In Florida, you know it’s officially Fall when you can turn off your AC at night and open your windows instead, or, you can tell by looking at your oily skin,which has suddenly turned normal, *grins*. Now I am all excited about autumnal stuff and I picked a few of my beauty and wellness staples to share with you.
Lip Balm. I use lip balms all year long, but when the temperatures drops, it becomes serious business and I rely on my most emollient ones. In fact, over the past two weeks, my lips have already gotten dry and more difficult to soften. My current top picks are the YULI Cellular Lip Conditioner, an oil serum that contains a mix of healing ingredients and I apply as a final step of my skincare routine and Waxelene, which I apply before going to bed, to ensure that my lips are covered in a thick layer of balm. For the daytime, the Tata Harper Lip Treatment in Be Adored is the bees’ knees. It has the loveliest formula and makes my lips feel very comfortable and protected with a hint of a pretty rose color.
Hand Cream. Similarly to the lip balm, I can get away with any hand cream during Spring and Summer, but during the colder months I became very choosy. I like rich, emollient balms for overnight treatment and protective, non-greasy hand creams for the daytime. At night, I am still using the Kahina Fez Hand and Body Balm*, while in the daytime I am currently using the Weleda Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream, which absorbs quickly and has a lovely citrusy scent.
Red & Berry Lips. I just had to include red and berry lip colors. I wait all year long to wear them! Berry shades are so flattering (on pretty much everyone!) and my favorite ones are Ilia Beauty Arabian Knights for a sheer, but build-able berry wine color, and Ilia Beauty Ink Pot for a more intense hue. For red lips, I am loving the new lip tint from Kjaer Weis, Lover’s Choice* which is a pigmented, true red that has a comfortable formula and great lasting power.
Echinacea Tea¹. Aside from avoiding crowded places, washing my hands frequently, and not touching my mouth, eyes and nose until I wash my hands, my favorite way to front the seasonal viruses is to boost my immune system. First, with good sleep, (see below). Second, with supplements and teas. Echinacea Tea is great to stimulate the immune system and reduce cold symptoms. In Germany, where herbs are regulated by the Government, Echinacea is often prescribed to patients with upper respiratory infections and urinary tract infections. You can find it here.
Sleep. Lack of sleep makes us more susceptible to illness and I can totally testify about that. Last week (but it is not the first time it has happened), I was feeling very sick and could not figure out what was going on with me, until my husband reminded me that I had slept very little during the previous couple of days. Plenty of studies² have shown the correlation between lack of sleep and an impaired immune system, so I try load up on good sleep whenever possible. The beautiful eye mask above is the Lavender Eye Mask from Holistic Silk. It is the most comfortable eye mask I have come across and it ensures that my eyes are completely covered from the light. It is made with silk and filled with dried lavender, which releases a very light scent. It’s great if you need to get in the mood for sleep and relax.
What are some of your Fall must-haves?
¹ Disclaimer. Please note that since Echinacea is very effective at stimulating the immune system, you should consult your health care provider before taking it, especially if you have an autoimmune disease. I am not a medical doctor and do not give medical advice.
² Sleep and Immune Function. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/
*PR Samples
