Cold harsh weather, low humidity and indoor heating is depleting our skin of essential moisture and leaving it's barrier damaged and parched.  

Taking care of the skin on our body is just as important as facial skin care and I'm going to give you the basic information you need to maintain youthful, hydrated, supple skin on your entire body.

Like your face, you want to begin with a body wash that is non-drying and gentle. Try invigorating and skin-nourishing Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash or the ultra gentle Bee by The Sea Body Wash which is excellent for dry sensitive skin.

Exfoliating your body is the next step to youthful looking and feeling skin. Winter weather and central heating can leave the skin devoid of essential lipids (oil) and moisture (water) escapes, resulting in dry, dehydrated sensitized skin that has a build up of dead skin cells. A note-able benefit of exfoliating your body is it improves circulation and can promote a healthy glow to the cheeks, the ones on your face too.  Exfoliating the body can be as simple as using a face cloth to cleanse your skin using circular motion or a loofah sponge. Or you can go with a body scrub that is sugar based, salt based or contain both. These are known as mechanical exfoliants as they slough off dead skin cells through motion rather than the use of chemicals like an acid.  

What's the difference you ask?  

Sea Salt Scrubs are not recommended for sensitive skin and is an excellent choice for tougher skin. Salt based scrubs not only exfoliate the skin and improve circulation, the salt contains magnesium which is anti-inflammatory and helps flush out toxins as well as containing skin loving minerals. A salt based scrub is the way to go when trying to improve the appearance of cellulite or dimply looking skin and can aid in the firmness of your skin.

Sugar Scrubs can be used on all skin types including sensitive. The granules of sugar are smaller and softer than salt so less harsh on the skin. While a sugar scrub is a mechanical exfoliant it is also a source of glycolic acid which is a chemical exfoliant naturally occurring. We love this benefit of a sugar scrub because glycolic acid helps break down the bonding agents that hold the skin cells together, triggering cell turnover for younger, softer skin. Glycolic acid is also great for treating sun damaged skin. Sugar also draws moisture to the skin helping to retain moisture and hydration. Try Eminence Organics Coconut Sugar Scrub or get the benefits of both a sea salt scrub and sugar scrub with Eminence Organics Stone Crop Revitalizing Body Scrub. Use your skin specific exfoliant 1-2 times per week followed by body oil or lotion with-in 10 minutes of exfoliation for maximum moisture absorption.

Body oil or lotion?

The answer is either and depends on what you prefer. Applying either a body oil or lotion is an inexpensive way to pamper your skin. Body oils contain emollient ingredients like fatty acids that help lock moisture in and soften the skin. Try olive tree organics, Solskin Essential skin nourishment. This organic body oil contains a luxurious blend of raw butters, oils and essential oils to feed your skin. We also love Eminence Organics Apricot Body Oil for its vitamin rich, long-lasting hydrating and regenerative benefits for the skin. On a lighter oil note, for those who don't like the feel of an oil, try Eminence Organics Stone Crop Body Oil or Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Body Oil. Both are feather light, easily absorbed, resulting in deeply hydrated skin that has a soft, satin finish.  

A quality body lotion will lock in moisture, give you glowing skin, is anti-ageing and is quite a pleasant, relaxing feel as you rub lotion into your skin and inhale the aroma of the lotion. Try Dermalogica hydrating cream to smooth and tone while you calm your senses with the scent of French Lavender, Patchouli, Orange oil and Green tea. Some lotions contain ingredients like Coffee Extract and Microalgae extract to aid in increasing circulation and can help reduce the look of cellulite when used as prescribed by a skin care specialist. We love Eminence Organic Stone Crop Contouring Body cream that works as hard as you do targeting fat cells to visibly tone and tighten skin.

When it comes to moisturizing your body with either an oil or lotion, remember to always moisturize after exfoliating within 10 minutes. In fact, if you choose to go with a body oil, I recommend applying while you skin is still wet for better absorption. If you're really dry and flaky, you can apply a hydrating body lotion on top of your body oil.