Winter is just around the corner: keep your skin in balance with these beauty rituals

Our skin is a sensitive little thing. Stress, harmful environmental influences and seasonal changes can really throw it off balance.

Especially in winter, my skin vies for my attention from head to toe. It is dry, irritated and tight. I'm sure you know this too.

There's only one thing to do: soothing beauty rituals that make your skin supple - and give the winter blues the soft shoulder. 

Here are my favorite rituals and recipes that will transform your home into a temple of wellness. I've also risked a peek over the edge of my jar - at my country of longing, Sweden.

 

 

 

Sweating for beauty

On my trip through Scandinavia, I fell madly in love with Sweden. In addition to the breathtaking landscapes, the natural beauty of the Swedish women immediately caught my envious eye. One of their beauty secrets is regular saunas - a fountain of youth for the skin. 

I do this far too rarely, but once a week I treat myself to an uncomplicated alternative at home:

Facial steam bath: warm steam for well-groomed skin

•  Bring the water to the boil and pour into a large bowl
•  Add herbs or essential oils
•  Leave to stand briefly so that the water can cool down a little
•  Place the towel over your head and bend your face over the bowl (20 - 30 cm away)
• Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth

The combination of heat and moisture opens your pores and supports thorough cleansing. Medicinal herbs such as camomile and lavender soothe your skin and relieve inflammation. A few drops of tea tree oil help to effectively combat impurities.

After 5 to a maximum of 10 minutes of steaming, your complexion will enjoy a cold shower of water. It then looks rosy and fresh and is ready for the next skin care steps:

 

 

Moisturizing kick with the wake-up toner

The GINZAI Wake-up Toner is something I never run out of. It is the first care step after every cleansing and moisturizes your skin. The anti-inflammatory properties of black forest ginseng also support its purity after a steam bath. Luxury: Serum Sheet Mask with black forest ginseng & black Tahitian pearl

After steam bathing is mask time. Your skin is now particularly receptive to active ingredients. The Serum Sheet Mask literally turned my skin around 180 degrees overnight. If you (like me) suffer from very dry and irritated skin, this sheet mask is a blessing for you. Apply it to your face and give yourself a relaxing 30-minute break. I usually use it for a guided meditation. I pamper my soul at the same time. The result the next morning is spectacular. Your skin will look clear and nourished in the mirror.

 

Eyes are considered a window to the soul and have their very own care needs

I am often asked whether special eye care is really necessary. Yes, trust me! Smearing your day or night cream under your eyes is of course better than nothing. But: your eye area is very thin and has far fewer sebaceous glands. It is therefore very prone to dryness and wrinkles.

If you are also annoyed by puffiness (water retention) under the eyes, I highly recommend the Firming Eye Cream. It works wonders for me. You can support the decongestant effect with an application ritual:

 

 

Under the eyes Gently pat the cream in with your ring fingers from the inside outwards to the temples. Repeat ten times. Over the eyes Using your ring fingers, spread the cream under the eyebrows from the inside outwards to the temples. Repeat ten times. To finish Using your index and middle fingers, gently massage the points behind the earlobes in a circular motion and then apply light pressure to the side of the neck towards the collarbone. Repeat the small lymph massage a few times. This allows accumulated fluids to be drained away.

 

 

 

Lip care - how to upgrade your toothbrush to a beauty tool

We often tend to have chapped lips in the cold season. I don't use lip balms. Although they immediately eliminate the feeling of tightness, they don't change the cause. I gently exfoliate my lips with a soft toothbrush. This removes dry flakes of skin and stimulates blood circulation. Now comes my all-time favorite, the Firming Body Buttercomes into play. Shea, cocoa and mango butter nourish with valuable lipids and maximum moisture.

For pleats (those nasty wrinkles above the upper lip) you can use the Hydrogel Eye Patches for a different purpose. Place a patch on your upper lip area and leave it on for 20 minutes. The small wrinkles appear immediately reduced. The antioxidant Super Berries Complex provides long-term protection against premature skin ageing.

 

DIY body scrub: An all-round feel-good treatment for rough winter skin

Body scrub made from raw cane sugar, coconut oil and essential oils Amount per application 4 tsp coconut oil 2 tsp raw cane sugar 1-2 drops of essential oil

 

Gently heat the coconut oil and then mix it with the sugar and essential oil of your choice. The scrub removes old skin cells and leaves your body feeling wonderfully soft. You can also leave out the essential oil. I like it fragrant and usually opt for bergamot. It goes great with body butterwhich I apply afterwards. It gives me a wonderfully nourished body feeling and absolute deep relaxation.

Tip: The scrub is too coarse for your delicate facial skin. Try the Peel Fresh Mask with natural fruit acids.

 

Beauty from coffee grounds: DIY body scrub for firm skin

Caffeine is a tried and tested anti-cellulite agent. So what could be better than a DIY coffee scrub? It can be stirred together in no time at all and is also pleasantly inexpensive.

Mix the coffee grounds with vegetable oil to form a paste and gently massage in using circular movements. Leave on briefly and rinse off thoroughly.

Then apply a good amount of cream to the body. Our Body Cream with Super Berries Complex perfectly complements the firming effect of the peeling.

A little tip on the side: the summer figure is made in winter. 😉

Make-up: How to make your foundation winter-proof

Give your foundation added care value with a drop of Wake-up Toner. Also perfect are the 24h Collagen- and Hyaluron Serum.

Mix the toner or serum with your foundation before applying.

This gives your skin a glow and even compact make-up looks super natural without losing coverage.

Last but not least: celebrate your precious me-time with culinary moments of pleasure. Fresh fruit, delicious pastries (I love macarons) or even a glass of wine. Anything that does you good.

With this in mind - make yourself comfortable.

Best regards
Your Christiane