No matter where you live, you need to take care of your skin a little differently when the temperature starts to drop.
Frigid, windy air outside and warm, dry air inside really give your skin the business and not in a good way. As a result, there are a few things that I like to change/add to my skincare routine to keep my melanin glowing, no matter the season.
Here's how you can achieve great skin all winter long.
Add A Chemical Exfoliator
DeAndrea Douglas
When it's warmer and more humid, your skin doesn't need as much help staying moisturized and radiant as it does in the winter. The air inside and outside is out to make you look dull and dusty. I can't live my life like that, so I add a chemical exfoliator to my cleansing routine.
Full disclosure; I use it all year long, but only once per week.
However, as soon as it dips below 50 degrees, I use the Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser to chemically exfoliate in lieu of my regular cleanser twice per week. I'll also use a toner with glycolic acid in it, like Pixi Glow Tonic. Basically, look for products with Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) in them like glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid to exfoliate chemically.
You need to exfoliate more in the winter because your cells are dehydrating and dying out faster and exfoliating gets them out of the way so newer, more radiant cells can shine. Dull skin is not cute!
Plus, with the dead cells out of the way your moisturizers and treatments will be able to work a lot better. Opt for a chemical exfoliator for your face because they are gentler than manual ones. That means the skin on your face won't be rubbed raw, but will still be radiant.Switch To A Heavy Duty Moisturizer
DeAndrea Douglas
As for keeping these facial moisturization levels in check, I'll swap my lighter emulsion for a heavier moisturizer. I like to use an emulsion to moisturize in the warmer months because it's very light and almost watery, so my oily skin won't start shining in a bad way, but it's not enough for the winter. Usually switching to a regular daily moisturizer like Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer does the trick, but this year…not so much.
I had to pull out the big guns to keep my oil production from going into overdrive. I wanted some intense hydration that wouldn't mess with my makeup application in the morning like a moisturizer for dry skin does.
I reached for the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask and my skin loved it! I just put it on before bed and I woke up to soft, radiant skin. I saw there was a lip version of this mask (Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask), so I tried that too and I don't know how my lips made it through all of these winters without it.
Up Your Shower Routine Game
DeAndrea Douglas
I can't be out here with a radiant face and ashy body, so I make a few changes to my shower routine too. The first thing hurts my feelings. I will do anything for beauty because I'm a little vain like that, but I'll never stop taking steaming hot showers. I usually like my water so hot that it almost itches, but that does my skin exactly 0 favors. Hot water strips moisture from your skin so after a day of many cotton layers, wind, and dry air stealing moisture from your skin, taking a hot shower will zap the last of it right up. Warm water is okay, though.
A regular loofah and soap don't really cut it for me exfoliation-wise when it's cooler. I add a body scrub twice per week to pick up the slack. I've tried a few here and there, but this Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish is on a new level! It smells so good and has HUGE sugar crystals in it, so it exfoliates like no other! My skin feels so smooth and soft afterwards from all of the nourishing oils in it, but I will still layer a body butter on when I get out of the shower.
I love to use body butters in the winter instead of body lotion because they're a lot heavier and moisturize WAY deeper. My current favorite is Mango Body Butter from The Body Shop. Personally, I enjoy smelling like a tropical vacation, so this scent is right up my alley.
If I'm feeling particularly parched, I'll layer an oil on after the body butter to seal in all of that moisturizing goodness. Almond oil and coconut oil are great options for this. They make your skin glisten and don't have overwhelming scents.
Do you change your beauty routines with the seasons? Let us know some of your tried and true favorites in the comments below.
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With a multi-layered approach to her artistry, just as she did on that winter day in December 2013 with the infamous digital drop of her self-titled album, she changed the game again on February 1, 2023, when she announced her world tour in support of Renaissance, her seventh studio album. Her cultural impact set the internet ablaze, with everyone trying to gather their coins, barter for presale codes, and figure out which cities to attend. The group chats were lit, and the Beyhive was stressed trying to get their hands on tickets.
Beyoncé's Renaissance tour stop in L.A.
Photo courtesy of Dontaira Terrell
Unfortunately, I was in that number. As the concert dates passed by and the one in my city drawing near all roads led to disappointment. With time ticking on the day of the Miami show and less than two hours to spare, my wallet bit the bullet, and I purchased three last-minute tickets, costing roughly $700.00 a piece (including fees) for me, my 9-year-old and 16-year-old nieces in Section 121 at the Hard Rock Stadium. With 10 minutes before showtime, we eagerly awaited the Queen to take the stage. A sea of metallic fringes, cowboy hats, disco fans, and western boots were in full effect and filled the entire stadium.
Dontaira with her nieces at Beyoncé's Renaissance tour stop in Miami.
Photo courtesy of Dontaira Terrell
As the lights dimmed, a flood of emotions instantly overtook my body. It continued with each note she belted, along with nearly 50,000 roaring fans. The reverberating sound of the music through the stadium transported me from one era of my life to the next. As a teen girl in her bedroom daydreaming about her first love to blossoming into an unapologetic Black woman who is still on a road of self-discovery while learning to lean into the power anthem of "You won't break my soul." For over two hours, and with each set, I felt joy, love, peace, and a commanderie with fellow concertgoers. It was therapeutic as I danced like no one was watching and sang as if I were alone in my bathroom mirror.
There were no bars held, and I realized at that moment, "Nobody can judge me but me." The "Renaissance World Tour" proved to be so vast, and my Black girl joy was re-invigorated. It was magnetic and liberating, and I had to attend again, but this time, I needed to be up close and personal; I needed to be on the floor. In the days that passed, I watched more social media clips in different cities and asked myself if I would really splurge again to attend another Renaissance show.
Beyoncé's Renaissance tour stop in Miami.
Photo courtesy of Dontaira Terrell
After all, this would be my thirteenth time (maybe more because I lost count) seeing Beyoncé live, whether she was on tour with Destiny's Child, as a solo artist, or doing a live appearance. I contemplated for a while, but it worked itself out on its own. I was gifted two tickets and the next thing I knew, I was off to LA to attend another Renaissance show with floor seats at SoFi Stadium during Beyonce's 42nd birthday weekend! This time, things were different: no kids were allowed. It was adults only this go round.
Although the energy at the Miami and Los Angeles shows was empowering, infectious, and a celebration of life, happiness, and identity, they each provided their own unique experience. However, both concerts were what I needed for my well-being, leaving me with sore feet from dancing the night away, on vocal rest for the next few days from screaming at the top of my lungs, and on an indefinite high on life.
My introduction and love for Beyoncé began in 1996, while my older sister lived in Houston, TX, right before Bey hit the scene in 1998 with "No, No, No" as a budding R&B member. Her evolution twenty-seven years later as an international superstar and into womanhood has been an incredible journey to witness. As Mrs. Carter reminds each of us in the audience every night before the curtain closes, "I want you to remember this moment, where you're standing, who you came with, and take it with you. I hope you feel inspired."
I truly felt inspired, so thank you, Queen Bey. You awakened my inner child, and I will definitely remember these moments and take them with me.
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Feature image by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood
