Palm Springs has a high of 26 today. Phoenix, 28. Sydney, 23. Tel Aviv, 19. And we’re sitting at a negative 17, which really means negative 27. NEGATIVE. UGH. I know I live in Canada, but this weather is just not okay. I enjoy shorts, sandals & dresses. I know I can throw on a pair of tights, a sweater & suck it up—but it’s just not the same. The one thing I can comfortably say I like about the cold is boots. But even then, I’m not much of a Sorel girl.
As the cold comes, I wish I could be laying on a beach somewhere hot. But I’ve decided not to cry at the white fluff & brown slush taking over our city; instead, I’ve found some stuff to get me through this harsh season. Here are my 5 Winter Essentials:
Scarves
This one is a typical winter must. But of all the options (hat, gloves, etc.) the scarf is my favourite. Simply for the fact that there are tons of trendy & pretty scarfs out there. They’re a great addition to your wardrobe. They can add a pop of colour & comfort at the same time. Also! The scarf can always dub as your hat, if you forget it, so it’s practically a two in one item right there. Here’s the Hibou scarf I’m rocking this season! It’s honestly so soft.
(Thanks to my brother for this great gift!)
Hot drinks
Hot drinks get me not only the horrid cold, but through life. I’m a bit of a Starbucks fiend & that’s usually what I drink when I’m on campus. The reason I go with Starbucks however, isn’t cause I love spending 6 bucks on a drink, but because I personally find Tims drinks too sweet! I also just love Starbucks, let’s be real. My favourite Starbucks pick however, is not coffee—but tea. I’m obsessed with their chai tea latte, with soymilk. If you’re one of those people that never knows what to order, I’d highly suggest a chai.
*If you’re a milk lover, I’d go with regular 2%—I don’t love the taste of milk, so I take soy.
When I’m bundled up at home, I love to sip tea—My love for tea derives from my English mother. I honestly think the tea addiction is in my veins! For the past few years I’ve jumped on the DAVIDsTEA train & been hypnotized with their colourful tea cans—you’ll know what I mean if you’ve ever visited a store. I’m always trying different teas @ Davids since they have tons, but my winter favourite as of now is Birthday Cake (I’m drinking it right now!) I’m a really big fan of rooibos tea & love that it’s decaf; I can drink it right before bed! If you too love rooibos tea, I’d suggest Jessie’s—It’s probably my #1 favourite at Davids.
*If you’re more of an adventurous tea drinker, try Davids lime gelato as a tea latte. It’s a bit different, but delicious! Go big or go home!
Chapstick
Sometimes I wonder if I’m obsessed with chapstick. I honestly cannot go a day without it & dry lips are a no-go in my books. Since the winter weather doesn’t help this situation, I become even more addicted to chap stick from December onwards. I’ve tried trillions of chapsticks (and totally went through a cherry ChapSitck phase when Katy Perry sang about it), but now that I’ve tried ‘em all, here are my top two picks:
Nivea’s A Kiss of Strawberry Fruity Lip Care.
It has a SPF of 10, almond oil for extra moisture & a slight red tint. I’ve been through my rounds of chapstick and this is my number one pick. It smells good, looks good, and leaves my winter lips super soft. I sound like an advert, but I do love it—no one paid me to say this!
Hurraw
I picked this one up not to long ago at an American Apparel when I realized I had no chapstick on me & was making a purchase. I got the grapefruit one & absolutely adore the smell. It’s all-organic & entirely vegan. Also, similar to the Nivea one, it’s a bit creamy! I love this, cause you can actually feel it being applied to your lips.
Moisturizer
When people ask me what skin type I am, I literally have no idea. Some days my skin is dry, sometimes it’s oily, WHO KNOWS! But what I do know is that the winter leaves my face feeling like I just got out of a Botox appointment. It’s always stiff.
There’s one cream I rely on to fix this & it won’t break your bank. It is Nivea Visage’s Rich Moisturizer Day Care SPF 15. No matter what my face is like that day, this leaves it feeling good. It’s not too thick and doesn’t feel like a layer of oil after it’s applied. It has a soft but nice scent too. One of the reasons I like it, is that is has a SPF of 15—which is super important in a good face cream. No, we aren’t chilling on the beach, but you’re still being exposed to sun damaging light, every single day, so SPF is important.
If you want to know why SPF is important, even in the winter, check out this blog post, by Lauren Conrad!
Essential Oils
I don’t mean canola oil or anything like that, but rather essential oils! In this winter mess, I find that I get dry hair. It’s never fun—especially if you’re addicted to heated hair utensils, like I admittedly am & oil’s are a bit of a saviour. Here’s the two I like best:
Argan Oil
There’s been a recent craze in Moroccan oil & although Argan oil isn’t the same thing as Moroccan oil, it’s derived from Moroccon Argan trees. I apply a good dime sized portion to my damp hair and massage it through. It leaves my hair feeling silky smooth! But note *only use a couple drops, cause too much of it will leave your hair looking oily & drowned-rat like.
For more info on Argan oil & other ways to use it (my friend uses it on her face), click on this!
Tee Tree Oil
If you have dandruff & the winter isn’t helping, Tea Tree Oil can help you with that. Add a few drops into your shampoo & it will slowly help your hair. You can also buy shampoos that already have Tea Tree Oil in them (Paul Mitchell makes one). Note *leave your shampoo on a little bit longer than normal, so that the oil has time to settle in & work. I also put Tea Tree Oil in my face wash cause it neutralizes some of the bacteria in your face (& is great as an acne treatment). I’m honestly obsessed with Tea Tree Oil and put it in everything— click here to learn more about how it can be used!
Warning: Tea Tree Oil does does have a very specific scent & if you’ve never tried it, you might not love it. It also creates a tingling type sensation—that is normal. Make sure to test it on your forearm prior to applying it, so you know you won’t get an allergic reaction!
________________________________________________________________________________________
I hope you all enjoyed this! & that you’re wrapped up in many blankets, sipping your preferred hot drink while you read this. Don’t forget to tweet us @RUStudentLife or comment below & tell us what your #personalfave winter item is. Whether it’s off this list, or something else you can’t live without in this horrendous weather, I’d love to know! Also, if you have any questions, hit me up on twitter @evesharabi.
