Adjusting to Changes: Hair, Skin, & Nails

adjusting to change: hair, skin, and nails

Change is Coming...

adjusting to change: hair, skin, and nails

The weather is changing and depending on where you live, your hair, skin, and nails are probably feeling those changes now. It’s time to listen to your body! Nights are growing colder and the mornings are getting frostier as the days go by, which can feel brutal on our hair and skincare, especially.

Changes in the weather mean changes at home and also changes in your body. You don’t need to wonder when or how either because your body will literally show you what’s going on with it! As it grows cooler your hair and skincare may start to show you what’s happening by becoming drier, itchy, etc. You might experience worsening rosacea, acne, and other skin irritability on your face and/or scalp. Winter hair & skin issues may be inevitable but they are still preventable!

As the weather gets colder, drier, & more harsh, our hair, skin, and nails are in need of lots of extra TLC! The extra layers, turned up heaters, and cold air/winds outdoors can all be contributing factors to unwanted changes elsewhere. Sometimes all that is needed is an easy adjustment in adding a step or two to your regular hair and/or skincare routine. You may even need to implement a new product for the season to keep things balanced.

Listen to Your Body!

I recently had the opportunity to go LIVE on Instagram with my good friend and amazing esthetician, Racquel Frisella. I came across Racquel after seeing a friend and noticing how incredible her skin looked – who doesn’t want great skin?! From there, I got in touch with her and she gave me a free skin consultation (similar to how I do free color matches to Seint makeup) which led to where I’m at now. I love the products Racquel has recommended for me and I’ve seen such a huge change in my skin – it all came down to finding the right skincare routine and products for me. If you missed the LIVE, make sure to watch it below for some solid tips regarding skincare and hydration as well as what to expect in your hair, skin, and nails as winter creeps in.

The following are products either mentioned during the LIVE  or products that I believe are a great place to begin with Racquel’s skincare products!

HA Peptide Serum | Face Oil & Cleanser | Gentle Cream Cleanser | Radiant Vitamin C Serum | Growth Factor Serum | Lux Pads | Koji-C Pads

Expectations, Solutions, & Hydration

One of the biggest culprits to unhappy skin as the weather changes is lack of hydration. All that harsh cold winter air and lower humidity can cause your skin to try to make up for the lack of moisture. Your skin will do this by either overproducing more oil to hydrate the surface or it could become flaky/prone to inflammation. 

Hydration Tip (for body): Apply moisturizer IMMEDIATELY upon stepping out of the shower and towel/pat dry – your skin may be a little damp still but the level of hydration you get is night and day difference from applying to dry skin. I’ve been doing this with my Aveeno body lotion and wow has my skin been hydrated longer thanks to it. Try it out! 

Hydration Tip (for your face): You might instinctually reach for your exfoliator when you start to notice the dryness, inflammation, or redness. Let me STOP you there! Ask yourself, “When was the last time I exfoliated?” Now is the time to reflect rather than react quickly & it is the prime time to focus more on hydration! If you don’t use a Hyaluronic Acid of some sort, below is one of my favorites by Racquel Frisella, her HA Peptide Serum. Hyaluronic Acid is one of the easiest ways to start adding more hydration to the skin; to read more about the benefits of HA, click here.

Don’t forget to give the rest of your hair & skin extra TLC, not just the skin on your face! Below are a few lotions and potions I use, especially in the wintertime, for any dry hands or cracked skin on my body. These are also great to keep handy next to your bed or to take on the go for those hands! If you’re loving what you currently use for your hair, but you’re finding it could use a little more love, incorporate a hydrating hair masque to your shower routine. Whether it’s a homemade masque or your favorite one from the salon/shop, nourish those locks as much as your skin. Make sure to drink lots of water and if your hair is just feeling dull, spruce things up with a hydrating oil. I linked a couple that I love below as well!

 

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Sunscreen Review Part. 1

Sunscreen Review cover photo
Sunscreen Review cover photo

Sunscreen is one of the number one things you should be packing for on the go daily! Of course getting some of that summer sun is nice, but not all the sun’s rays are safe for us. I’ve had lots of questions asked about which sunscreen to use under makeup, which to use daily, and which one I like overall. I tested each sunscreen below for a week and here’s my conclusion in comparison to their description!

Cocokind Daily SPF

Cocokind Sunscreen

Price: $24.99

Rating: 1.5/5

Skin Type: Great for dry skin!

Site Description: “Cocokind’s Daily lightweight, mineral-based SPF 32 uses reef-safe zinc oxide, blue phytoplankton and microalgae to protect skin against UVA and UVB rays, blue light and pollution damage.”

My Review: After testing it for a week, I found this sunscreen isn’t sweat-proof or water-proof so I would not recommend wearing this one if you plan to be active or are going through menopause, but it does a good job as a daily SPF under your makeup. It does not smell the greatest so that was definitely undesired. It does go on pretty white and is a much thinner consistency however it takes a lot of rubbing in before it absorbs into your skin. Overall, this one gets a 1.5/5 from me!

Coola Mineral Sun Silk Crème

Coola Sunscreen

Price: $42.00

Rating: 1/5

Skin Type: Better for Dry Skin

Site Description: “COOLA’s Full Spectrum 360° Mineral Sun Silk Crème SPF 30 is an oil-free, airy-light formula that gently glides on to form a transparent veil to protect against the sun, digital and environmental pollution.”

My Review: I was super excited for this sunscreen because I love that it comes in a recyclable glass bottle and I love their self tanner as well! Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of my least favorite sunscreens. It is vegan and cruelty free and goes on like water but after applying it, the COOLA soon felt gritty. After rubbing the mineral sunscreen in and giving it plenty of time to absorb, it still left white streaks on my skin which is something I try to avoid with daily SPF. The consistency was pretty watery but it does thicken as you rub it in. It isn’t water-proof or sweat-proof either so it isn’t made for a day swimming or being active!

Biossance Sheer Mineral Sunscreen

Biossance SPF

Price: $42.00

Rating: 3/5

Skin Type: Normal to Dry skin

Site Description: “Powerfully invisible broad-spectrum, non-toxic SPF 30 zinc mineral sunscreen protects even the most sensitive skin like you’ve never seen—now also in jumbo size, 2x the size with a better value. This lightweight, deeply hydrating clean sunscreen lotion blends in for all skin tones fast without leaving a trace. It calms and cools sun-stressed skin and leaves absolutely everyone with a soft, dewy finish.”

My Review: This sunscreen truly has a lightweight finish on the skin. It is not too thick or thin of a consistency and a little bit goes a long way for sure with this one. I honestly did not love it, but I did not hate it either which is why I give it a middle rating. It smells like your typical everyday sunscreen and wears well under makeup for daily use! I did really like this one, but when I went to Texas I found it is not a great sunscreen to wear under makeup in humid weather. That being said, it would do better for normal/dry skin in that insta

EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF

Elta MD SPF

Price: $37.00

Rating: 4/5

Skin Type: Acne-prone, Rosacea, & Hyperpigmented skin

Site Description: “Oil-free EltaMD UV Clear helps calm and protect sensitive skin types prone to discoloration and breakouts associated to acne and rosacea. It contains niacinamide (vitamin B3), hyaluronic acid and lactic acid, ingredients that promote the appearance of healthy-looking skin. Very lightweight and silky, it may be worn with makeup or alone. Choose from tinted and untinted formulas for use every day.”

My Review: EltaMD is definitely a thicker consistency than the others. This sunscreen starts out thick however it does absorb in well compared to the others I tested. This one does smell a little bit like horse sweat – maybe a lot a bit –  but it has been recommended to me so many times by both customers and estheticians! I would recommend this for either dry or oily skin as it’s sheer and truly lightweight but really anyone struggling with skin issues needs this one as it’s professional grade sunscreen.

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Sunscreen Review

Price: $44.00

Rating: 4.5/5

Skin Type: Normal to Oily

Site Description: “This oil-free, broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen delivers high sun protection in a mattifying, antioxidant-rich base that’s perfect for oily and acne-prone skin types. Micro-sponge technology absorbs surface oils and gives skin a flawless, shine-free finish. It doubles as a protective primer to create a healthy glow before makeup application.”

My Review: If you know me, you know IMAGE is my absolute favorite! It smells great, kind of like fruit loops, and even men love this one. It leaves a great matte finish and doesn’t go on leaving you slimy or oily. If you’re on the really dry skin side, this one wouldn’t be the best option as it is mattifying. This sunscreen blends in quickly and does not leave me feeling greasy whatsoever. It has a great lightweight finish which is a must for daily wear under makeup! I have heard that the company changed their formulas as a whole and I’m a little nervous to give it a full 5 star rating due to this but I do recommend this sunscreen over any other!

So there you have it! My favorite suncreen tested out of these 5 was definitely the IMAGE Protection + but for sure check the ingredients for any allergies you may have before purchasing! Remember that it is SO important to wear sunscreen daily and give your skin that tender loving care it deserves. I will be coming out with another sunscreen review here soon so stay tuned loves! Be sure to check out my other blog posts (click here) with lots of awesome tips and tricks for you!