Vegan Skincare Staples for Winter

bundled up - by massdistraction on flickr

Ah, November. This season really is aptly named, as the dewy glow of summer literally seems to ‘fall’ from our skin once the chill winds from the north come sweeping down on us, leaving no doubt that winter is just around the corner. ‘Tis the season for wind-burned cheeks, cracked lips, chapped hands – the time of year when we bundle up in blankets and cardigans and nest in for the next few months… but we’ll have to venture out into the cold now and then, won’t we? Those are the times when we have to ensure that our beauty regimens are adjusted to suit the blizzards and windstorms that are just outside our doors.

A great resource for vegan personal care and beauty products is the Vegan Beauty Review blog authored by the lovely Sunny. In addition to posting DIY recipes for fantastic homemade products (like her moisturising pumpkin mask!), Sunny also reviews cruelty-free and vegan products from around the globe. You’ll find tips and recommendations on everything from shampoo to nail polish there, and info as to where all of it can be purchased. Yay!

White Chocolate Truffle Face Moisturizer

It is beyond awesome to discover just how many many incredible vegan products are now on the market. These cruelty-free products are gorgeous, nourishing and smell incredible, and not one animal was harmed in their making! Happiness.

One item in particular caught my eye, and that’s the White Chocolate Truffle Face Moisturiser by MuLondon. Yes, you read that correctly: white chocolatey truffle-goodness to spread on your face. Shea butter, jojoba, cocoa and bourbon vanilla all working together to keep your skin lusciously smooth all winter. Adding this to Xmas wish list… now.

To keep the cracked-lip-goblins at bay, check out some of the luscious lip balms and colours at Crazy Rumors. Their all-natural, vegan lip-lovelies come in a wide variety of flavours like Chai, Apple Spice, Plum & Peppermint, Candy Cane (!!!) and Orange Creamsicle, just to name a few. Perfect as stocking-stuffers, they’re also great to keep in your purse or pocket to keep your lips kiss-ably smooth all winter.

Guys, we haven’t forgotten about you, here. While you might not want to slather yourself with anything that tastes like ice cream or cookie batter, you’ll still want to protect yourself from the damage that winter wind and cold can do to your face.

Moxie Organix Acai BioScrub

Moxie Organics has a great men’s “Lip Cure-All” in Caribbean Bay and Lime. Great manly scent, all vegan and organic. A perfect combination, right there. Their Sandalwood and Vanilla body elixir is apparently great as a moisturiser, rich with vegan oils and butters, and the scent is earthy enough for either gender.

Speaking of all things Moxie, while you’re on the site, be sure to check out their Acai Body Scrub: a great exfoliant that will help to scrub off dry winter skin that can grey-out your complexion and leave you all flaky.

100% Pure Healing Balm - Vegan Beauty Market

The entire “Winter Wonders” section at the Vegan Beauty Market is full of  delectable wonders  for you to check out. That website is a one-stop online store that carries only vegan, cruelty-free products, and they have some spectacular products on there. In the colder months, it often seems like the moisture is just sucked out of our skin, and the Blood Orange Nourishing Body Cream they stock sounds like it could repair just about any damage that February could throw at it. As our hands often take the worst abuse from the cold, you can also check out the Organic Healing Moisturizing Balm (pictured right) to help repair damage with antioxidants, vitamins, and  avocado butter.

Speaking of damage, keep in mind that it’s not just our skin that suffers when wind, sleet and snow come barreling down on us – hair is also prone to dryness and breakage, and having a good conditioner  is downright vital, unless you want to end up looking like a chia pet, with more hair collected in your brush than under your hat.

Remember the old adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? Believe it or not, it does actually ring true. Invest in a good moisturiser, wear sunscreen on sunny days even in the depths of winter, make sure you always have lip balm with you, and you’ll have to do a lot less repair work later. Ensuring that you’re buying vegan skincare products will also keep your heart happy, as dedication to a cruelty-free lifestyle ensures that we’re not contributing to mistreatment of any animals for our own beauty’s sake.