Ahhh winter. When the word comes to mind I think of gently falling snow, the many variations of Starbucks coffees and the warmth and joy that the Christmas season brings. Fast forward to February and the gentle falling snow has morphed into a blizzard with a personal vendetta against everyone and my Starbucks coffee is cold as soon as I get to class. With Christmas having come and gone all that’s left is the is the stress of midterms and post Christmas pounds and the mirage that is summer. With the groundhog seeing its shadow this year it’s obvious Old Man Winter is not going to leave us any time soon and we’re in this for the long haul.
Just like any girl I’m conscious of my appearance and winter doesn’t make looking semi presentable any easier. Winter can be a girl’s greatest enemy in the fashion and beauty department, so keep reading to learn how to combat nine problems girls face during the deep freeze.
1. Static hair
So you straighten your hair in the morning and it looks fantastic! You wink at yourself in the mirror and flip your hair a few times, and then you grab your favourite wool hat. When you finally get to your destination the hat comes off and it all goes downhill from there. You might as well have touched that electric conducting ball at the Ontario Science Centre -all of a sudden your hair is sticking out in all directions and might as well be a compass rose. Static hair occurs because your hair is dry, so try a moisturizing leave-in product or a light hair oil to keep your tresses from directing traffic.
2. Watery Eyes
You’ve been outside for a few minutes, walk inside and it looks like you’ve just finished watching Marley and Me. You’re experiencing the “watery eyes phenomenon”. To combat this have a tissue on hand and use a waterproof mascara.
3. Frozen Hair
Not having enough time to dry your hair and it becoming icicles in T-30 seconds brings a new meaning to the 90’s trend frosted tips. Be gentle with your hair and don’t try to melt the ice by bending your strands or you could end up with a questionable hairstyle.
4. Dry Skin
During the winter season moisture leaves your skin as dry as the Saharan tundra. When your skin is rough enough to light a match it’s time for an intervention. To avoid looking like the BP oil spill mix coconut oil with your daily moisturizer for a boost instead of applying it directly.
5. Flakes
The snow isn’t the only thing flaking this season. Fight the flakes by using a dandruff shampoo and a good body butter.
6. Shaving
Shaving in the winter is equitable to a major life decision. It’s right up there with completing that last homework assignment or braving the weather to buy groceries. You look down at your legs and realize that you may be a descendent of Ice Age’s Manny. But it’s winter, who’s going to see your legs anyway? For the months of November to February the word “razor” may as well be a foreign language. Try using conditioner as your shaving cream. It’ll make your razor glide smoother along your legs and speed up the process. As well, using a good body butter or moisturizer after you shave is important too. The Body Shop and LUSH make fantastic body butters and moistruizers! As well, pure aloe vera gel will keep your legs looking toned and feeling smooth after a satisfying shave.
7. Paleness
You’re pale. And not the china doll pale that’s gracing the cover of Vogue and Elle -oh no- you’re the pale that screams vitamin D deficiency that’s almost too bright to look at directly. You may or may not look like this girl on the beach (look closely, it’s one of those “when you see it moments”). Warm up your complexion by wearing rosy hues and pinks to emphasize the colour in your cheeks. For all the darker skinned ladies out there try wearing bright colours, they’ll make your skin look vibrant because of the contrast.
8. How do I stay warm and still look attractive? This is the million dollar question. I’m sure we’ve all made the mistake of going out in our trendy boots from Aldo instead of our trusty Sorels. On one hand you look fantastic, on the other hand you almost wiped out on your way to class- twice. In order to make a decision you must gauge how much you value staying upright against looking good.
9. Last but not least with winter comes the need for comfort all day everyday. While sweatpants may be the uniform of Morisset I believe in the saying, “everything in moderation”. Ditch the fifty shades of grey sweatpants ensemble. Break the jeans and hoody cycle with a funky pair of printed leggings of play with textures like leather and oversized knit sweaters.
Even though it’s winter and we can’t look as photo ready as Elsa all the time (contrary to “Let It Go” the cold does in fact bother most of us) we can do our best to resist the urge to go back into hibernation when we see a minus sign in front of the temperature.
So arm yourselves with a vat of oil, waterproof mascara and your practical winter boots and we might just get through this together. Stay warm ladies!