Winterize My Skin-Part 3

For the last part of my winter skincare series, I will talk about what I reach for to keep my body and lips soft and silky during these winter months. My biggest pet peeve are moisturizers that leave a greasy residue. Not only do they make me feel slick, but also everything I touch. I just can't stand that! One particular ingredient that I tend to gravitate to is shea butter. From my experience, it tends to absorb quickly while leaving my skin nice and hydrated. The best time to apply body lotion is right after you step out of the shower, while your skin is still slightly damp. This helps lock in the moisture. My two favorite body lotions are Gold Bond Ultimate's Softening Skin Therapy Lotion Shea Butter and Bath and Body Works' Triple Moisture Body Cream.

The Gold Bond Ultimate's Shea Butter will take care of ANY dry skin! I usually use it from my neck down, avoiding my face just because I have very sensitive skin. This lotion contains a multitude of vitamins and peptides, penetrates quickly, and is not overwhelmed with a perfume scent. Most importantly, it is not greasy! It will keep my skin soft and hydrated even after my next shower. If I am diligent at using this moisturizer every other day after a shower, I can guarantee to ward off any dry skin during the winter!

The Bath and Body Works Triple Moisture Body Cream is also a great body moisturizer. It is made with conditioning milk proteins, rice bran oil, and acai berry extract. This body cream is suppose to provide deep hydration for a good 24-hours while being non-greasy. I do believe it lives up to its promise and there is an endless array of scents to choose from. My favorites are Twilight Woods, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Country Chic, and P.S. I Love You. The fragrance of these body creams are nice, but also very mild and light. Although the triple moisture body cream is hydrating, for persistent dry skin, I usually reach for my Gold Bond Ultimate.

Yes, body lotion can be used to moisturize your hands, but my favorite hand cream is Bath and Body Works' True Blue Spa, Shea Cashmere & Silk Hand Cream. They advertise it has ultra-moisturizing, non-greasy, absorbs quickly with a blend of almond blossom, vanilla and sandalwood. This hand cream literally melts in my hands and as soon as I rub in it, it is absorbed and does not feel greasy at all! It makes my hands unbelievably soft! This is a must for anyone who has to wash their hands frequently as a part of their job or for those living in states that are freezing and dry during the winter months. With this hand cream, there will be no dry, cracked skin for me in the winter!

Dry, cracked, and flaky lips are just plain gross and annoying! It is a particular a problem for me in the winter since we live in a cold, dry state. My secret to soft, smooth lips is Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment and Eucerin's Aquaphor Lip Repair. The Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment has added SPF 15, moisture preserving sugar, oils, along with antioxidants that are meant to keep your lips hydrated for 6 hours. I also like how it has a twist action to remove the top, allowing you to then twist up the product itself to be used. This prevents it from being accidentally being twisted up in your purse or pocket and destroying your chapstick! It is very hydrating without making my lips feel greasy or sticky and has a refreshing lemon scent. However, it is a little pricey.


The Eucerin's Aquaphor Lip Repair is marketed to provide relief for dry, cracked, irritated lips by sealing in moisture and conditioning the lips. It also has shea butter, vitamins, and chamomile as well as being fragrance, preservative, and dye free! Let's just say, I will not be facing another winter without this lip repair! I can honestly say that my lips have been smooth and soft since I started using it 3 months ago.

Another trick I use to care for my lips is exfoliating them in the shower. I wait till my lips are wet and I use a moist washcloth to gently rub my lips and remove any dry skin. Once I hop out of the shower, I immediately moisturize my lips as I do with my body. I also make a very conscious effort to not lick my lips, which leads to drying and chaffing.

So these are just a few body and lip products I depend on to get me through the winter. I hope they give you a few ideas to help with keeping you moisturized during these cold months!

~Hong