We recently shared our top tips on preparing your skin for winter, and the overall message was to stay hydrated. In winter our skin can easily dry out with the colder temperatures and hotter showers and baths, which can strip our skin of its natural oils and lead to dryness, redness, and irritation. An important way to keep our skin feeling soft, moisturised, and supple is to increase the amount of fluids we consume during winter.
While we all know water is the number one way to hydrate, sometimes you just want to have something a little more flavoursome. So, we thought we’d go a little deeper into winter skincare hydration and share some of our favourite options. Let’s start with herbal teas, something we love here at The Herb Farm!
Teas to nourish your skin (and your soul)
First on our list is Hibiscus Tea. This delicious tea not only shines with its glorious red colour, it also has many wonderful benefits. For centuries, Hibiscus seeds, flowers, leaves, and stems have been used in food and traditional medicine to treat everything from high blood pressure to indigestion. Consumed as a tea, Hibiscus is a rich and powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals. It also has anti-inflammation properties and has been shown to lower blood pressure.
Another favourite of ours is Rose Petal Tea. Made from the petals and buds of roses, this glorious tea is packed with Vitamins C and E and are wonderful for lessening the appearance of wrinkles and treating sunburn. It is wonderful for promoting healthy, luscious hair, helps with menstrual cramps, and can inhibit fat cell production making it good weight loss support. Rose Petal Tea can help prevent high blood pressure, helping to improve circulation. Plus, it is full of our favourite antioxidants, helping boost immunity during the colder months.
Now we couldn’t write about teas and not include trusty Chamomile. Well known for its therapeutic qualities, Chamomile Tea is a wonderful sleep aid acting both as a mild sedative, but also improves sleep quality. It is an anti-inflammatory and can soothe pain and is a great home remedy for the common cold. Its antimicrobial properties soothes sore throats, especially when combined with a dollop of Manuka honey, plus it’s also a digestive aid - great after a large or rich meal to soothe tummy troubles.
Get your Omega-3 fatty acids with Flaxseed Oil
Omega-3s are good fats with lots of wonderful health benefits including brain health and function, improved mood, lower inflammation, heart health, reduced joint pain, lower triglycerides (a type of fat found in our blood), and healthier skin and hair. Omega-3s can be found in more than one source, for example fish oil, but we just love Flaxseed Oil because it is plant-based, and its production is a sustainable practice that directly contributes to our economy (fish oil production is under the microscope due to fish stocks being contaminated with pesticides, heavy metals, and radioactivity).
Flaxseed Oil is high in Omega-3s, so it has all the fantastic benefits listed above. But that’s not all. For skin health, Flaxseed Oil is an absolute must-have. It is wonderful for skin hydration, helping with smoothness and decreasing irritation. It’s also good for reducing skin sensitivity.
You can add Flaxseed Oil to smoothies or shakes, or it can be added to salad dressings, dips, and sauces. It can also be applied directly to your skin – add it to olive, almond, or coconut oil and massage into your hair and scalp before you wash or rub it into your skin before your shower or bath.
Soothing smoothies
Who doesn’t love a smoothie!! We sure do, and they can be packed full of super foods, which is why they are part of our regular diet. These two smoothies are from The Herb Farm founder Lyn Kirkland’s book, ‘The Herb Farm – A Family Journey."
Vitamin C Boost
½ Lemon (squeezed)
½ tsp Ground Ginger
1 Spring of Mint
1 tbsp Honey
500g Frozen Mango
1 Cup Orange Juice
½ Cup Pineapple Juice
½ Cup Coconut Milk
Whiz together in a blend and enjoy! Will keep in the fridge for 2 days.
Makes enough for 2-3 glasses (divide the recipe for a smaller quantity).
Green Ginger Detox
1 Banana
¼ Cucumber
1 Handful Spinach
½ Lemon (squeezed)
¾ Cup Frozen Pineapple
1 Cup Apple Juice
½ tsp Chia Seeds
1 Tbsp Root Ginger
1 Small Bunch of Thyme
1 tsp Spirulina
½ Tbsp Honey
Whiz together in a blend and enjoy! Will keep in the fridge for 2 days.
Makes enough for 2-3 glasses (divide the recipe for a smaller quantity).
Take the time to find what works for you
There’s no end to the things we can do to care for our skin so it’s important to find what works for you. Find the things that nurture and nourish you inside, and out – mind, body, and soul. Healthy, glowing skin is as much about what you put in your body as it is about what you put on your body, but also how you feel within yourself.
Mother Nature has supplied us with an endless amount help. Some of our favourites are herbs and plants (of course), essential oils, crystals, and even special places like the sea or the mountains. Whatever works for you should fill your cup and help you to thrive.
And, of course, if you have any questions or would like some help finding the right direction for you, please feel free to send us a message.