We may be out of the bitter holiday weather, but we’re still waiting for a spring warm-up. Until then, chilly winds can wreak havoc on our skin. Beauty doesn’t have to be pain, but it isn’t free. And before any cosmetics that pretty the lips or dazzle the eyes, there’s a sensitive structure that needs care, and requires a little time and effort. Thankfully, you don’t have to break the bank to keep it looking fresh and healthy!

Sissies and cross dressers don’t always know what to buy or what products they need, so I wrote this just for you!

Facial care: Daytime

One big no-no is using a bar of body soap on your face. Facial skin and needs care that harsh body soaps do not provide. You’ll need to find a good facial soap you can use in the shower or out. Olay Foaming Face Wash for oily/combination skin is my personal favorite, although they have a great formula for you sensitives!

Exfoliate once a week. It’s important to remove dead skin, but you don’t want to make your skin raw. Over-exfoliating won’t make it softer, it will just be irritated and you’ll probably be putting little scratches all over your face. Not hot! You don’t need any special product to exfoliate. For one thing, using too many products can be over-kill. However, some exfoliators in the market are a trade-off you don’t want. They contain ingredients that might make your skin smoother, but the granules that are built in to soften are often a bit harsh and the product can contain other ingredients that can be harsh or strip oils from your face. Merely use a clean washcloth in a light, circular motion once a week while using your facial soap. It’s as easy as that!

Thanks to the cold air, you might need a little moisturizer until the weather changes. What you need now will need to be updated in warm weather, when moisturizer will probably just make you oily. But until then, get to know a velvety face cream post-shower and pre-make up. As many of you may have noticed, I love Oil of Olay products. I grew up with them, and they’re a true classic! If you walked into my bathroom right now, that’s the moisturizer you’d find.
But if you feel like a little multi-tasking, Aveeno makes a tinted BB cream if you’d like to be able to moisturize and replace your foundation for a few months until summer starts. Just make sure that you finish it with some powder to set it and then go about your makeup routine. Cosmetics smooth on more evenly when your face is well taken care of. Remember, your face is your first impression, and the beginning step in looking more like a woman every day.

It’s easy for lips to get dry so be sure to seal in lip moisture, too! Burt’s Bees makes a great lip balm and you can even get a tinted shade! From eye creams to body lotions, I’ve tried a handful of Burt’s and I love them.

Facial care: Nighttime

If you wear eye makeup, you will want to incorporate a good eye makeup remover into your nighttime routine. Don’t scrub or pull. Be gentle, girls! I use Neutrogena Make-up Remover Towelettes just for my eyes and cheeks, and it’s the best I’ve tried. I swear, when the contents of that pretty, blue box run low, I replenish pretty fast.

Want know something I do every night and learned from the wise women in my family? (The wise women in yours may have already taught you this, and it’s timeless advice!) After cleansing with a facial soap at night, (I grab that foaming face wash again that served me so well in the shower), turn the water to ice cold and splash your face to close your pores. Like I said, this is a nighttime routine. You won’t want to do this in the shower or before make-up, because closed pores will not cooperate if you need to pluck your eyebrows. (If you’re plucking, do it right after the shower when the skin is warm.) I’ve actually started using a night cream just around my eyes, and has found that it has really helped.

I hope that I have really helped to give you some ideas with my recommendations for facial care. Take care of your skin, and the results will be visible!