February is here!! Yes, extra minutes of daylight are adding up and brilliant sunshine fills our afternoons despite the winter tunnel still ahead. Today there is larger glimpse of blue skies, and the promise of Spring is within sight! Naturally, my mind turns to skin care. Not one to profess a rigid regime, I will suggest a few products to bring comfort to your senses, from their smell to their feel… pure comfort! In reviewing most of the products in my bathroom cabinet I find there are three companies that have seen me through the decades. No matter your skin type, your aversion to animal testing or the controversial usage of propylene glycol, I guarantee you will love these products and they will make you feel beautiful! Curious? Read on…

I will discuss these beauty products in the order of my discovery of them, starting with Weleda, which I discovered in the early 1980’s while living in a sprawling yet confined settlement based on the teaching of Rudolf Steiner. Sprawling because there were farmed fields, school buildings, and simple housing, yet confined because all around us suburbia filled every speck of land and New York City lay just beyond the horizon. For room and board, I tended the salad garden and prepared a simple evening meal for the dozen or so of us there. Most of my day I followed my toddler around, going from mulberry tree to baby carrots, fitting in story hour and nap time, and befriending a very sweet five year old girl, whose parents seemed far busier than me. My only encounter with outside adults was to visit the little store just beyond where Weleda products and simple handcrafts were sold, and it was there I discovered Weleda Iris Day Cream. Whether it was because I was a new mother or that I was becoming aware of my facial needs, I began each day with not only washing my face but applying this gentle and yes, comforting cream. It was probably a solid decade before I included their night cream in my evening ritual, and recently have switched to their Wild Rose line. Yes, Rose!!

Weleda does not stop at facial products, but provides Skin Food for your whole body, and not just for you but your baby and your mother, your brother too… Varied and growing, but never compromising, I can’t speak glowingly enough of Weleda’s commitment to purity and quality, all while maintaining a reasonable price.

Next came my love affair with Dr. Hauschka. This top shelf skin care line is the very definition of comfort… starting with their plant oils and botanical extracts the Hauschka products are pure treats for your senses! According to their website, “Every ingredient that goes into a Dr. Hauschka Skin Care preparation has an important job to do. Whether delivering essential moisture, encouraging resilience, improving efficacy or adding natural, aroma fragrance, each ingredient is carefully selected for its particular effects and its interaction with the whole composition.” From bath oils to body lotions, I have luxuriated with these products, especially in the winter months when one’s skin cries out for moisture and you yearn for the smell of your favorite flowers: case in point is the Lavender Bath Oil! Only a few drops into you bath are needed to bring you back to your July garden, the rich purple flowers, and the warmth of the sun…

The website also states, “The vast majority of ingredients in the Dr. Hauschka Skin Care line are from Biodynamic and organic sources, and not a single ingredient comes from an organization involved in animal testing.” Yes, good for the planet, good for animals, and good for you!!

Lastly, is the signature line of the famed Ayurvedic Skincare specialist Dr. Pratima Raichur. As luck would have it, I heard about Pratima from my sister and we planned private consultations during a trip to New York City a decade ago. Pratima has directed my course ever since that auspicious meeting and while most of my health dealings with her have to do with diet and herbs, her products are truly the Rolls Royce of skin care. Pratima tells us, “True Beauty is an expression of wellness. My products are made to heal existing problems and prevent future occurrences because beauty shouldn’t be just about instant gratification, but rather something genuine and lasting.” Looking for anything for your face, body, hair, bath, or specialty items for age delay or sun care, here you will find the perfect product.

Ayurveda is based on 5,000 years of science and observation. There is no remedy effective for everyone, instead, with the help of a Doctor, each person discovers their individual body type, and respective skin type. Pratima’s herbal body oils range from those that will deeply nourish dry skin, improve circulation and warm the body to oils that nurture and balance the skin to those that soothe sore muscles and joints, increase circulation and rehabilitate stiffness and pain. Unless you are living in New York City, these products are only available online, however, they will arrive promptly on your doorstep, packaged with the same care and love as when created. Pratima’s knowledgeable staff will be glad to send you samples too, so you can try many of the products and see the results first hand.

My favorite? Right now I am in love with Pratima’s Love Oil. Here’s the description: This unique, nurturing body oil is sweet and spicy “just like love itself,” explains Dr. Raichur. Pure organic essences of Cinnamon, Clove and Cardamom combine to create the warm, nurturing feeling of being cared for, while nourishing Sweet Almond Oil works with Lavender, Rose and Vanilla to hydrate, soothe and deeply soften the skin.” All I know is I feel love when I apply it! (perfect for Valentine’s Day!)

As we look ahead, down this winter tunnel, perhaps some of you jetting off to warmer zones, or staying put and braving the ski slopes, remember to take comfort along the way, and treat your skin to something spectacular!I guarantee, come April, you will be glowing and so ready for Spring when it finally comes our way!

**Thought I would add a disclaimer, stating that I am not paid to mention these products or any I have touted in the past; they are just my favorites!