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How to Maintain Your Summer Glow Throughout the Winter Months

Woman in winter

Have you been missing that gorgeous golden glow that seemed to effortlessly radiate from your skin all summer?

Winter may try to take that from you, but you don’t need to let this happen. Instead, read on to learn what you need to do to keep your summer glow consistent throughout the year.

Develop a Hydrating Daily Skin Care Routine

Woman cleansing face

One of the main reasons behind dull skin is a lack of moisture.

Moisture keeps your skin cells looking plump, soft, smooth, and radiant. However, with the air being so much drier in the winter, moisture evaporates out of the skin at a much faster rate, leaving skin cells looking dull and dry.

One of the best ways to counter this is to develop a hydrating skin care routine that you can follow each day. Ideally, you’ll create two – one for the morning, and one for at night.

A good winter skin care routine goes as follows:

However, the secret lies in making sure that each of the products you use really is hydrating.

The best way to do this is by checking out the ingredients list. These are some of the most hydrating skin care ingredients that you should hopefully be seeing listed on your hydrating skin care products:

  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Glycerin
  • Ceramides
  • Squalane
  • Fatty alcohols
  • Lactic acid
  • Plant oils

Stay Hydrated from Within

A hydrating skin care routine will seriously benefit the skin cells that live on the outer layers of your skin, but what about the ones that lie deeper down?

Unfortunately, the majority of topical skin care products simply aren’t able to penetrate all the way through to the deepest layer of your skin, leaving those skin cells lacking. What makes this worse is that many of those skin cells are vital for some of the most important functions your skin carries out, such as cell regeneration, collagen production, and more.

This is why internal hydration is so important too.

This tends to be easier in the summer than in the winter, since you naturally feel thirstier in hot weather.

If you’re someone who often forgets to drink enough water, here are a few tips to help you to remember:

  • Mark a water bottle with time-focused goals
  • Set reminders on your phone
  • Make water more exciting by infusing it with fruit
  • Try to drink a glass of water before each meal, as well as when you wake up and before you go to bed
  • Download a hydration app

Stay Active

Woman walking dog in winter

Did you know that exercise gives your skin a near-instant glow?

It does this by increasing blood flow, and your blood is what carries oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells. Once it delivers this nourishment, your blood then carries away any toxins, which keeps your skin cells functioning well and looking good.

Increasing blood flow improves all of this even further, giving you a beautiful natural glow.

Do you struggle to stay active in the winter?

The temptation to forgo exercise in favor of snuggling on the sofa in front of the TV can be too strong for many to resist. The secret to getting around this is to find a winter exercise that you genuinely love – this will give you that motivation you need to get moving.

A few winter activities to try out include:

  • Teaching yourself a different indoor exercise, such as yoga or dance, making use of the many online resources available
  • Winter hikes through nearby national parks
  • Taking your dog for new and interesting walks. If you don’t have a dog, there are many people in need of help who do – volunteer to walk their dog instead
  • Winter sports, such as skiing, ice skating, and ice hockey

Eat a Healthy and Balanced Diet

Are you guilty of letting your diet slide during the winter months?

Comfort foods are a popular winter warmer, but it’s important to keep your diet balanced and healthy throughout the year.

You’ve probably heard of the phrase, “you are what you eat”. This not only applies to the health of your body, but that of your skin too.

A healthy diet will quickly be reflected through your skin, with problematic skin conditions clearing up.

Don’t worry, healthy doesn’t need to mean boring. Here are a few fun and healthy ways you can jazz up your favorite meals:

  • Choose whole grains over white and refined, whether it may be bread, rice, pasta, or anything else
  • Opt for healthier cooking techniques, such as baking and roasting instead of frying and grilling
  • Try recreating your favorite fast food meals
  • Challenge yourself to try one new healthy ingredient each week
  • Cook with unrefined, extra virgin oils

If you’re still struggling to pack all of the nutrients you need into your daily meals, it would be worth considering dietary supplements. In fact, there are a few supplements in particular that could really benefit your skin, such as:

  • Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Beta-carotene
  • Prebiotics and probiotics
  • Zinc
  • Magnesium
  • Biotin
  • Hyaluronic acid

Dress for the Weather

Woman in snow

You may want to look your best, but it’s important that your outfit is designed to protect your skin and body from the winter elements.

Not only will wind and snow make you feel cold, which will instantly zap away that summer glow, but consistent exposure will dry your skin out, making it even harder to get your glow back.

Owning a good selection of winter accessories can help to make sure that you’re never caught out, even on the wildest of days:

  • Gloves and mittens
  • Hats
  • Scarfs
  • Socks
  • Umbrellas
  • Windbreakers

Keep spare items of each one in your car, at work, in your handbag, and anywhere else you can think of. This way, you will always be able to protect your skin.

Exfoliate…But Not Too Much

It’s easy for the skin to take on a rough and dull appearance over the winter. Exfoliation provides instant gratification, removing all of those dry skin cells to leave your skin looking fresh and radiant.

There’s no denying that exfoliation is extremely beneficial for your skin, but you need to be careful with this in the winter.

Why?

Because exfoliation leaves your skin without its protective outer layer, making it vulnerable to the elements. Wind, rain, snow, and cold temperatures will take their toll even more.

If you’re exfoliating once a week and taking care to nurture and protect your skin afterwards, then you won’t have any problems.

However, if you’re over-exfoliating, you’ll likely notice your skin soon start to feel raw, sensitive, and easily irritated. You could experience everything from excessive dryness to eruptive breakouts, all because you’ve severely disrupted your skin’s barrier at the worst possible time of year.

If you think that you may be over-exfoliating, stop exfoliating immediately. Give your skin some time to recover before re-introducing exfoliation into your skin care routine. Make sure that you take things slowly and gently this time around!

Learn How to De-Stress

Woman drinking tea in winter

Just about everyone could do with learning how to de-stress. Not only is stress a serious problem for your mental health, but it affects your physical health too, as well as your skin.

How?

In a few different ways:

  • It triggers your body to produce more cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. Cortisol increases sebum production in your skin. This makes your skin oilier, increasing acne breakouts
  • Stress commonly leads to sleep deprivation, which is the most common cause of puffiness and swelling underneath the eyes
  • Stress prevents the skin’s protective barrier from properly functioning, which means that more moisture starts to evaporate out of the skin. This leaves the skin looking dry and rough
  • Stress weakens the immune system, which causes rashes and redness to appear on the skin. This same immune interference also triggers flare-ups in other skin conditions, including eczema, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis
  • The cortisol produced by your body during times of stress damages the proteins that give your skin its smoothness, firmness and tightness. Prolonged periods of stress will quickly lead to fine lines and wrinkles

Surprised?

People usually are, not often realizing just how much of an impact stress has on the skin.

But how do you learn how to de-stress?

It’s definitely easier said than done, and takes some commitment. Everyone is different, meaning that the activities that de-stress your best friend may not work for you at all.

So, make a list, write down the following de-stressing methods, and try one at a time whenever you feel stressed. Decide which ones work best for you so that you can narrow down a shortlist of fail-safe de-stressing techniques.

  • Do some exercise
  • Talk to a friend or family member
  • Meditate
  • Do something relaxing, such as taking a shower or reading a book
  • Do something creative
  • Try some breathing exercises
  • Write down what you’re feeling
  • Take a short walk outdoors

Treat Your Skin to a DIY Facial Massage

Covid-19 has placed quite a few restrictions on people, meaning that your face has probably been missing those ultra-relaxing massages that accompanied your regular facials.

Of course, those massages weren’t simply for pleasure. A facial massage stimulates the lymphatic system, allowing your body to clear away toxins at a much faster rate. This then invigorates both your skin and your immune system, giving you that healthy and happy glow.

The way in which a facial massage increases circulation will also give you a brighter and more vibrant appearance, while smoothing away the visibility of fine lines.

Whether you want to keep things simple or go all out with a 20-step massage routine, a quick search online will reward you with a number of different facial massage videos that you can follow and learn from.

You’ll then be able to incorporate the techniques you learn into your daily skin care routine.

If you really start to get into the facial massage realm, you can take things a step further by investing in a facial massage device. There are numerous at-home skin care gadgets out there that are designed to massage the skin and boost lymphatic drainage, and they’ll give your fingers a break too!

Use Makeup for Some Extra Help

Sometimes, you need an instant fix. While improving your skin care routine and lifestyle is always the best way to achieve and maintain a consistent summery glow, you can always turn to makeup when you need immediate results.

This doesn’t need to be anything complicated…

Simply applying a tinted lotion can give your skin an illuminated appearance. Alternatively, add some illuminating makeup drops to your favorite moisturizer – go for a darker shade if you want to shimmer with a beachy bronzed look.

If you’re good at highlighting, then this is another way to get your glow on. However, don’t be afraid to experiment with multiple highlighters, either using different shades on different parts of your face, or blending a few different shades together. This will add even more depth to your winter glowy look, making it appear beautifully natural.

You may have said goodbye to summer, but that doesn’t mean that you need to say goodbye to your summertime glow. Instead, follow the tips above and you’ll soon be back to your glowing self, with this radiance being one that you’ll then be able to easily maintain throughout the years.

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The 12 Most Anticipated Books of 2021

Woman reading book

If you enjoy reading, then you understand the anticipation of waiting to read a good book. Not only is it fun, but reading keeps you healthy, young, and sharp. 

The year 2021 promises new books in such big numbers that you will be spoilt for choice no matter what your genre is. So, what appeals to you most? Romance, fiction, non-fiction, science fiction, horror…you name it.

We have compiled a list of the 12 most anticipated books of 2021 and given you a sneak-peek into each, just to get your reading juices flowing.

The Push by Ashley Audrain

January 2021

The Push is a psychological drama and Ashley Audrain’s first novel. Ashley introduces Blythe Connor, an eager first-time mom, and a wife.

During the early days of parenthood, Blythe’s dreams of being a warm loving mother to her daughter take a nosedive. Her parenting challenges lead her to conclude that all is not well with her daughter- or at least, something about her daughter is different.

Or was it just her imagination? Fox, her husband seems convinced that it is all in her mind and he tells her so. Due to her husband’s continued dismissal,  Blythe starts to doubt her own sanity.

The birth of her second child, Sam, finally brings the mother-child bond that Blythe has always yearned for. However, just before she and her family can bask in the new-found bliss, their life as they know it changes, forcing Blythe to come to terms with the truth about her own life.

A Lady’s Formula For Love by Elizabeth Everett

February 2021

Are you a romantic at heart? Then you will instantly get hooked on Elizabeth Everett’s romantic debut.

The book features an instantaneous attraction between a widowed viscountess and her bodyguard, Arthur.

Lady Violet Hughes heads a secret club of quirky female scientists back in 1842 England.

When a chemical weapon released by an illegal workers’ association threatens England, Violet takes on the task of finding an antidote. This puts her in danger as she strives to protect her work from eminent sabotage and still hold her club together.

Help comes from her step-son Grey, who hires officer Arthur Kneland to keep Violet safe. The connection between Violet and Arthur quickly sets them off for such an exciting romantic journey that neither of them has control over what happens next.

Woman reading book

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

February 2021

This book is set back in 1934 Texas during the Great Depression. People are grappling with the effects of a severe drought and joblessness. Farmers can only look with helplessness as their efforts to keep their lands end in futility.

Water is drying up by the day and to make things worse, people have to deal with destructive dust storms.

Like her neighbors, Elsa Martinelli is torn between staying to fight for her land which she cherishes, and going west to start afresh. Three things work in her favor and that of an entire generation; courage, selflessness, and an indomitable spirit.

From the author of bestseller Nightingale and The Great Alone Kristin Hannah, expect historical fiction that breathes life to every story that she tells. The Four Winds is no different.

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates

February 2021

When one of the world’s most celebrated and wealthiest figures speaks, the world listens. Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation and a philanthropist of climate change, has written a book based on over a decade’s worth of research and investment on climate change.

In this book, Gates not only explains the urgency to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions but also shares actionable details on tools that the world can build to succeed. He expounds on how technology is already helping, what needs improvement, and what innovations we should be expecting in the future.

And just before you brush the book off as a manual for policies that only governments can implement, it contains the roles individuals need to play in order to achieve the goal as well

If you are passionate about saving the planet, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster will educate and inspire hope in you that a better future is possible.

My Year Abroad by Chang-Rae Lee

February 2021

Chang-Rae Lee won the Hemingway Award with his first novel, Native Speaker back in 1996. He hasn’t disappointed ever since.

My Year Abroad is the story of a good-hearted American college student, Tiller. Then there’s Pong Lou, an innovative Chinese American entrepreneur who is persuaded that there’s more to the average look of the young man’s exterior.

To prove himself right, Pong takes Tiller on a boisterous trip to Asia. The trip proves to be so transformational for Tiller that it completely changes his view of himself and the world around him.

Reflecting on his completely alien experience abroad, Tiller contemplates what this means for his future but one thing is true; his life will never be the same again.

Chang-Rae skillfully weaves attitudes and stereotypes of western and eastern life, parenthood, mentorship, cultural immersion, and much more into a captivating tale of an odd couple with just the right hints of humor and darkness.

Girls with Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman

February 2021

When 3 brilliant girls have to battle for the one available spot in Stanford, their mothers realize that a cutthroat competition has just begun. And one that they are willing to face head-on. Sadly, it is also one that is likely to leave destruction in its wake.

Two of the mothers have something they can use to their advantage to secure the futures of their daughters. For Alicia the tech giant, it is her fortune and status. For Kelly, Stanford alum, it is her PTA influence and insider knowledge. Unfortunately for Maren, she is broke, single, and not well-connected to maneuver her way to Stanford.

What lines are these women willing to cross? One of the girls is involved in a suspicious near-fatal-accident a few days before applications. This puts the school community into chaos even as the spotlight rests on the families.

Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman’s debut novel is a spot-on reflection of the mayhem that may accompany college admissions.

Woman reading book

Girl A by Abigail Dean

February 2021

When Lex Gracie escapes her abusive home, she avoids, by all means, any thoughts related to her family and the ‘house of horrors’ she grew up in. She is determined to let her past the identity of the girl who escaped go, in order to start life afresh.

Lex then receives the news of her mother’s death in prison. She is also notified that her mother left the house to her and her siblings. Realizing that retracing her steps back to her past is inevitable, she joins forces with her sister, intending to transform their house of horrors into something good.

The objective is a tough one to achieve and requires her to come to terms with all her six siblings and face the ghosts from their childhood.

In her debut Girl A, Abigail Dean has spun redemption, horror, and passion into one exciting page-turner.

This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

February 2021

From the author of So We can Glow, Leesa Cross-Smith, expect an interesting story of two people brought together by fate at the most opportune time.

Tallie Clark, a divorced therapist in Kentucky encounters a man on the side of a bridge seemingly ready to take his own life. She immediately pulls over and manages to invite the man, Emmet, for a cup of coffee and later into her own house.

Without confessing the nature of her job, Tallie creates the perfect environment for Emmet to pour his heart out. It is only then that she realizes that both of them had secrets and they both needed healing.

Gradually they inch towards Emmet’s near-suicide experience and into the hard truths of Tallie’s life.

Later by Stephen King

March 2021

Bestselling author Stephen King has yet another book for the Hard Case Crime series after The Colorado Kid and Joyland.

Later features the life of Jamie Conklin, a boy born with extra-ordinary abilities. To protect his son, Jamie’s mother, a struggling single mom, just wants an ordinary life for him.

Jamie’s ability could help his mother, a fact that is evident when his mother’s lover, an NYPD detective draws him into the investigation of a ruthless killer. Unfortunately, using his powers comes with dire consequences.

The story is packed with the intensity of emotions that accompany the resolve to face one’s demons and stand against evil at all costs.

Clara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

March 2021

If you get thrilled by science fiction, then Clara and the Sun will keep you both entertained and thrilled! The book by Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro instantly takes you to the future of technological advancement.

The book introduces you to Clara, a human-like solar-powered artificial friend (AF). Clara is tailored to be a child’s companion and as she waits to be bought from the AF store for her duty, she is determined to learn as much as she can from the humans that frequent the store.

When her day finally comes, she becomes the companion of a teenager, Josie, and now interacts closely with her and the members of her family. Clara also comes to terms with the fact that humans possess emotions that she can’t quite understand and that she shouldn’t put too much trust in their promises.

The book also touches on environmental destruction. Clara’s who sees the sun as the god of nourishment experiences difficulties relating to her ‘god’ when the sun is hidden by smog.

Woman reading book

While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Adams

May 2021

This book introduces us to a talented young law clerk Avery Keene. Avery gives her all to successfully juggle a demanding job as a clerk for the celebrated Justice Howard Wynn and an unstable family.

Her life is almost shattered when Justice Wynn slips into a comma. She is then notified that Justice Wynn had appointed her as his legal guardian and power of attorney.

Thanks to her new role and responsibility, Avery discovers that Wynn was secretly researching one of the most controversial cases in the court. She also deduced from Wynn’s findings that he was suspecting a related conspiracy involving powerful people in Washington.

As she follows Wynn’s carefully crafted clues, she realizes how deeply invested Wynn was in the controversial case. Unfortunately, the more she pursues the truth, the more she puts her life in danger.

The author of While Justice Sleeps, Stacey Abrams is also the author of bestsellers, Our Time is Now and Lead from the Outside.

Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor

June 2021

After his breakthrough with the Booker Prize finalist, Real Life, in 2020, Brandon Taylor is coming back in 2021 with Filthy Animals.

Notably, the book has nothing to do with animals. Set in the Midwest, the book is a collection of intertwined stories that revolve around relationships, romance, intrigues, and struggles of modern-day life among young creatives.

In one story, a young man explores the intrigues and inadequacies of an open sexual relationship with two women. In another, cancer threatens to drain both the body and the family of a young woman.

Brewing undercurrents among teenagers blow up, leading to a night of violence while in yet another, couples try to navigate varied aspects of their lives that will either drown or ground their relationships.

So,  what links all these stories? Find out when you grab your copy!

There you go! Which ones are you itching to read?