Pamper Products for Winter| Mintd Winter Skincare Hydration

You know how sometimes a mood hits you and you can’t seem able to shake it out of your head? Well that’s been me these past couple of days. Something about sweater weather and the earlier it gets dark outside, the more l get in one of those moods where all I want to do is stay in and indulge in a pampering session.

One brand that knows a thing or two about the importance of pampering and indulging your skin, while addressing seasonal concerns, is Mintd. Subscribing to a luxury service like Mintd (read how it works here) is beyond exciting for beauty lovers like myself. It’s a chance to try new brands, new products and use something special every day or on those nights when you feel a proper pampering session is long overdue and necessary.

This month they’ve curated a beautiful selection of pamper products for Winter and I have to say, I don’t think I could’ve picked better myself. The concerns in wintertime are dry, irritated and dehydrated skin. Mintd have done an excellent job handpicking a lineup that will keep your skincare routine in balance and no stone (or body part as it’s more appropriate here) is left unturned (hands and lips have not been forgotten!). The star products that made it in their November box, hydrate and nourish for a more radiant, luminous complexion and skin that doesn’t feel dry and doesn’t itch, but that is readily equipped to take on and conquer the dropping temperatures. Here are the Mintd curated (Cat approved) pamper products for Winter…

Indulging Your Body

There’s something so comforting, so indulging about a hot, steamy shower at the end of a busy day, especially during those cold, dreary winter months that don’t seem to ever come to an end. As heavenly as that might sound, the combination of cold weather and indoor heating coupled with steamy showers can wreak havoc on the skin. A great way to ensure your body is not depleted of moisture is to switch to a shower cream, a double-duty product that cleanses and hydrates at the same time, without stripping the skin of essential oils it needs to fight against external factors.  The African Botanics Plantes D’Afrique Shower Cream is a luxurious body product that gently cleanses, polishes and revitalizes the skin, while protecting its moisture barrier. It is every bit as indulgent as it sounds.

Inspired by an ancient African ritualistic bathing experience utilizing wild-harvested botanicals, the shower cream is infused with crushed Baobab fruit and ancient volcanic lava minerals to gently cleanse and polish, Marula, Baobab, Kalahari Melon and Kigelia Africana Oils to nourish and hydrate, antioxidant-rich Green Rooibos Tea and Honeybush extract to smooth skin texture, Cape Rose Geranium and Lemongrass to boost circulation, tighten and tone the skin. NO parabens, mineral oils, BPA, petrochemicals, synthetic emulsifiers, toxic preservatives, phthalates, DEA, TEA, synthetic colors or fragrance.  I simply can’t tell you how relaxing and comforting it feels to use this shower cream. The creamy texture glides over my body and as it washes away, it leaves my skin feeling supple, soft and hydrated.

Indulging Your Face

I am a huge fan of face masks and find them essential to any skincare routine. It’s also the simplest way to bring that spa feel into the comfort of your own home without having to spend an arm and a leg and needing to schedule an appointment weeks in advance. A very recent trend that’s been taking the beauty world by storm has been the now infamous sheet masks. They sound and look a little scary I know, but I promise they’re not. They’re simply faced-shaped fabrics soaked in nutrient-packed serum formulas that are meant to address a variety of skin concerns such as exfoliation, hydration, brightening, etc. They’re fast, convenient and easy to use. All you have to do is apply the sheet over your face, wait for the amount of time recommended, take off and pat the extra serum into the skin. Most traditional sheet masks take about 20 minutes for the ingredients to get absorbed into the skin and let’s face it, that can often times seem like an eternity. However, the Patchology masks curated by Mintd deliver the same benefits in just 5 minutes. The trio includes an exfoliating mask to gently remove dead skin cells, a hydrating mask to deliver long lasting moisture to soften and replenish, and an illuminating mask to restore radiance to a lackluster, dull complexion.

One of the brands that’s become synonymous with pure indulgence is EviDenS de Beauté, a luxury skincare brand that attests to the marriage of Japanese beauty rituals with French technical and artistic perfection. It is also a brand that’s out of reach for most of us. I don’t think I would have ever been able to splurge on their products and try them out, had they not been included in my Mintd box.  They are that exclusive!

I adore the Evidens Eye Recovery Serum (read review here) and this month I got the chance to try their face cream. Rich in every sense of the word (and hence living up to its name), the Rich Cream provides deep nourishment, repairs and protects from free radicals, firms the skin and smooths wrinkles. It has a velvety, almost whipped consistency (a little goes a long way), that allows it to melt into the skin while revitalizing and replenishing.  I reach for this on those nights when my skin is need of a pick me up, a little something to revive my tired look and make me feel a bit special. I like to massage the cream onto the face using a Jade Roller (read how here) and drift off to sleep in a cloud of indulgence, leaving all the worries and stresses of the day behind me.

Indulging Your Lips

To be honest, I like to indulge and treat my lips all year round, regardless of the season, and you will never catch me without a lip balm around. I’ve been smitten with the Aromatherapy Associates Lip Balm ever since I got my paws on it. It is a bit of a wonder product, an SOS lip treatment, great for healing and nourishing dry, chapped lips but also protecting and keeping the delicate lips supple and smooth. Rich in plant oils and butters, the formula is non-sticky, leaving behind a velvety, soft finish to the lips. Soothing calendula provides a protective natural barrier that seals in moisture and keeps lips feeling hydrated. The subtle, delicate scent of ginger, vanilla and cocoa butter is absolutely heavenly. I like that the balm comes in a pot that is short and round which allows me to glide my fingertip over the top and not end up with product under my nail.

Indulging Your Hands

So we’ve talked about sheet masks and seen why the hype is real. They provide instant moisture and nutrients directly onto the face for maximum skin hydration. Wouldn’t it be genius to have a sheet mask but for your hands as well? Well, most certainly, it goes without saying at least as far as I’m concerned! My hands always feel so dry no matter the season, so it is imperative to have a good product that nourishes the skin and nails to provide added long-term benefits. Look no further but over at the MagicStripes Hand Repairing Gloves, aka, your hands’ sheet mask!

These moisturizing repairing gloves are enriched with natural extracts, Vitamin C to help stimulate the skin’s renewal process, brighten and diminish the appearance of age spots, Vitamin E to protect against free radicals and premature aging, shea butter and olive oil to moisturize and soften and aloe to sooth and calm the skin. You can use the gloves daily, every few days or whenever your hands need a little TLC. Simply slip the gloves on for about 20 minutes, remove, rinse your hands and pat dry. I’ve only used them once so far, but I can’t even begin to tell you how soft my hands felt afterwards. I even asked my husband to feel my hands and give me his verdict, which sort of backfired as he is now very interested in using these as well. Too bad there are only three pairs included in the packet, will have to be rationed appropriately!

All these products from the Mintd November box work well together not only to nourish and protect the skin, but also to pamper and indulge. In fact, just writing this post has made me want to plan my next pampering session. Any products you recommend?