Throughout winter, with lower temperatures and drier air, skin cell growth tends to slow, but our skin still continues to shed skin cells and those dead skin cells can build up on our skin’s surface.

If your skin feels dry and scaly and looks dull all over, try adding exfoliation to your skin care routine. In the winter, cleaning, moisturizing and exfoliating will make your skin a lot happier and look a lot fresher. Removing that top layer of dead skin cells is essential for your moisturizer to work at its best. 

Natural ingredient exfoliators for the skin can be mixed together to create a simple treatment that will address dryness, redness, dullness and oiliness. Here’s a recipe for a great combination of natural ingredients you might find in your own pantry.

Raw Honey, Apple Cider Vinegar & Sugar

The Lantana Spa at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa suggests a winter elixir to help your skin. Raw honey and granulated sugar exfoliate the skin without causing dryness. The apple cider vinegar helps cleanse the skin. This application is gentle but should still only be applied one to three times per week.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp raw honey

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp sugar

Directions

Combine and apply to your face. Leave on for one to two minutes before gently washing off with a warm cloth.

Poolside, Lantana Spa at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

Lantana Spa’s 5 quick basic skin care tips for Winter:

1.  Stay hydrated. Winter weather tends to be dry. You will

want to maintain your fluids in order to keep your skin dewy and fresh.

2.  Protect your lips. Winter winds and cooler temperatures put stress on

your lips. Keep your lips moisturized with a lip balm that includes an

SPF for sun protection too. We look for natural products that contain

beeswax and other natural ingredients such as peppermint.

3.  Exfoliate your skin. Use a gentle exfoliate once or twice a week to

slough away dry, dead skin cells and keep the skin’s appearance fresh. 

Perhaps the recipe we include here.

4.  Consider a skin care cream rather than a lighter moisturizer.

During the hot summer, we usually don’t want a lot of heavy products on

our skin but during the dryer and cooler Winter – a richer

moisturizing cream just may be what you need.

5.  Don’t forget about your hands, elbows and feet. Just like your face

and lips, these areas tend to become dry during the Winter. Use a good

moisturizing lotion to massage into these areas too.

Waterfall, Latana Spa at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

A visit to The Lantana Spa starts with an analysis of your skin. Natural and highly active masks and serums are chosen to promote your skin’s natural balance, health and radiance. The spa offers many treatments for relaxation and refreshment of the face, the body and the soul.