cold weather beauty remedies (aka how to survive winter in canada and still look good)

it was inevitable, you guys – winter has arrived. it’s starting to get hella cold in Toronto and we’re not exactly thrilled. although winter brings with it lots of things we love (skiing! long nights! scarves!), it also wrecks havoc on our beauty routine.

skin, nails and hair all suffer during these long winter months, so we’ve decided to bring you our best advice to surviving until spring without sacrificing style.

for those of you who are reading from somewhere warm and sunny – well, we’re totally not throwing you side eye right now. promise. read on anyway if you’d like to count your blessings.

skin

winter is hard on skin. between dry air outdoors and central heating indoors, everything’s working against your skin’s moisture levels. to prevent flaky, dry and dull skin, it’s important to implement a skincare routine if you haven’t already. no idea where to start? pop into any 10spot and we’ll give you a complimentary skin analysis to help you determine what your skin needs. in general though, remember to stay moisturized and hydrated to limit dryness

we recommend coming in for a facial during winter to treat your skin to some serious TLC. oh, and as tempting as it is, try to avoid really hot showers. they’re super drying (even though they feel so good.)

lips

lips are one of the first places to show dehydration and a chapped pout is definitely not cute. combat this by wearing a nourishing lipbalm on windy days and drinking plenty of water. if you normally wear lipstick, try switching to a creamy formula or go for a hinted balm instead.

hands + nails

a really good, nourishing hand cream is a winter essential. tip: if you don’t want your palms and keyboard to get greasy, simple apply the lotion to the back of your hand only. this is the part that tends to dry out, anyway.

lots of people find that winter cold makes their nails more brittle, with peeling becoming more of an issue at this time of year. we recommend investing in a cuticle oil to insure your nails are being moisturized and strong.

if you’re having issues with hangnails and winter-weary cuticles, make sure to let us know when you come in for a manicure and we’ll take extra care of your digits.

feet

it’s easy to forget about your feet when you’re hiding them away in boots every day. that said, some people find they’re more likely to suffer from cracked heels in winter, due to a combination of dry air and boots that rub (ouch!) solve this by booking a pedicure. we use super nourishing products to get your feet back in tip-top condition, stat. btw, coming in for a pedi in mid-winter makes having beautiful feet for sandal season a whole lot easier.

in between pedis, try this cheat: apply lashings of heavy duty lotion at night under socks and wake up to softer, smoother feet.