Discover New Ways to Combat Your Dry Hair & Skin This Winter

Discover new and easy ways to combat dry hair & skin this winter. Sharing my favorite bentonite clay hair mask, oils for dry skin, what to avoid, & more!!!

For anyone out there who is experiencing the harsh effects on your skin & hair that the winter months usually bring, this post is for YOU! No one wants dry hair or skin, so I put together a list of things to help you combat dryness or whatever you may be experiencing!! I promise there is something here for everyone!!

I naturally have really dry skin & hair so I have to work extra hard to make sure everything is looking moisturized & good to go. But it’s hard! It’s BEYOND freezing here in Canada & I feel like I don’t even have to leave my apartment to experience the elements of the cold. Even the air is completely different…it’s so dry!

Last year around this time, I posted about my two favorite skincare essentials that really helped save my skin last winter when I was living in Sweden! Again, my skin really went through a period of not really knowing what on earth was going on! I spent a ton of time walking outside…the town was relatively small but we didn’t have a car, so I walked everywhere! With that said, my skin is experiencing some of the same things I experienced last winter, so I thought this would be the perfect time to share some more skin secrets. But I also wanted to take it a step further & talk about dry winter hair too, because that is definitely a thing!!

So let’s get into it!!

How to combat dry skin in the winter

• Drink a ton of water. Hydrate from the inside out. Drinking celery juice first thing when you wake up is amazing for the skin as well!!
• Dry brush!! I try to dry brush at least once a day. It does wonders for your body & your skin, while also brushing away any flaky or dead skin! Want to read more on dry brushing? Check out this post!
• Cut down on time spent in really hot showers…this one is the hardest for me!!
• Spritz your face with all-natural rose water spray! Rose water helps moisturize, purify, soothe & calm the skin, while reducing any skin inflammation! I spritz my face at least 10x per day!
• Moisturize with rose hip oil. Rose hip oil is wonderful for any skin impurities & irritation. It really helps lock in the moisture!
• Use Almond Oil to take your makeup off instead of a makeup wipes. Makeup wipes can strip the moisture from your face. Using an oil can add hydration & moisturize the skin while literally melting off the makeup! Nut allergy? Use Grape Seed oil!
• Use shea butter to moisturize your body.
• Exfoliate the skin 1-2 times a week! You can make the simplest exfoliant ever by mixing a tiny bit of coconut oil with sugar!! It works great!
• Avoid products or soaps with harsh foaming agents because they easily dry out the skin. Try a gentle cleanser instead.
• Invest in a humidifier! I would definitely do this but since I’m not staying here permanently, I don’t want to have to buy one only to use it for a few months… & space is going to be limited in my car when I drive back to the states LOL!

How to combat dry hair in the winter

• Incorporate a hair oil or serum to your routine to lock in the moisture, especially on your ends! You can even use rose hip oil for this!
• Don’t shampoo as often. Shampooing strips the moisture from your hair! I have an entire post on this that I can’t wait to share! – Read how to oil train your hair here!
• On days when you skip the shampoo, give your hair a good, deep conditioning!
• Experiencing dandruff or a dry scalp? Try a bentonite clay hair mask! I’ll put the instructions below!!
• Apply a scoop of coconut oil to your hair, root to ends, put your hair up in a bun, & leave it on for as long as possible! This adds instant moisture!
• Go NATURAL! Forget the heat & rock your natural hair. This will be different for everyone but I manage to only use heat/styling tools only a few times a month & it REALLY helps! And if you do use heat often, make sure you are using a heat protectant!
• Do an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse weekly before you shampoo! Work 2-3 tbsps of ACV into your scalp before rinsing! It helps to restore the scalp!

Bentonite Clay Hair Mask

1. Mix 2 tbsp of bentonite clay, 5 drops of tea tree essential oil, & 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar.
2. Whisk until smooth.
3. Apply the mixture to wet hair & scalp.
4. Comb the mixture through the hair.
5. Leave the mask on for at least 20 minutes.
6. Wash your hair. (I’m not going to lie, it might take a while to wash everything out!)
7. Repeat as often as needed. (I saw results after the first time!)

I hope you found something that you might want to try in an effort to combat your dry hair & skin!! This is the first time in my life that I’ve experienced any sort of dandruff or a dry scalp, but I swear the bentonite clay mask really did help!! At least for me, winter is no where near over, so I will be doing these things repeatedly in order to keep myself together LOL!

Do you have any tips that help save your skin & hair during the winter?