7 Tips for a Restful, Peaceful Winter Using Self-Care & Natural Skincare

There’s no need to dread these long winter days. Instead, use them as opportunities to embrace the slowness of the season. It’s nature’s way of inviting you to move mindfully, rest when you need to, and do the things that nourish your soul. 

The light is returning slowly. As each passing day grows a little longer, take a moment to enjoy the season and invite deep nourishment in. By listening to what self-care means to you and going with the natural flow, you’re allowing your body, mind, and skin to receive exactly what it needs in this moment.

1. Give Yourself Permission to Slow Down

Quietly beneath the surface of the soil, everything is hibernating. The trees, plants, and animals are conserving their energy. Humans should be no different, even if our modern world says otherwise. Just remember….

• Every moment doesn’t have to be productive. 
• Sleeping in without guilt is a powerful act of self-care.
• Doing less doesn’t mean doing nothing.
• Honoring your energy may mean saying no sometimes.

2. Soak in the Sunshine

Natural light is a mood booster, and because it’s darker in the winter, you may not be getting enough vitamin D. Let the sun shine on your face when you can, and use a natural mineral SPF lip balm to help protect and prevent chapped lips. A few natural light ideas:

• Get a daily walk in, even if it’s just 15 minutes.
• Plan a snowshoeing weekend.
• Open the curtains on a sunny morning and sip your coffee by the window.
• Try to enjoy the morning commute on a sunny day (even if traffic is mind-boggling).
• Take the kids cross-country skiing.

3. Add In Restorative Movements

Gentle movement is perfect for calming the nervous system and battling sluggishness through the winter. You can either do grounding solo practices at home before the day gets too hectic or take an evening yin yoga class that involves blankets and props…and complete restoration.

• Gentle seated, twisting poses are great for the spine.
• Cat/cow is also good for the spine and opens the heart.
• Breathwork (pranayama) is key to relaxing the nervous system. Different types of breathing exercises offer different benefits. Ujjayi breath makes a soft ocean-like sound in the back of your throat. Alternate nostril breathing is calming and energy-balancing. Fire breath is an energizing breath that wakes you up.

4. Tune Into Your Skin

What does your skin need right now? Nourishing body butter? Dry brushing? Beef tallow for skin? Yep, you read that right. Skincare made with ethically sourced tallow from grass-fed cows is nourishing and biocompatible with your skin. In fact, skincare crafted from both plants and animals, when made mindfully, is beneficial regardless of your current skin state. Check in:

• Does your skin feel dry or tight? 
• Is it craving more moisture?
• Does it feel sensitive or rough?

Explore different ways to take care of your skin, from exfoliating gently with a dry brush to moisturizing your face with a tallow balm. Natural, nourishing skincare practices will give your skin what it craves this winter. 

• Dry brushing the face and body offers many benefits, including gently removing dry, dead skin cells, increasing circulation, and promoting lymphatic drainage. 
• Rich body butters with tallow enhance the skin’s moisture barrier, soothe cracked or dry skin, and offer decadent, nutrient-rich hydration.
• Instead of a generic or conventional face cream, look for a well-formulated cream or balm that meets your skin’s needs, whether you require a product to help repair sun damage and hyperpigmentation or a plumping cream to soften the texture of your skin and intensely hydrate it. 
• Protect and deeply moisturize your lips all day with a clean mineral SPF lip balm, one that’s free of industrialized seed oil and synthetic fragrances and that contains non nano zinc oxide to shield from UVA/UVB rays. 

5. Build a Non-Toxic Skincare Routine

Since we’re talking about healthy skin and using natural products, try creating an entire skin and body routine with only the best ingredients from nature. Winter is an ideal time to shift to non-toxic and minimal skincare. A few ideas: 

Face Mist: A balancing face mist with healing herbs provides instant hydration and helps calm the complexion. You can spritz your face after cleansing and before moisturizer, or for a quick pick-me-up during the day. 

Face Balm: Restore radiance with an antioxidant-rich balm with fatty acids to help restore radiance and repair damage. If you’re out in the bright sun for an extended period of time in the day, use organic sun cream and an easy-to-apply mineral SPF stick.

Lip Balm: Keep lips hydrated and soft with non toxic products only. Whether you’re using a tinted lip balm to build color or a mineral SPF lip balm to shield the delicate lips from UV, everything you put on your lips should be good for the skin, with nothing harsh or artificial.

Natural Deodorant: Have you wanted to try a natural deodorant without chemicals or harsh ingredients? Test one out this winter to discover for yourself how well a great product works to combat odor while treating your skin gently.

A few simple skincare switches are all it takes to create a routine that’s good for the skin and makes you feel good from the inside out.

6. Prepare Wholesome Meals

Deep nourishment is what your body craves during the cold months. The body naturally craves warmth from meals that feel sustaining rather than rushed or cold. The preparation itself is also self-care because you’re taking time to chop vegetables, stir soups, load up a crockpot, and savor your meal once it’s ready. The ritual is just as satisfying as the meal itself. 

What’s in Season?

Think about seasonal produce and whole foods that align with the sustenance and warmth your body needs this winter. Simple, satisfying meals may include the following: 

• Root vegetables rich in antioxidants, like carrots, beets, parsnips, and sweet potatoes, for warmth and grounding.
• Hardy greens like chard, kale, spinach, and cabbage for mineral support.
• Bright citrus fruits for immunity and gentle detox, such as kumquats and lemons.
• And don’t forget the nuts, seeds, and warming herbs.

7. Let Nature Be Your Guide

Without the pressure of elaborate routines or constant effort, let nature dictate how you move through the season. It’s going to be more intentional, quieter, and slower than a spring or summer vibe. Notice what’s happening in your environment:

• Pine trees and spruces don’t lose all their needles, and they offer refuge for wildlife.
• Geese are either resting in open fields or on the move in the skies on their way to find food.
• Berries are clinging to bare branches. If they can make it, you can too.
• Sunsets are early, but they are often richer in color and more beautiful in the winter.

Everything adapts to its environment, leaving behind traces of color and beauty. And hints of sparkling light. 

• Slowing down isn’t falling behind.
• Nourishment is better than overproductivity.
• Simplify whenever possible.

And rest. Let winter hold space for you. You don’t need to rush to what’s next. 

About Primally Pure

Welcome the new year with a new approach to skincare! Primally Pure is ready to meet your holistic skin, hair, and beauty care needs. Start your day with their gentle-on-the-skin Natural Deodorant. Nourish your skin from head to toe with their tallow skincare products. Refresh your hair with their Non Toxic Dry Shampoo. Ease the appearance of puffiness with their Jade Gua Sha Stone. Primally Pure has natural, wholesome products for every part of your daily ritual. 

Explore how Primally Pure can help you craft a nourishing body and skincare routine at https://primallypure.com/