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Bobbi Brown make-up on a marble table
Bobbi Brown make-up on a marble table
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Style > Beauty

Winter Body Care for the College Budget

Chere D. Williams
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NSU chapter.

 With temperatures hastily dropping, it is safe to say that it is time to change your routine. Of course everyone has altered their face routine, but the real question is have you changed your body care routine? Don’t worry, neither have we; better late than never right? It is officially time to to ditch the products that you’ve been using since the semester started and replace them with products that nourish your skin. You’re probably wondering where to start, what to buy, and where to buy the new products… don’t worry we’ve got you covered!

Cleanse

Everyone knows that cleansing the skin is the very first step of a bodycare routine. What a lot people don’t know is what type of cleansers are best for the skin and thats where HCNSU comes in to help. The body wash you choose should cleanse, but never strip your skin of it’s natural oils.  In other words, your skin should never feel squeaky clean. To avoid that dry, squeaky clean feeling we’ve created a list of moisturizing cleaners that can be found in almost anywhere.

Dove Beauty Bar — This product is a classic that almost everyone has used before. The best part of this classic bar soap is that it’s technically not a soap. Dove is actually considered a “non-soap cleanser made with moisturizing cream to keep your skin soft, but clean” reports Bustle. The Dove beauty bar is perfect for all skin types and is frequently reccommended by dermetologist due to its mild nature.

Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash — You’ve probably seen this body wash in someone’s bathroom and never tried it. This body wash is also a cult classic that has been around forever. The ultra moisture body wash boasts of ingredients like Petrolatum, glycerin, and shea butter (moisture, moisture, and more moisture). Most users say they can even skip lotion when they use the oldie but goodie.

Necessaire— Hold on to your wallets ladies, this one is a bit pricey but, so worth it. The newbie on the beauty block is Necessaire. Now, I know what you’re thinking “25 dollars for body wash, girl I am in college”, but hear me out. The popular body washes from the all natural brand claim to be a daily multi-vitamin for the skin. Ingredients in the wash include coconut oil, vitamin E, vitamin B3 and more. If the ingredients haven’t convinced you to try Necessaire, the fact that their products contain no parabens, sulfates, silicones, synthetic fragrance, or any of the other bad stuff you’ve been putting or skin, should definitely convince you. 

 

Exfoliate 

Exfoliating is the act of removing dead skin cells to reveal newer skin cells. Exfoliating sounds painful right? Don’t worry, it’s painless and leaves your skin feeling smooth as can be. Ever wondered why your skin is flakey or why moisturizers and lotions seem to sit on top of you skin?  Well according to the American Academy of Dermatology, as reported by healthline.com, exfoliation can leave your skin looking brighter and improve the effectiveness of topical skin care products by enhancing absorption. In other words, your products can’t penetrate your skin if your skin is crusty. We’ve all been there, here are a few scrubs and tools that will help keep the flakes away this winter. 

Lush’s Scrubbee  — This little guy is a personal favorite. Housing ingredients like ground almonds, coconut shells, honey, cocoa butter, and Shea butter makes scrubbee much more than a one trick uh, bumble bee? The bee shaped body bar has moisturizing and exfoliating stripes strategically placed so that the skin receives moisture as it is being buffed. For the readers who sometimes skip lotion, Scrubbee is for you. This product leaves your skin smooth, moisturized, and glowy.

Tree Hut Sugar Scrub —Tree hut sugar scrubs are the best introduction to exfoliating that anyone could ask for. The scrubs are not only affordable, but also extremely effective. All of Tree Hut’s scrubs contain whole grain sugar and certified organic Shea butter to ensure that your skin is being polished and moisturized simultaneously. Along with quality ingredients, Tree Hut also has a variety of scents and each scent will turn your shower into an instant aromatherapy session.

Exfoliating gloves — The simplest way to exfoliate your body is to use exfoliating gloves. For the reader with sensitive skin, these are for you. Exfoliating gloves are less abrasive than your run-of-the-mill body scrub, and super easy to use. Simply pair the gloves with your favorite body cleanser, apply as much pressure as you’re comfortable with, and massage your skin in circular motions. Voila! Smooth skin free of dead skin cells.

 

Moisturize

Now, here is the most crucial step to the routine. Whether you skin is moisturized or not can make or break your entire life. Okay, it’s not that drastic, but moisturizing your skin is pretty important. Moisturizing the skin protects, smoothes, and soothes the skin. Although for some it is not necessary to moisturize every single day, it is absolutely necessary to have a great moisturizer that works when your skin needs moisture. Here are are few products that are sure to leave your skin moisturized and smooth as ever.

 

 Cerave moisturizing cream — if you battle with chronic dry skin keep reading. This cream from Cerave contains creamides and hyalaranic acid which help repair your skins moisture barrier. Your moisture barrier helps your skin retain moisture, definitely something that should remain in tact. This moisturizer is extremely lightweight so it absorbs into the skin quickly, perfect for all skin types.

Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter — The name of this luxurious body butter fits perfectly.  This body butter is one of the most popular products from Soap and Glory and for good reason. Not only does The Righteous Butter nourish the skin with ingredients like aloe vera and Shea butter, it also has a scent like no other. The body butter contains the sweet, flirty notes from Soap and Glory’s Original Pink fragrance making it even more irresistable.

Shea Butter — Use it. Period. Just kidding. If you’re not familiar with the benefits of Shea butter, that’s okay, keep reading. Shea butter is hands down one  of the best remedies for dry skin. The plant based African super product contains vitamins and fatty acids that contribute to the nourishment of the skin. Shea butter has also been proven to possess anti inflammatory properties, which helps soothe any redness, irritation, excema, etc. Along with helping with inflammation, Shea butter can also seal in moisture because it contains emollient properties, remember when we discussed the importance of keeping your moisture barrier intact? 

Sweet Almond Oil — sweet almond oil is like shea butter but for people who are too lazy to rub Shea butter in. At a glance, the oil looks like the standard body oil, but this one is much different from the rest. Sweet almond oil contains both vitamin D and E which makes it a very powerful moisturizer. Like Shea butter, almond oil also contains anti-inflammatory properties making it perfect for those who struggle with psoriasis or excema. The oil has also been proven to even the skin tone and prevent stretch marks. 

Now that you have a list of some of the most nourishing and effective cleansers, exfoliators, and moisturizers on the market, you know what to do. If you were looking for a sign that it was time to take better care of your skin, here it is. You’re welcome.

A free spirit who was born and raised in California, Chere is currently a student at Norfolk State University. At school, you are likely to find her studying mass communications -- but she is a firm believer in the expansion of knowledge in all areas. A strong advocate for Black women, equality, and social justice, Chere hopes to use her writing to further answer her call to activism.