Winter blues drying you out?

By Rustina

This time of year when the furnace starts humming away and the windows have to stay closed, skin begins to dry and crack with the occasional burning reminder to add cream and hydrate.

In Wisconsin, the winter can be cold and dry, but the holiday cheer headed our way and beautiful snowy scenes usually make up for it! Watching the kids play in snow and remembering how it didn’t use to be so wet and cold as a kid! Now, my knuckles turn red with dryness and my fingertips can start to crack. I remember how my Dad’s hands used to get so dry when he milked cows in the winter. I worried for him, but he never complained - just went about his day's work.

I started making a whipped moisturizing cream to combat that and use for my 3 month old son who had sensitive skin suddenly. I started with a whipped lanolin. It did linger on the skin for a few moments, but it did moisturize and protect very well. It got to be a bit too heavy for us after a while. I started using a much lighter lotion that wasn't such a heavy pore "clogger."

Whipped Moisturizing Lotion

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup of coconut oil (or if weather beaten skin -- 100% pure lanolin instead. This can be sourced locally if lucky or even ordered online)

1/2 cup of cocoa or shea butter (can omit if you quickly react to latex as it can induce a similar reaction sometimes)

A few drops of a gentle essential oil scent that you enjoy

Instructions:

1) Place together all ingredients in a medium or large bowl.

2) Use a mixer (handheld or standing) to blend together. As it is blended, turn the speed up to get a nice whipped effect.

3) Place in a jar or two. At room temps it will stay soft and whipped for a few months.

You can even get fancy and resourceful by infusing the oils with herbs first! Want some tips on how to do that? Leave me a note, and I will get to work on writing that up!

Not everyone has the time to find the ingredients or desire to mix it. I would recommend Earthley’s Whipped Body Butter. It is mango butter and apricot oil. These are the available scents: Lavender essential oil, Spring blossoms essential oil blend (neroli, lavender, and rose essential oils), Vanilla beans, or Pumpkin Spice (organic pumpkin seed oil, pumpkin spice essential oil blend of cinnamon, clove, coffee, vanilla, and nutmeg). Here is an affiliate link if interested: Earthley’s Whipped Body Butter.

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