cold winter weather has on our skin.

Your winter beauty regime probably consists of desperately trying to stop your skin from getting relentlessly dry. From chapped lips to dry hands, the cold air can play havoc on your skin. Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at some treatments that can promote a healthier and happier you over the next season.

Let’s take a look at some of the best treatments to enjoy for winter.

Body Treatments

Your body is your temple and if the bricks are starting to crumble away because of the cold weather, it’s time to embrace a few treatments to help combat the effects. The main issue with winter weather is the huge change in temperature. Sometimes you can go from a toasty office to a freezing cold train platform and the difference in the warm and cold air causes your skin to turn flaky and sometimes very painful.

Not just that, but we often want to crank up the heat of our showers to give us that extra warmth in the morning, but this will actually strip away the moisture that you work so hard to keep in.

A back or chest facial works to cleanse and tone your skin, whilst also exfoliating. With a mixture of steam treatment and a mask, it is perfect for dehydrated skin that has been sapped of its moisture. 

For people who want to opt for something deliciously luxurious, how about a chocolate body wrap? No, you can’t eat it, but you can enjoy its moisturising effects. Not only will it keep the skin smooth and hydrated, it also helps to stimulate fat metabolism and evens skin tone.

Facial Treatments

You can wrap your body up in lots of layers, but your face is on the front line and it’s hard to keep it safe from freezing temperatures. Runny noses can give way to scabby nostrils, and icy breezes can often lead to chapped and bleeding lips.

Even if you have gallons of lip balm, your cheeks, chin and forehead (including your t-zone) are all likely to feel the freeze set in. Even your regular beauty and skincare products may not be quite up to scratch with you increased needs, so it’s probably time to let your beauty therapist use their professional knowledge to help you out.

A good quality facial will restore some of the skin’s natural moisture, whilst also cleansing and exfoliating the various impurities that you are faced with on a daily basis. Also, opting for back, neck and shoulder massage to accompany your facial will help relieve stress so you can embrace the winter season!

If you’re worried about trying out any new treatments, don’t be! Your beauty therapist will be highly knowledgeable about not just the condition of your skin, but also the various ingredients that can make it happier throughout the winter. 

Other Useful Tips for Healthier Winter Skin

There are some steps you can take to help your skin deal with winter weather. Keeping yourself hydrated is very important so don’t scrimp on water and make sure you drink up! This will help your body overall, but it will also encourage your skin to retain its own natural moisture.

Your diet also influences your winter vibes. If you opt for meals that contain anti-oxidant ingredients and vitamins, you can help fight off illness and promote a healthy body inside and out. Fish, nuts, fruit and healthy fats will bring out your skin’s natural glow and moisture, giving you the glow you dream of.

As we mentioned earlier, your hot shower could be having a negative effect on your skin! Keeping showers and baths short and the water warm rather than very hot can help reduce the loss of moisture – and don’t forget to moisturise head to toe afterwards.

Dark mornings and evenings, freezing winds and most probably a barrage of rainstorms – winters in the UK can leave a lot to be desired, however beautiful they may also be. Take the stress out of winter skincare so you can enjoy the positives of the season – your beauty therapist can help!

Guest Post

Today is the start of Rhematoid Arthritis Awareness Week run by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.  

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto immune condition, where the body attacks the lining of the joints.  This causes inflammation, pain and stiffness.If left untreated, the joint can lose its shape and alignment and lead to permanent disability. 

Key Facts

• Rheumatoid arthritis can affect people of any age. Around three-quarters of people with rheumatoid arthritis are first diagnosed when of working age, and women are three times as likely as men to have the disease. 
• Rheumatoid arthritis is an often misunderstood disease, confused with osteoarthritis, which is commonly a wear-and-tear disease generally affecting the older population. 
• More than 400,000 people in the UK (around 1%) have rheumatoid arthritis, costing the NHS approximately £560 million per year. The National Audit Office estimate that the total cost of RA to the UK economy is £4.8 billion per year

The conventional medical approaches to treating RA include medication and sometimes surgery.  To complement this, there are also holistic treatments and natural health products which can help to ease inflammation and pain.

Holistic Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis

In terms of the treatments I offer, the most useful is Aromatherapy massage

With aromatherapy massage, there are several beneficial effects for sufferers of RA:

1) pain relief and decreased stiffness, increased mobility in the joints from the massage

2) reduction of inflammation due to the use of essential oils in the massage oil.  Essential oils are absorbed into the bloodstream during an aromatherapy massage and so continue to work after your treatment has ended.

3) improvement in mood levels due to the release of the "happy" hormones during massage

Please note, during an acute flare-up where the joints are very painful, massage would not be advisable.  In such cases, I would advise Reiki as this doesn't involve any massage or manipulation of the body, is deeply relaxing, can bring pain relief and can also help to improve mood levels.  Reiki can also be carried out in a comfortable chair for those who find it painful to lie down on a massage couch.

Products for Rheumatoid Arthritis

I also create customised organic Aromatherapy bath and body products for clients, and these are available in various sizes.  Following a consultation, I basically choose a blend of essential oils which are suitable for your condition.  This massage oil can then be used, preferably after bathing, on a daily basis or as and when needed.

Essential oils, used in aromatherapy products, are highly versatile, working both on the physical body and on our psychological and emotional natures. This makes aromatherapy one of the best treatments for holistic health, as it has positive effects on all aspects of our being.

Depending on the method used to intake the oils, they are either absorbed into our system via the Skin (massage) or our Lungs and Nasal passages (inhalation). Note, if you use essential oils in a wash-off product, e.g shower gel, facial wash, soap, they are not on the skin long enough to absorb fully. You will have minimal absorption through inhalation only but not through the skin

Some of the most useful essential oils for Rheumatoid Arthritis include:

Inflammation: Lavender, Chamomile

Pain & Stiffness Relief: Lavender, Chamomile, Sweet Marjoram, *Black Pepper, *Ginger - *these are warming, stimulating oils so may not be suitable during acute inflammation flare-ups and more suited to ease stiffness.

Mood Uplifters: Orange, Bergamot, Ylang Ylang.

If you haven't used Essential oils before, I have a beginner's ebook which will teach you how to use them safely.

Well, that's all folks, I hope you have found this post useful and do remember to check out the Rheumatoid Arthritis Society website as well. There are lots of useful tips and helpful information for people who have this painful and debilitating condition.

Until next time

Zoe

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