The transition into fall and winter is always a tricky one. The mornings and evenings start to get darker, everyone is tired. The cold crisp air can also wreak havoc on our skin & hair, just like the sun would. As some of you may know I'm from the great white north that is Canada, cold weather is not new to me at all. What I love about Ireland though is that we kind of stay in that "in between/fall" period for the whole winter. And I love the crisp air!
After all these years enduring the cold, I'm confident in calling myself quite experienced in dealing with it. So here are my favourite tips to make the transition easier and learn to love the colder months!
1. ADD A COSY BLANKET TO YOUR HOME
There's nothing better than looking outside on a cold day while all wrapped up and warm. I've spoken about this blanket before on Instagram, but I bought this wool blanket on my first ever trip to Ireland. It lives on my couch, and I snuggle up in it pretty much every single day of my life. I LOVE being on the couch all wrapped up in a nice blanket. I invested in mine and even though I've used it almost everyday for 5-6 years, it looks just like new. I got one of these for my mom from Avoca, and if wool isn't your thing White & Green have an amazing organic cotton throw that would look great in any home!
2. INVEST IN A QUALITY SCARF
I cannot stress this point enough. Cheap scarves will let the wind in, be scratchy, shed and do all kinds of not-so-nice things. They also won't last that long. This year I invested in this piece of wonderful softness. It's so cozy and warm I can't get enough of it. Natural fibers like wool also retain heat much better than synthetics and will still let your breathe, so it's much more comfortable. Plus nice scarves are definitely a style item that doesn't go out of style.
3. GIVE IN TO THE JUMPER LIFESTYLE
I love winter because it means I get to just put on a different jumper everyday and feel like i'm in my pyjamas! Jumpers are without a doubt my favourite thing about winter. There are so many styles out there, and so many different ways to wear and layer them. I prefer to invest in either 100% wool or 100% cotton jumpers, because I'm trying to avoid plastic microfibers. Jumpers are also great if your weight is fluctuating. I wrote all about that a few weeks ago, but jumpers are a piece I don't mind investing in because they will fit me for a long time. I buy them more fitted and they will then become oversized as I keep loosing weight.
4. ALL THE TEA
I always liked tea but living in Ireland definitely brought this to a whole new level. Tea is definitely a must-have for me for the cold season. I do like it at home, but what I much prefer is tea/coffee dates. I love meeting someone on a cold day, walking into a cafe and getting all cosy with a warm cuppa. Or just walking outside in a park with a cup of tea. Really anything with a cup of tea. I like that there are so many variations and possibilities! One good eco tip though is to always prioritize loose-leaf tea to avoid extra packaging. Thankfully for me, loose-leaf tea is getting more and more popular and there are so many options out there! The one on the photo is a tea called "Champagne Bouquet" from Cupan Tae, a tea shop in Galway. It's probably my favourite of all time.
5. LIP MASKS
Lips usually take a bit of a beating in the cold weather, and chapped lips become the norm. I wrote about this in one of my very first blog posts, but I'm still absolutely in love with the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask. It's a very thick lip balm that you can put on your lips before going to bed. This moisturizes all through the night, it's even still there in the morning. It leaves your lips feeling soft, plump and ready to tackle one more day in the cold. I'm not a big fan of the Agave "flavour" and it's taking me ages to go through my tube, but they have other flavours available just in case!
6. FIND A TRUSTY FACE MOISTURIZER
Winter is also super harsh for you skin, and navigating rich moisturizers and makeup is sometimes a little difficult. The one I've been using non stop is the Sukin Super Greens Nutrient Rich Facial Moisturizer. This is one of my favourite beauty finds since starting my green journey! It's really cheap, easy to find and works like a charm. It's rich enough to leave a silky feeling on the skin and it plays very well with makeup. I've never had any issues with pilling or things of the sort. Sukin is a great beauty brand so I'm happy to rave about it. I do wish they would change their pump though as it's a little clunky. Whichever moisturizer works best for you, stick to it. Keeping your skin hydrated will play a big role in surviving the cold months!
7. START USING A BALM
Typically we mostly think of balms as a lip care item, but they can do so much more. I talked about this Trilogy Everything Balm in my post about how to care for your skin in the sun. This alone should speak to how versatile they are. I love using balms on my lips but also on my cuticles and on my elbows. My secret trick for the winter comes when you're sick though. Anyone else gets their nose super irritated when they catch a cold and need tissues 24/7? Well I have just the solution. I put this (or any) balm on my nose and reapply during the day. This acts as a barrier and helps the tissues glide better and helps the skin recover as fast as possible.
2 comments
Once more you wrote what I need to read 🙂
I’m from Brazil and I’ve been struggling for two years with this cold weather 😥
I see Sukin products constantly now, I might give them a try next time I’m in need.
Have a great week!
Ahhh thanks Camila 🙂 Yes I love pretty much everything I’ve tried from Sukin so far. And they’re very budget friendly! Regarding the cold weather, hang in there 🙂