Beauty Insider: Baby, It’s Cold Outside— Hand Care for Chilly Days
Donna Macdonald, GoLocalProv Beauty Expert
Beauty Insider: Baby, It’s Cold Outside— Hand Care for Chilly Days
Hands age fast and dry out even faster due to their lack of oil glands. It’s never more important to counteract these dynamics than in winter. As a hand cream junkie, I know not all creams are equal, and what works in scorching summer, may not win the winter battle when we are up against the elements, constant hand washing, and occasional gloveless-ness.
Moisturize with soap
Antibacterial lotions and soaps can be very drying. Instead, get needed help with velvety hand soaps like Bath and Body Works Moisturizing Antibacterial Soap or Kiss My Face Moisture Hand Soap which uses olive oil and aloe to keep hands from chapping. Kill the germs. Keep the hands. (Bath and Body Works stores and Whole Foods)
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Moisturize your nails and cuticles every night with a rich ointment-like treatment. Even after a few applications, your nails will look healthier with or without polish, and you’ll keep painful hangnails at bay. Dior Crème Abricot Fortifying Cream for Nails is an emollient multi-tasker that’s been around since 1963. This creamy salve strengthens nails, heals dry cuticles and smells delicious. (Sephora)
Fortification
Before slipping into your gloves when you take the kids sledding or skating, slather on a softening balm to ward off dry biting cold. Farmaesthetics Hand to Heel is a powerful herb preparation that seeps into skin quickly and leaves behind a layer of comforting security. You’ll need the advance protection barrier when your bare hands are called into service to tighten your little one’s skates. Again. (Farmaesthetics, Newport)
Thick hand creams
No watery lotions here - you need buttery creams that really nourish winter-parched skin and make it comfy again. Here are some favorites:
Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater Hand Therapy – don’t be fooled by its June-in-January scent. It’s amazingly hardworking and long lasting. Why not indulge your aesthetic sense while restoring your hands? (Beauty and the Bath, Wickford)
Nivea Smooth Indulgence Hand Cream – oils and minerals make this one a super-hydrator from a company with deep skin care roots. A faithful cream that always delivers. (CVS)
Philosophy Hands of Hope – No need to just hope for healing with this ultra-rich formula that soaks into skin for instant dryness relief. You’ll be hearing yourself say “ahhh” in just a second or two. (Ulta)
Deborah Lippmann Rich Girl Anti-Aging Hand – an award-winning cream with Shea Butter and botanicals that glides on smooth with a beautiful yet delicate fragrance. Hands down winner because it reactivates after you wash your hands. (Nordstrom)
Donna Macdonald is a freelance writer who enjoys covering topics of interest to women, especially fragrance, style, beauty. She has also written marketing material for a women's book that hit the New York Times Bestseller list and netted her an up close and personal discussion on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Donna currently writes her own personal blog, alovelyinconsequence.blogspot.com where she also writes about issues close to a woman's heart. Donna believes that when a woman finds beauty in the world, she will find beauty in herself.
Winter Activities
Ice skating
Satisfy your inner child and pull out those ice skates this weekend. Take your significant other or the whole family to the Providence Rink for hours of winter fun! Afterwards, take a downtown stroll to view the holiday lights with a cup of hot cocoa.
2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence, RI.
Photo: Elvert Barnes/Flickr
Bristol
Take the trip to Bristol this weekend to enjoy the festivities. Take a Christmas tour of Linden Place Mansion to see the lavish decorations. On Saturday, Linden Place will also be hosting Christmastime stories with Robb Dim, reminiscent of Christmases past. Also in Bristol is Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum. Be sure to visit and see Christmas at Blithewold, their annual Christmas celebration featuring caroling, music, lights, decorations and more.
Linden Place Mansion, 500 Hope Street, Bristol, RI. (401) 253-0390.
Blithewold Mansion, 101 Ferry Road, Bristol, RI. (401) 253-2707.
Photo: Jbarta
Holiday Pops
Go to see the world-renowned Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra this Friday, December 13 right here in Providence. The Orchestra will be performing their Holiday 2013 concert, also featuring the Metropolitan Chorale of Brookline at the Providence Performing Art Center. Make sure to grab your tickets before they’re gone.
200 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI. (401) 421-ARTS.
Photo: Marc N. Belanger
Holiday Gardening
Take a much-needed breather from the craziness of the holidays to try something new. This Friday, December 13, take a fun holiday horticulture class: Demystifying Holiday Houseplant Care that will be sure to cure all of your winter gardening woes. Learn all about how to pot and maintain winter plants, from amaryllis to cyclamen. Registration is mandatory.
Blithewold Mansion, 101 Ferry Road, Bristol, RI. (401) 253-2707.
Photo: Jon Ward/Flickr
Celtic Christmas
A Celtic Christmas at Linden Place Mansion in Bristol is a multi-faceted celebration that honors not only Christmas, but also the winter solstice. Listen to an array of Kilmore carols and authentic Irish music honoring both Christmas and Pagan traditions. The show will be performed fireside in the carriage house ballroom of Linden Place. Before the show, enjoy a special romantic seaside dinner exclusively for concertgoers at DeWolf Tavern including a three-course dinner and a glass of beer or wine for under $20!
Linden Place Mansion, 500 Hope Street, Bristol, RI. (401) 253-0390.
DeWolf Tavern, 259 Thames Street, Bristol, RI. (401) 254-2005.
Photo: Sebastian Dooris/Flickr
Newport
Newport has been enchanting visitors for centuries, and there is no better time to visit than during the magic of the holiday season. This year marks the 43rd annual Christmas in Newport celebration. Visitors are treated to an old fashioned seaside Christmas as they stroll the city streets. Highlights of this weekend of the festival include The Polar Express Train Ride, a holiday craft fair, holiday lantern tours of Historic Newport, foodie events and more. See the event website for a full listing of events.
Newport, RI. Click here for more.
Photo: Jessica Curtin/Flickr
Theatre
Take a trip to Stadium Theatre and the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts at Rhode Island College to experience the best in holiday theatre productions. Head to Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket for their showing of a holiday classic, “A Christmas Carol” Friday, Saturday or Sunday. On Friday, see the Providence Ballet’s rendition of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” at the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts in Providence.
Stadium Theatre, 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket, RI. (401)762-4545.
Nazarian Theatre for the Performing Arts, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, RI. (401) 456-8000.
Photo: a4gpa/Flickr
Winter Solstice Party
Celebrate the impending Winter Solstice tonight at The Marine Museum at Fall River. This great party will include music by the Spindle Rock River Rats, refreshments, a lighting of the 28’ Titanic model, refreshments and more. Get out and enjoy this family friendly holiday event.
70 Water Street, Fall River, MA. (508) 674-3533.
Photo: Caryatidxx/Flickr
Wine
This Saturday, Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth is holding their 14th Annual Warm Up for the Holidays Open House. Take a break from the holiday planning to attend the event—it is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Highlights of the event include local food samples, vineyard tours, live music, and, of course WINE tastings!
582 Wapping Road, Portsmouth, RI. (401) 847-3777.
Photo: Kyknoord/Flickr
Holiday Arts
Enjoy beautiful art crafted by local, regional, and national artisans this weekend at two great events at Tiverton Four Corners Arts Center. On Saturday, attend the opening of their holiday exhibit, “re-Tree.” This great exhibit showcases holiday trees created with recycled materials. After you browse the exhibit, stroll through the Winter Arts + Artisan Fair, also at Tiverton, and even pick up a handmade gift.
3852 Main Road, Tiverton Four Corners, RI. (401) 624-2600.
Photo: Crabchick/Flickr
