Shower Power: Faves for Dry Skin and Color-Treated Hair

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As the temps drop, it's customary to change out the wardrobe for warmer clothes.  But it also makes sense to change out your beauty products. Cold temperatures create dry and sensitive skin and dry hair that is a static-magnet. Below are some of my favorite products for hair and body that I use during and immediately after my shower to be fall- and winter-ready.

1. I get my hair professionally colored and like to extend that rich brown (and lack of roots) as long as possible. A friend recommended Evo Fabuloso Colour Intensifying Conditioner and I am obsessed. Every week or so I shampoo, stick my head out of the shower and do a quick towel dry of my hair and apply eight pumps of the conditioner. I keep a pair of kitchen gloves in the shower to put on as this stuff will stain your hands (but I haven’t had any issues with it staining the tub, tile, or my skin if a bit drips). Afterwards my hair looks so rich and healthy, like I just came home from the salon. Oh, and the brand has a sense of humor; the text on the bottle is quite cute!
2. When I bought Fabuloso on Amazon, it recommended a few products from Color WOW. I ordered their Coconut Cocktail Bionic Tonic, looking for something to protect my hair before heat tools, retain my color, and leave my hair feeling soft but not heavy. Apply a coin-sized amount before heat styling, it protects the hair and also makes it feel and look amazing. The scent is subtle coconut, but it doesn’t last. You MUST heat dry your hair to make it work, if you air dry even partially it will leave your hair looking and feeling gross. As one reviewer on Amazon said, it makes her hair feel like child’s hair and it’s true. I haven’t experienced buildup, it plays nice with other styling products, and unlike most leave-in treatments doesn’t leave my hair feeling heavy or greasy.
3. I also ordered Color WOW’s Dream Coat. This is a product that claims to reduce frizz and hold your style longer. Like the Bionic Tonic, it requires heat to activate. It also requires you to dry your hair by pulling it taut. I don’t usually dry my hair in that manner, so I have only used this a couple times. But when I do, I’m impressed by the results. It doesn’t make my hair pin straight, I can easily add curl or wave to it, but gosh it makes it smooth. And this smoothness lasts through my morning gym workouts and even a couple shampooings. Today, I washed my hair and used the Bionic Tonic but not the Dream Coat; I haven’t used Dream Coat in a week and I can now see the difference. My hair is soft and silky thanks to the Bionic Tonic, but it has some flyaways and my bangs aren’t lying as nicely. Some complain about a (not dreamy) coating on their hair when using this, I haven’t experienced it. That being said, I have only used Dream Coat four times so far.
4. Before Emerson started school this year, I took her to Target and let her pick out her own hair and body products. Prior to this year, she used a mix of what we used and stuff specifically for kids. But now that she’s in 4th grade, she deserves to decide how she wants to smell. And while the scents of most of her body products are NOT my thing (yeah, I have no desire to smell like peaches, watermelon, candy, or synthetic spring breezes in Paris), I absolutely love the shampoo and conditioner she picked out. And I love how it works for our hair. See, I love the smell so much I use it on occasion. It’s the L’Oreal Elvive Nourishing Oil shampoo and conditioner and it smells like Moroccan Oil but unlike the MoroccanOil collection and similar products I’ve used, these don’t leave my hair feeling heavy. I also haven’t found it to strip my color. I don’t use them with every wash as I usually use a product for color-treated hair (HairFood 99% of the time and Oribe because it’s amazing but I’m too poor for it), but I do like to indulge from time to time because it smells so awesome. Like, I always look forward to Emerson taking a shower because the whole upstairs ends up smelling like it. It’s a great shampoo to use just when I want to wash my bangs and hairline but nothing else; it will get out the grease without leaving my hair so dry I need conditioner. And the price is phenomenal.
5. I usually buy my body washes at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx. Big bottles in neutral scents that the whole family can enjoy. However, all three of us have been dealing with dry skin. I’ve tried a variety of hydrating body washes and they leave me feeling not quite clean and a bit slimy. I was reading an article about French pharmacy cult favorites and Bioderma was mentioned. I love Bioderma’s micellar water and have been using it for years. I searched Bioderma on Amazon to see what else they had and found their Atoderm Cleansing Shower Oil. The reviews sold me. There is a subtle scent, sort of like gardenia. It foams, not a ton, but enough to feel like you’re getting clean. It doesn’t leave the tub or my skin greasy and really has helped all of us have happier skin. Karl LOVES it and puts two pumps into his Epsom salt baths. One bottle goes a long way, you only need 2-3 pumps. It smells and feels expensive, but the price isn’t bad at all especially for the quality.
6. I’m a big fan of body exfoliation. I started dry brushing almost five years ago and it’s been a game changer for waking me up, making my skin feel smooth, and helping lotions to penetrate and better hydrate. I also love to exfoliate in the shower, but find scrubs a pain in the ass (and a literal one as they often make the bottom of the tub so slick). Exfoliating skin towels are my jam; I use them in place of a washcloth or pouf and can scrub as I clean with my everyday body wash. They’re also long enough that you can use them to scrub and cleanse your back. I just replaced my old one with this one which is around $5 and fantastic. Please note this one is “scrubbier” than ones you may buy at Target or The Body Shop. As an FYI, these exfoliating cloths can go in the washing machine or dishwasher; it’s a good idea to do every few weeks to keep them sanitized.
7. Speaking of dry brushing, I’ve raved about this before (read my original post on the benefits of dry brushing) but it’s so good it’s worth sharing again. When I wake up and before any shower, I dry brush. I use this brush, which is less than $15 and great quality. You want to do this on dry skin, before washing or moisturizing. I start at my wrists and brush up towards my neck, from top of feet up to hips, swirls across collarbone towards arms, circles over belly, then I just brush everywhere else any way that feels right. It’s a real pick-me-up like a half cup of coffee in the morning, it’s helped get rid of the little bumps on my upper arms, and I think it’s helped with cellulite and bumps on my bum and the backs of my thighs that show up in the winter.

Do you have a favorite shower product? Share it in the comments!