Cheer up your unhappy winter skin with ingredients you’ll find inside your own pantry. It’s 100% natural and almost free. Who doesn’t like free? Nobody. That’s who.

I’ll straight up admit that I’m no expert on all things beauty related (I have yet to master the smoky eye. I know. Sad) but I’ve been doing the same thing to save my dry, irritated winter skin for four winters now and have yet to a) find anything better b) have an irritating reaction to any of the ingredients. And if you’ve been reading long enough, you already know I have irritating reactions to just about everything. Heh. Anyway. Here’s my weekly routine. Don’t freak out that it’s heavy on the olive oil – I swear, it will not clog your pores.

Ingredients: olive oil, sugar, apple cider vinegar

Daily
Add a puddle of olive oil to your favorite body lotion (I keep one of those 3 oz beauty product containers in the cabinet), mix it up in your hand and apply as usual after your morning shower. The olive oil absorbs pretty quickly (just don’t over do it), lasts and lasts and it won’t interfere with any scent  your lotion may have.

2-3 Times per Week
In the evening after you’ve dutifully removed your make-up and washed your face (I totally remember to do this every night. Ahem. See also: flossing), dip a cotton ball in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water – the combination/strength is up to you. I prefer about twice as  much water as vinegar. Apply it to your face like you would a toner. Apple cider vinegar makes my skin look smoother and fresher. I’m guessing there’s some anti-oxidant stuff at work. Like I said, not an expert. Anyway, give your face a thorough wipe down and yeah, you might smell like salad, but you’ll like the results. Moisturize as usual.

Once a Week
Mix up some granulated sugar and olive oil until it’s the consistency of… well, something you might scrub your body with. Take it into the bath or shower with you and get to scrubbin’. Rinse thoroughly. Moisturize. Voila! The sugar granules make an excellent exfoliant, but it can be a little rough, so rub gently – especially if you use it on your face.

Whenever
When my skin is at its most dry, most “I need a Caribbean vacation right now,” I skip everything bottled and go straight for the olive oil. Before bed, give your face (and lips) and good coat of oil, paying special attention to dry spots or healing blemishes. Rub in well. Get some beauty rest. Now, I’ve done this during the day, too, but only when I don’t care about wearing make up – it won’t stick to the oil, so it’s not worth the bother.  You can always go full body, but make sure your jammies are thick enough that any unabsorbed oil won’t reach your sheets. And if you don’t care about your sheets? Lube up. When you wake up in the morning and go about your regular routine, you’ll find that your skin is much happier to comply.

Heather Hunter, aka This Fish, is is from Dallas, Texas via Boston, New York and some other cold, snowy places. She spends a bunch of her time blogging, planning her May wedding and eating things made mostly of melted cheese.