Warming Oils for Winter© Marie A. Miczak
Dec 31, 2003
Exposure to extreme winter winds and the cold in general can play havoc on your skin.
Leaving it extremely dry, flaking, cracking and even bleeding in excessive cases. Like a
awful circle, the skin problems lead to your body to surrendering even more heat and
become even colder. Like shingles on a house, when skin layers are raised and flaking
off, heat radiates away from your body even faster. This is why many cultures of people
living in cold climates would use preparations made from oils, fats and botanicals to help
insulate themselves from the frigid temperatures.
People who must brave the cold outdoors are many times told to apply Vaseline to
exposed areas of skin, especially the ears and to also use plenty of hand cream. This can
be of help, but making your own oils and creams infused with essential oils and herbs can
be of even more comfort. Even if you are being smart and staying indoors, these
preparations can help you from suffering from dry skin. A frequent side effect of indoor
heat and lack of proper humidity.
Lip Balm
Lips can easily become cracked and bleeding even from wind chill. Along with staying
hydrated with plenty of water (not alcohol or coffee), you can make a simple lip balm.
Use 4 Tablespoons of olive oil and a few drops of essential oil of lavender or rose. You
can add some vitamin E as well. Place in the refrigerator, if possible in an empty lip balm
tin. In order to keep it in a solid state it has to be kept cool. To keep it solid anywhere
add a little beeswax.
Body Oil
You can use regular vegetable oil jojoba or even a commercial body oil you have on
hand. Add to it warming oils such as peppermint, black pepper, cinnamon leaf &/or
orange along with some vitamin E. You can also add orange zest (peel) and cinnamon
sticks to the bottle of oil. Let everything steep a few days. Then, before going out in the
cold, rub this on your feet and legs, knees, elbows and ears. You can also use this on
your hands prior to putting on cream &/or gloves - mittens.
Creams
Creams can add that extra bit of hydration, especially to hands which tend to freeze up
even faster than feet, even when inside of gloves or mittens. Making creams can be hard,
so why not buy an unscented one (found in most health food stores) or a commercial one
without perfumes. Creams which include green tea or a sun-block can be especially
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The copyright of the article Warming Oils for Winter in Aromatherapy is owned by Marie A. Miczak. Permission to republish Warming Oils for Winter in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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