After about a decade of living in Beijing I still need reminders that Beijing winters are extremely dry. There’s nothing wrong with my skin, it’s the weather.

This time of the year, your summertime skincare products need to be changed to something that’s thicker and possibly oil-based to prevent you from having dry itchy skin. And the same goes for your kid.

This winter, I thought my daughter had suddenly developed some kind of skin disease when she suddenly wouldn’t stop scratching her arms, legs, and tiny little butt cheeks and had little red marks all over. Then a friend reminded me about just how dry this weather is. A quick change to her skincare products, and all the itchiness was gone within days.

Here are the toddler-friendly products that may help your kids this winter:

Bodorme Baby Milk Bath Oil

Beijing’s water is harsh and hopefully you’ve installed your water filters all over the house. If not, contact Greenwave for the right type of filter for any type of faucet you have. The Bodorme Baby Mild Bath Oil helps soothe their skin while your child bathes. It’s a good one to ensure that they’ve got a nice layer of protection all over their body.

Aveno Baby Moisturing Massage Oil

I started using this for my toddler immediately following her bath while her skin is still damp. During the really dry winter months, oils work better than regular lotions at locking in moisture.

Sudocrem

This is a must-have for parents. It’s an antiseptic healing cream that can be used for diaper rash, eczema, sunburn, and small wounds. I started applying this to the scratches my daughter’s left on her arms, legs, and butt cheeks, and within days they were all gone.

Dermoplast

This is my go-to when it comes to heavy duty first aid. It’s not recommended for daily use, but when you need to keep your small child from scratching a wound, one spray and it’ll numb the entire surface. Be careful not to get any into your mouth and eyes!

Then, in general, add a humidifier to your home. They help alleviate the dryness in the air and keep nasal passages moist, reducing congestion. They also help in preventing dry skin and, as an added bonus (for some), they have a soothing white noise that helps kids sleep.

If you do have a humidifier at home, be sure to clean it often and thoroughly. Mold and residue in build up pretty quickly in humidifiers and can lead to health risks. The best way to clean is to use baking soda and vinegar to ensure that you’re not introducing any toxins into the machine. If you are using a ready-mixed cleaning solution, be sure it’s nontoxic.

Images: Taobao, Pexels

The Beijing cold is creeping in, and that can mean dry skin for the whole family. In between the biting wind, the low humidity, the constant central heating, and the less-than-stellar water quality, it can start to feel like there is no way to stop yourself from turning into a scaly reptile by the time Christmas rolls around. However, a judicious selection of skincare products and home remedies can go a long way to preventing and caring for dry skin (and it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, either). Last year, our former editor Pauline van Hasselt tried a number of home remedies to keep skin moist and supple.

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water…

Don’t shower every day

This tip can be difficult to adhere to if you love to luxuriate in the bath or shower, but trust us that it will make a difference in the long term. Long, hot showers can disrupt the skin’s natural barrier and strip away natural oils, leaving skin more susceptible to the elements. As dermatologist Dr. Lotus Lv noted in an interview with the Beijinger, this is especially true in cities with hard water like Beijing, as the minerals in the water mean that soaps and body washes don’t foam up as much, meaning you may be tempted to use more to get that squeaky clean feeling.

Oats are a hero ingredient when it comes to homemade skincare

Try an oatmeal bath

This one sounds like an old wive’s tale but it does work. Colloidal oatmeal (oatmeal that has been finely ground and suspended in a liquid) is a popular ingredient in many skincare products, such as those made by popular brand Aveeno. Make your own moisturizing bath without running out and buying any expensive creams by grinding a cup or so of oats to a fine powder in a food processor or coffee grinder — you’ll know it’s fine enough when it dissolves in water. Then, simply dump these in the bath or, for easier cleanup, put them in a sock or old pantyhose tied at the top (bonus: kids also love to play with the slimy sock in the bath). Just remember the tip above — oats may be moisturizing but you should still avoid staying in the water for more than about 10-15 minutes.

Oils really are essential

Pauline suggested lacing your bath with coconut oil and a few drops of essential oil. It might not be great for the bathroom plumbing if you do it all the time, but it should help to keep your skin glowing and smelling like a tropical drink. You can also try rubbing some coconut oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, or another skin-safe carrier oil into dry patches of skin before you bathe to create a barrier between your skin and the Beijing water. Top any post-bath moisturizers with a light coating of oil to lock in the benefits of the cream.

Mix up a homemade body scrub

Scrub up

In order to allow your skincare products — home remedies or otherwise — to penetrate into the skin, it helps to first remove any pesky dry or dead skin by exfoliating. Look for gentle exfoliators that scrub rather than scratch and damage the skin. Our old friend oatmeal can lend a hand here again. For a simple homemade body scrub, grind around half a cup of oats to a fine-ish powder, then mix with 2-3 tbsp each of almond meal/ground almonds and light brown sugar, 1 tbsp honey, and enough milk (preferably fresh, no UHT) to form a paste. Massage onto the body and then rinse off.

*It goes without saying that you should only try any of these remedies if you know you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients, or that you should do a patch test before you start

KEEP READING: WAB Dining Strip Reloaded with New Choices

Images: Unsplash (Christin Hume, Keven Baquerizo, Melissa di Rocco), Pxhuel

I don’t know about you, but with each winter in Beijing, comes yet again another struggle to find the right remedies to fight dry skin and hair. My extremely coily hair and sensitive skin always adds a new dimension to this annual dilemma, and that’s why the discovery of the following inspired artisan creations has me reveling in suppleness and natural scents.

VERVE, Handcrafted Loofah Soap, Turmeric and Lemongrass Natural Soap, and Natural Body Butter

I have been conducting a lot of research lately into recycling, upcycling, and minimalism. I automatically associated the need for minimalism in my life with clothing and objects in the home, but Verve’s Citrus and Rosemary Loofah Soap could quite possibly be the answer to decluttering your bathroom shelves, and using this as your single go-to cleanse item for your morning showers.

I’m not sure if I’m the last to the soap-show, but combining a gentle exfoliating loofah with vitamin-enriched soap is inspired, and so what I needed to help tackle the removal of dry skin, while at the same time nourishing and cleaning the body

Throw out old flannels, sponges, and tired loofahs for something that will most likely cut your shower or bath time in half (having a different cleanser or soap for different parts of the body has made showering quite the morning process for me), and enjoy immediately smoother and softer skin. The scent of Citrus Rosemary is quite divine in addition to making your skin fragrant with herbal and tropical notes. I was already sold when I read “Loofah Soap” – who wudda thunk it!

From its beautifully presented floral packaging, I took out the Turmeric Lemongrass soap. Lemongrass has long been a favorite natural scent of mine, and before you even unravel the blue ribbon on the packaging, tropical fragrances belonging to the islands of South East Asia greet you. This will be a mainstay in my bathroom and soothes, cleans, and moisturizes all in one. Verve soaps are also so beautiful to look at. Buy them as gifts, and give the gift of supple skin this Beijing winter.

The body butter may look and feel literally like butter, but penetrates the skin without leaving any oily residue. I would recommend this to those who have medium to very dry skin. It’s sumptuous and makes for an indulgent bath-time routine (if you happen to have one of very rare baths that exist in Beijing). Take your time when applying as you really need to deeply massage the butter into the skin, and use in combination with the Loofah Soap.

Make your purchase through The Bulk House using the QR codes below or pop into the Roundabout Boutique, Mon-Sat. 9pm – 4pm. Cathay View Plaza, 2 Xiangjiang Bei Lu, Chaoyang District 香江北路2号

The Green Room, Face Serum, Belly Oil and Balm

I think it’s common knowledge in most circles interested in artisan beauty products that The Green Room’s selections of alchemic oils have been redefining how many of us view essential oils and their all-round benefits. In little frosted glass bottles, which are beautifully labeled with Victorian-esque herbology illustrations, are well-balanced elixirs for dry hair and skin.

Smelling like a spa, the Super Hydr8 Face Serum, used in combination with the Face Balm, will transport you to fields of wild flowers, and breathe supple and dewy life back into your skin. The Balm can be used as a gentle cleanser, make-up remover, and massage oil; massage the oil in and gently wipe off excess before applying the Serum. If you use a foundation or concealer, add a few drops of the Serum, which for me brightened my look, left a lasting finish, and softened the skin. If expecting (or not), use the Belly Oil to help build and maintain elasticity, while at the same time adding moisture and nourishment. I applied it to damp skin and used it as a daily belly rub!

The Belly Oil can also combat dry skin in babies and kids. Use as a moisturizer on top of a water-based cream, or add to your kid’s bath. My little one, like his mommy, has very sensitive skin and has been battling with dry patches. This oil works wonders and is fragrance free.

This brand has clearly paid attention to the refinement of blending oils for different uses and needs. Essential oils are not only for popping into your diffuser. The Green Room, among others are leading the way in how to use these wonderfully natural and healing ingredients to remedy almost every kind of beauty need. Wechat: TheGreenRoom

Velveteen’s Secret Potions, Galaelia Cleanser and Oriental Wisdom Serum

It’s time to talk DIRT. When thinking about protecting your skin during the long winter months in Beijing, one cannot but think about the dreaded pollution that clogs up the pores and leads to outbreaks of spots and patches of dry skin.

The colorful and whimsical packaging with a bohemian aesthetic mirrors the very personally crafted lotions and potions in Velveteen’s Secret Potion’s skin care collection. You can also find organic sprays and treatments for the home and if you ask nicely, founder Fran Hanshing can also concoct a solution for specific needs and uses (Hanshing made an awesome organic nappy balm for my baby, which was the best for his new born skin and came in a beautiful Chinese ceramic pot).

I have been using generic facial wipes to remove makeup and dirt from the skin. However, it’s always a struggle to remove mascara, and my skin is left feeling moisture-less and clammy. Enter the Galaelia Cleanser. This cleanser has totally revamped my daily dirt removal routine, making the process less of a chore and more of a luxurious excuse to carve out a little time in the evening to cleanse and clean the skin.

Using a single cotton pad, and two to three drops of Galaelia Cleanser, the removal of dirt and pollution residue from the face, neck, and upper chest was a breeze and left my skin feeling refreshed and clog-free. For make-up removal your go-to has to be La Pocion No.2, which can gently remove waterproof mascara and for me, the shockingly stubborn liquid bronzer I use to feign sun-kissed skin.

To complete my facial cleanse and makeup removal routine, I applied a few drops of the Supreme Oriental Wisdom Serum to the face, massaged it in and enjoyed woody notes of argan, lingzhi mushroom, ginseng, and lovage essential oils.Your skin will feel renewed and refreshed and, I kid you not, may even make your sleep sounder.

Hands are important! Treat them well, using Velveteen’s Secret Potion’s Abethia Velvet Hand Glove cream. I recommend purchasing some organic cotton gloves, washing your hands thoroughly, and generously applying some of this moisturizer. Sleep overnight with the gloves on to really help heal severely dry and calloused hands. WeChat: franhanshing

Top Tip: Natural soaps need to be kept in a dry place when not in use. Keep handcrafted natural soaps on a wooden soap dish with slates, holes or graded drainage to help make your soaps last longer. A diatomaceous earth soap tray is best.

The Bulk House

The Green Room

Velveteen

Photos: Sydney Bishop, Sarah O’Connell

Beijing is dry; this is not news. I have slathered my child and myself in oils, lotions, and milk baths. It helps for a bit, but the dryness comes around like a thief in the night, draining the smoothness from our skin. But I forgot about one very important thing: butter. No, not the butter we smear on our bread – although I won’t lie, it’s great for your hands, as working in the kitchen for 15 years has taught me – but the body butter we usually find in a toiletries shop in a western country.

I can’t help but wonder why these nourishing creams are so hard to find in Beijing. But don’t panic, I have found two very talented ladies that home-make these lush body butters themselves, and share the love with our dry skins in Beijing.

Verve 

This lady has been nourishing our skins for a while, and her bath bombs are to die for. We’re big fans of her work, and her new products look good enough to eat. Add on WeChat: Averv88

Vanillae

This body butter genius has been recommended by various sources, and her butters are blends you can match yourself to make it personal for your skin. Winter is here, but dry skin does not have to be. Add on WeChat: Vanillae_

Photos: courtesy of vendors

The Beijing cold is back, and that means dry skin for the whole family. I love my showers and baths, but the water in Beijing leaves something to be desired, and if you don’t have a fancy filter your skin can get a bit crispy. My daughter was used to daily baths, and her skin was starting to look like she was a reptile. Last year I tried many home remedies to keep our skin moist and supple. Here are some wise tips from the internet and my mother.

Don’t shower every day

This is a tip I can’t adhere to as I love my twice-a-day shower, but I have cut my daughter’s daily bath routine and her skin is the evidence: smooth like a baby’s bottom.

Oat Bath Socks

Stuff a sock with rolled oats and pop it in the bath. The whitish slime that comes of the oats is like liquid gold, and is a natural balm for your skin. Kids also love to play with the slimy sock in the bath.

Coconut Oil Baths

I like to lace my baths with coconut oil and some lavender essential oil for my daughter and me. I have no idea if the oil is suitable for the bathroom plumbing, but it keeps our skin glowing and smelling like a tropical drink.

Olive Oil Rub

I like to rub down my daughter with olive oil before she jumps into the warm water. It might sound slightly weird but it creates a barrier between her skin and the Beijing water. The olive oil keeps her half-Italian skin smelling like a true Latin toddler.