Depending on where you are located on this vast Earth of ours, you might be feeling as if you live North of the wall these days. Unfortunately word on the street is that Kanye saw his shadow and there are six more weeks of winter. That’s how it works right? So we had better try to find ways to deal with it.

The other night my husband and I went out to dinner to this awesome awesome place with big fireplaces and hot toddies and lots of comfort foods. We were all warm and cozy with faces full of food when some asshat pulled the fire alarm. I decided to check the temperature on my weather app to see just how mad I needed to be at this particular person. I needed an actual number to quantify my anger. The windchill was -12. NEGATIVE TWELVE guys.

There have been a couple of products that have been seriously saving my hide in this weather (Ha! literally). So I figured I would share my winter skin care saviors with you guys today, in case you are finding that the cold weather is turning you into a shriveled old prune, or a shedding snake, or some other gross exaggerated thing.

LUSH COSMETICS DREAM CREAM:

As you can see I’m nearly out of this stuff, but that’s because it has been a godsend this last few months. I use it every day after my shower (which was one of my resolutions this year and I’ve been sticking to it) and I haven’t had any of the issues with my legs getting dry and itchy that I normally do in the winter months. That is something that I struggle with every year, and this is the first body lotion that I have found that changed that, so that’s really saying something.

At $26.95 it’s not cheap, but a little goes a long way. I’ve been using it as a full body, every day moisturizer and so has my husband and it has still lasted a few months. The best part is that absorbs into your skin really quickly and isn’t sticky, so you don’t have to wrestle to get your pants on after you apply it. Which is probably why I’ve been so good about using it every day, I don’t mind so much if I don’t have to do the tight pants dance, ya know?

LUCAS PAPAW OINTMENT:

I had a few reservations about trying this stuff even though I’ve heard so many good things about it. First of all ointment just never sounds appealing. It reminds me of diaper rash. Second thing is that is has petroleum in it, which I generally try to avoid in my skincare. Third thing was that I was SURE fermented papaya (which is what is in it apparently) would smell like old socks. I hate papaya, I think that even when it’s fresh it tastes like old socks, so fermented? C’mon now.

Well curiosity got the best of me, and I ordered a tube. Guess what, I was wrong. Never judge an ointment by its cover . . .or your assumptions of what it smells like.

I’ve been using this to prep my lips before lipstick, and it has been incredible. It’s the only balm that makes dry patches seem to disappear before you put lipstick on. It’s seriously like magic. I’ve also been using it on my cuticles after coming in from the cold and they are in tip top shape, especially considering the weather.

For the record, it actually smells really good. It smells slightly sweet and fruity, and it even seems to have a hint of vanilla scent. Maybe the key to liking papaya is to ferment it. Who knows.

I still prefer something thicker and Lanolin based for overnight, but for daytime lip and cuticle care this stuff is really hard to beat.

So those are the two winter skin care items that have been helping me this year. Give them a try if you are struggling with dry winter skin, and let me know in the comments if you have any winter skin savers that I should know about!