SandiSplash

Even though, we've been in the midst of winter, we are so lucky to have been experiencing lots of sunny hot days. Tonight is the start of a cold front that I am dreading. And what better time than now to share with you my winter survival kit - how I get through the cold.

As much as I prefer the cold to the scorching sun, winter doesn't seem to like my skin very much. I end up dry, itchy, scaly-looking and with a host of other dehydrated skin problems. Here's how I help my skin fight off winter.
- Nivea in-shower body lotion. I've been raving about this since I tried it. It's like magic. Just apply it in the shower, rinse off and get dressed. You've got beautifully moisturised skin that lasts all day.
- Softlips. Dry, cracked lips are ugly and uncomfortable. I keep my lip balm in my handbag and apply it whenever my lips need attention. I've also got lip balms lying all over the house, my car and the office.
- Dermalogica. I've been using Dermalogica for over two years and I started in winter. It's been the only product that keeps my skin feeling soft, smooth, moistured and free from pimples.
- Dermalogica facials. A professional's touch is needed in winter. They have these amazing treatments that you can only get at the spa, like the oatmeal face mask. I go to the ladies at Sorbet and they are great is assessing exactly what your skin needs to survive winter.

Some of my skin's dehydration is my own doing. Water just doesn't cut it in winter. This weekend, I stocked up on Milo, hot chocolate, tea, instant coffee and the type that goes into the coffee machine. And I got a bunch of snacks to go with them - like chocolate chip cookies, chocolate and murrkoo (one of my favourite Indian snacks).

If you don't have someone to cuddle with at night, my favourite alternative is my electric blanket. I'm actually going to switch on my electric blanket as soon as I get home and spend the rest of the night being all toasty in there.

I love my Woolies fleece PJs. Firstly, they are a size XS so they make me feel really good about my size. They are super warm. Unfortunately, the fiance won't allow me to leave the house in them.

When you're not in the mood to leave your warm cosy house, spending an evening at home works perfectly...if you have enough things to keep you busy. The fiance is well stocked with his James Bond DVDs (which I am forced to watch *sigh*). I have a hard drive filled with series to keep me occupied. And then there's always the DSTV's offerings. They have some pretty captivating new series.

The fiance introduced me to K-Way, a Cape Union Mart's range of clothing which is meant for the outdoors. Aha! That's how you know it's going to keep you warm. I love their new soft shell jacket range. Also, because I don't like wearing too many clothes, I like how light their jackets are. I sometimes wear a tank top for the lightness and then my K-Way jacket on top of it to stay warm.

If you have some better things in your survival kit, let me know. Who knows; it might help me get through this winter.