I’ve been asked several times this winter, “What are you using that makes your skin look so glow-y and hydrated?!”
As someone who loves getting to the root cause (not just treating symptoms or topically), the secret is to start from the inside out.
1.) Inside
Right away in the morning, I drink 3 glasses of water (after I do my oil pulling and brush my teeth).
The body is 70% water and to fit in 6 glasses of water a day can be hard (the glasses I’m using are about 13 ounces), so by drinking 3 in the morning, which is half of what I need, I start my day - and my body, off on the right foot.
The general guideline is to drink half of your body weight in ounces a day. For example, someone who is 150lbs, should drink 75 ounces of water a day.
I first learned this when I was going for weekly colon hydrotherapy appointments with my naturopath. For two days leading up to the appointment, I would have to drink half of my body weight in ounces of water to be sure I was properly hydrated (better to be well-hydrated vs. having my body absorb water from the colonic!).
To me, 75 ounces sounded like a lot of water! I thought I would be floating away, but when it comes to the dry, harsh and long Chicago winters, drinking 75 ounces of water a day really makes a difference.
I can see it in my glowing, plump skin, and no chapped lips (my naturopath would tell me that chapped lips are a clear sign of not enough water, but once I started drinking enough, that problem went away:).
Drinking the other 3 glasses can be tricky as I don’t drink during or right after meals because this dilutes our stomach acid and inhibits proper digestion (remember, you can be consuming the best foods, but if you’re not digesting it, none of the nutrients matter).
However, I will drink water before a meal to make sure I get my 75 ounces of water, but not during or after eating.
2.) Outside
Next is topically. I believe in high-quality, non-toxic ingredients and I’ve been so in love (and impressed), with Town & Anchor’s face oils.
Vegan & cruelty free and made with 100% organic carrier oils (and you will recognize every ingredient in them), these luxury face oils are amazing and affordable ($39 each). More than a lotion or serum, these handcrafted and highly effective oils have brought such brightness and hydration to my skin.
I started using them 4 days before I left for India and was so amazed that I went and bought a travel container to put them in – that’s how impressed I was!
Every day, (after spraying on Tata Harper’s Hydrating Floral Essence), I use either the Restoring or the Balancing oil. Then, I apply my non-toxic foundation, blush et cetera.
One more step…
Lastly, chemicals can be very harsh – and very drying, so this is why I love, love, love my $30 shower head filter that removes nasty chlorine (and any of the harsh fumes that come from taking a warm shower without a filter).
This filter also means I can go the whole winter without applying any lotion – goodbye dry, flaky skin! It also helps keep your hair color and is safer all around as chlorine can “kick” certain minerals out of our bodies like iodine, which for women, is needed by the thyroid, breasts and uterus yet the thyroid can only hold on to it for 24 hours.
If I’m traveling for a long time, I will take my filter with me. Even when I give my dog a bath, I run water through the shower head so that he gets the safest and cleanest water possible!
What are your favorite products or tricks for staying hydrated and glow-y in the winter? I believe being happy, connected to our higher self and balance is also key, but some amazing products also help with that inner and outer glow!