Getting Your Skin Photo Ready in the Wintertime | Boston Family Photographer
When I was a teenager, I had terrible acne. I did everything to combat it and for years nothing really helped. Then, one day, my mom was at a health food store and one of the shopkeepers recommended an oil from a plant called neem.
It smelled terrible and was a gross brown/white color. But it worked! It cleared up my acne and hydrated my skin.
Thus began my obsession with natural skincare.
Having glowing skin in your family photos is a wonderful way to take a step toward loving the results. While my skin definitely isn’t perfect and glowing all winter long here in New England, I’ve come across a few things that I wanted to share with you.
Get Gorgeous Tea
When I first started drinking this tea, I was really skeptical. I mean, prescription drugs and steroids hadn’t helped my skin in the past so why would this?
But when I drink it every day, I notice a difference in the texture of my skin. I’m less prone to hormonal breakouts. And strangers who are in the middle of being not-very-nice to me have stopped to compliment my skin.
It has rooibos (great for circulation and full of antioxidants), hibiscus (decreases inflammation) and chamomile (calming). amongst other beautiful herbs in it. On top of all that, it’s my favorite caffeine-free warm beverage in the wintertime!
And, of course, in addition to this tea drink lots and lots of water. So much water. This central air thing we have going is super convenient but so bad for our skin.
Steaming
This isn’t a product, but rather a method that I’ve found so beneficial for years. I don’t do it often enough but when I do my skin is like, “HOLY MOLY, YOU GET ME.”
So even though I’m sure you know about the benefits of steaming your face, I’m putting it here to remind you that it’s a good thing.
If you’ve never done it, all you need to do is get some water simmering, pour it in a big bowl, and sit with your face above it and a towel over your head to let the steam do its work for 5-10 minutes.
You can fancy it up with essential oils, but because I’ve had reactions to a few of them I tend to stick with water alone. Just make sure to cleanse your skin before starting, and have your serums and/or moisturizers at the ready because your pores will be ready to accept all that goodness once you’re finished steaming.
Mask of Magnaminty
Years ago, when I was living in London and going through my first true winter, I found this mask at Lush and I go back to it every year.
It’s made with bentonite powder (derived from volcanic ash—how cool is that?) and lots of calming honey, with primrose and aduki bits to scrub off any dead skin that might be dulling your complexion.
My skin always feels about a hundred times better after using this mask on my face, but you can also use it on your feet, elbows, knees, or any other areas where you tend to get a little dry in the wintertime.
Brown & Coconut Hydrating Face Oil
Ladies, this oil. This OIL! I just got it this past fall from Kind Goods in Maynard and it rocks my world.
As I get deeper into my 30s, I’ve gone from having oily skin to having combination skin. My t-zone? Kinda oily, even in the wintertime. My cheeks? Flaky. And even the thickest moisturizers haven’t helped with the flakiness in the past.
I love this oil as a serum because I can use it on my oily areas and my dry areas and it balances me out. It’s miraculous. I use it morning and night under my respective moisturizers because it makes my skin so happy and healthy.
P.S. if you ever want to talk to someone about skincare, go talk to Michelle at Kind Goods. She’s my friend and skincare guru! She’s also a former massage therapist, which is why she knows sooooo much about circulation and skin health. Love her!
P.P.S. I also love the Brown & Coconut Hydrating Face Polish #1 because I can mix it in with my cleanser and it leaves my skin so soft and #2 because it’s my favorite shade of pale pink and looks pretty in my medicine cabinet. My natural beauty obsessed best friend loves it so much that I’ve mailed it all the way to Portland for her!
Wintertime can be so harsh on your skin, and showing up to your photo shoot with dry, cracked, or flaky skin isn’t going to make you feel good. I know because I’ve been there! These things have saved my face over the last several winters and I hope that you’ll love them, too.