Fall Beauty Tips with Jen Adkins

Oct 19

Back in the spring, I had Jen Adkins offer some of her expert skincare tips to help with seasonal beauty transitions. And now for fall, she’s back with some great tips to help with cold weather tips and easy diy skincare recipes!

What are the best ways to avoid flakey or chapped lips?

Exfoliating is key. They make lip exfoliators, but you don’t need to purchase one. Grab a soft toothbrush and some Vaseline or Vaseline alternative. Apply a layer of cream on your lips and gently rub the toothbrush in gentle circles on your lips. Wipe off any excess, smack your moisturized lips and you’re good to go. You can do this morning or night. It also encourages blood flow which will temporarily give you a bit of a boost in fullness. It’s also important to moisturize your lips regularly through the day. Forget about the gloss, use real lip moisturizers. (I love eos.) Lastly, never ever go to bed without putting on some Vaseline/Vaseline alternative or a thick moisturizer.

What are some tips to prevent wind-burned skin?

If you’re going to be out on a brutally windy, cold day, bundle up. Wear scarves and pull them up to cover as much of your face as possible. Hoods, hats and large sunglasses can also help cover and protect skin. (Sunglasses will also fend off crow’s feet!) Before you go out, put on a good face moisturizer (with sunscreen) and use a bit more than you would in the morning. This will help protect your skin against the wind. Vaseline, again, is a great product in helping to prevent windburn if you’re going to be out for a long time or you’re into winter sports like skiing or skating. It acts as a barrier to your skin, literally blocking wind from damaging your skin.

What’s one must-do for winter skincare?

Sunscreen. It’s often but on the back burner in the winter, but it is really important. If you live in a snowy part of the country, you may not know that the snow acts as a reflector to the sun’s rays just like it does on the water in the summer. This can cause sunburn and sun damage. It also can and will also age your skin. Instead of thinking of winter as a time off for sunscreen, think of it as the easy months. All you need to worry most often about is your face. (And hands if you’re without gloves.)

What are your favorite DIY recipes for at-home skincare?

I’m not a fan of intensive DIY beauty recipes. If it has more than a few ingredients, I’m out. If I have to go on a shopping trip to get the ingredients, I’m out. If I have to spend more money on the recipe than I would on a meal for my family, I’m out.

I love making body scrubs and I love using natural oils in my beauty routine. I’m not a fan of using olive oil on my skin, so often if a recipe calls for it, I’ll substitute it for sweet almond oil. Coconut oil alone makes for an amazing moisturizer and argan oil is my head-to-toe treat that my body drinks in. Some recipes call for ingredients just for the wow-factor of them. Basic is best. Easy means you’ll keep coming back to a recipe. And all recipes can be tweaked to your liking.

Here’s a totally amazing, super easy hand scrub I whip up often and leave in a cute glass jar by my kitchen sink. It leaves your hands looking and feeling amazing.

1 Cup Sugar (I like white, but feel free to use brown)

¾ C Sweet Almond Oil (or the oil of your choice)

2 T Citrus Juice. (Most often lemon, but sometimes grapefruit or lime; whatever I have at the moment.)

Before using, give it a good mix with a spoon and apply to wet hands. Try to scrub for a full 60 seconds and rinse off. The oil stays on your skin and the sugar leaves them so smooth. Great for anti-aging of your hands! A perfect gift for the holidays!

Thanks again, Jen! I love the idea of packaging the scrub for quick, simple, and cost-effective gifts!