#happy 9:18am this is my brain i live with it every day

[cyanpeacock]

Realising that if the morals-and-ethics neurosis my mother handed down to me is trying to convince me it's unethical for me to obtain shit like new crockery and cutlery when other people are starving homeless like I used to be it's... probably kind of unhealthy?

Y... eah. That's... definitely kinda neurotic.

Like, in my Ideal Ethical World, I never buy plastic or convenience food, I buy eco-friendly alternatives to products like toothpaste and washing up liquid, I'm handing out 10s and 20s to the people with no food or shelter tonight. I live in a home entirely powered by renewable energy sources (actually, my electric supplier is a renewable one, so I'm not doing too bad there).

The difficulties I have in like, actually taking care of myself, compound that Ideal Ethical World. Food comes wrapped in plastic. I struggle with carrying shopping, meal planning, and preparation. I'd like to have some crockery that isn't completely bollocked with biofilms because of my difficulty with doing washing up.

I am not wealthy. I feel rich right now, because of my PIP award. Without it, I'd be struggling to make it through a year without loans and debt again.

I have a kind of wealth, and I'm acutely aware that so many people don't even have food, let alone warm clothes, shelter, heating... but is giving up my own security and enjoyment of life the most effective course of action in redistributing wealth, if I have a personal account and a passion in organising about it?

It is the most direct course of action, and one I can take sometimes, but not all the time. Direct does not always equal effective. I have greater leverage now. Through political engagement, campaigning, and sharing information, a larger impact can be made - i.e. implementation of new government policies, engagement with local charities and organizations, advocacy for large-scale changes to industries impacting the environment.

What I have now is the luxury to organise, and I feel a sense of obligation to do that, as far as my health allows me. Nobody should be fucking homeless in this country! The regulatory bodies allow landlords to hoard empty homes, while people die on the pavement. Isn't that considerably more unethical than my decision to buy a new plate, or a glass travel cup?

Fuck me. The people at the very top can't point up to find a problem, so they point down at the majority, and say you're not trying hard enough, you're not putting your back into it, just go without.

Reducing human life to an economic model is a piss poor way of implementing change. You gotta go down to the very bottom, the ~dregs of society~, and ask them "what do you need?" to improve the wellbeing - and economy! - of a nation. The answer is always the same - it's shelter, food, healthcare, money for bills, money for just a few things that make you smile, access to training and education.

The profit-based model of business is failing. Workers are not adequately compensated for their labour. The cost of living is so high that people in full-time jobs cannot afford to eat, cannot afford to heat their homes. People get worked so hard they literally collapse on the job. This is not uncommon.

I'm not the fuckers with multi-billions stashed in secret bank accounts. It's time some of their assets were seized, because their greed has already gone too fucking far.

[benditlikepress]

texted you a picture where you looked pretty

@indestinatus @coffeedepablo @ncisjes

all day long I waited for my phone to ring

I counted every glow star on my ceiling

texted you a picture where you looked pretty

and wondered if you saved the ones you had of me…

[illuminati hotties – (you’re better) than ever]

The first time Tony sent Ziva a picture, she’d only been gone a week.

He hadn’t left the apartment for anything other than work since getting back - first because of jetlag, and then out of plain exhaustion. It didn’t help that both work and home were full of things that reminded him of her, of them, so much so that it was beginning to feel like a strange form of self-flagellation to stay cooped up there.

It was easy to convince himself he wasn’t thinking about her, talking himself into thinking about any and every other topic on the planet until he was lying in bed wide awake staring into space wondering where it had all gone wrong. It was then, and only then, that he allowed himself to obsess: to think over things he should’ve said, things he never said, or ways he could try and fix what he knew deep down was unfixable.

This particular night was worse than most – someone at work had stopped him in the elevator and asked him what was happening with Ziva, and if she was coming back – and he’d found himself seeking out reminders of her rather than pretending he wasn’t hyper-fixating on them. His phone was a great source for that: text messages and phone records and her name, over and over and over. His photos and videos, too, were full of her, and his tired fingers paused on one she’d never known he’d taken. The most recent one he’d taken of her - asleep, wrapped in sheets, the Israeli sun hitting the bare skin of her shoulders and back. Her hair was spread out over the pillow and her hand was spread over the vacated side of the bed, as though reaching out for him.

He couldn’t bring himself to scroll past it even when it caused a ball to form in his chest that made it hard to swallow.

It was 2am and he found himself opening a conversation thread and dropping the photograph into it, pressing send quickly.

“I really miss you”

He typed the words with nervous fingers and pressed send even quicker still before throwing his phone in a drawer and turning away from it.

He woke up three hours later and saw she hadn’t opened the message yet. He deleted it, and thanked the gods of modern technology that she never would.

———————–

The next time was a month later, and he thought he’d been doing better until he found a stack of old photographs piled at the back of his top desk drawer. They had been collected over the years and though some pre-dated her arrival in the States, she was a prominent feature in most of them.

Though they still hurt, he was finding himself increasingly able to appreciate them for what they were. He found one, near the bottom of the pile, that even had a smile threatening on his lips. A doctor-themed party from a lifetime ago that had to be up there with the more ridiculous ideas of his life.

The picture had been taken not long after Gibbs had left for Mexico and Tony had relented into Abby’s plans for a surprise party for Jimmy’s birthday, still keen to make sure that people didn’t stop seeing him as a friend instead of just a boss. It was him and Ziva, posing, with Jimmy’s drunkenly sleeping head face-down on the table inbetween them.

He remembered everything about that night: how her hand kept brushing his leg under the table, and every time he’d snapped his neck up to look at her but found her looking in a different direction. How they’d shared a cab home and he’d insisted on walking her to her door, in spite of her drunkenly listing a handful of ways she could kill any man who approached her with only the costume on her back. How she’d invited him upstairs and there was no pretence but he’d said no, trying to be diplomatic, though they’d only lasted another week of summer before that had all came tumbling down.

He opened a message again and snapped a photograph, the edge of his fingers visible holding it up to the camera.

“Remember this? Do you still have that picture of me piling stuff on top of him?”

He didn’t get a reply. Then again, he hadn’t really been expecting one.

He flipped the photograph over and placed it back on the pile.

———————–

The next time he sent her a photo, it had been over 9 months since he’d last seen her and she’d been on his mind all day.

It wasn’t unusual for him to get wrapped up in thoughts of her but it had been plaguing him in a way it hadn’t in a while – starting with a dream in the middle of the night that woke him up startled and coursing through his brain all morning. When it wasn’t better by night-time he’d gone for a drink with the team to take his mind off it, and when that hadn’t helped he’d found himself scrolling through old messages and photos and videos that he’d sworn he was going to delete (or at least put on a flash drive, out of sight out of mind).

When he still had that feeling that something was missing, that he was categorically in the wrong place right now, he got out of bed and walked into the living room in search of a cure.

He remembered, later, one photograph he’d never been able to take down. He lifted his head upwards to the top of his DVD shelves and grabbed for the card, bringing it down and sitting on the sofa with it in his hands.

A Paris street. Years ago now. She looked like a 50s movie star, frozen in time, and he could remember how enraptured he’d been as he’d approached her - watching her in her own world, flicking through postcards and wrapping her coat tighter around her.

Him capturing it in a photo had been what alerted her to his presence, but instead of asking him to delete it like he’d expected she’d simply rolled her eyes and told him with a smile that he was late.

He thought so fondly of that weekend even now. They’d both been overcompensating in the dust of everything that had happened, nervous and eager and hurting deep down, and Paris had come along at the perfect moment to show them both that the thing they’d been orbiting around for four years wasn’t lost. Could be stronger, even. And it was.

Before he could change his mind he went to grab his phone and snapped a photo of the image, opened the long-gone conversation thread and ignored his previously unanswered message.

“Weird day - you’ve been on my mind. Hope everything’s good. Open invitation: call if you need me.”

———————–

Almost two years down, he got a social media reminder of something he tried not to think about.

He didn’t have a photograph of the actual day Ziva became an American citizen. In spite of his promises he’d be there, he’d ended up in another country entirely as she swore her loyalty to his.

He’d felt sick even now that he’d missed her ceremony, knowing how much it had meant to her, even if she tried to play it down when he’d told her. He looked at the photograph that had popped up in his notifications, the two of them smiling with her certificate, and ran his hand over it. Her eyes were so bright and he could barely remember her looking so young.

He remembered how proud she’d been. Wondered if she still was, after how it had ended.

He found himself wondering, selfishly, if he still crossed her mind sometimes too.

“Happy anniversary Miss America”

Part of him was worried it would sound spiteful, but hoped she still knew him well enough to see the good meaning behind it. He pressed send and turned off his phone.

———————–

The first time he thought about sending a photo but didn’t, he was holed up in a small Paris apartment wringing his hands.

He’d known he wasn’t going to hear from her often – she’d took great pains to explain that, voice shaking, reminding him over and over that it was for his own safety. But Tali had been asking for her for days and Tony couldn’t stop looking at the photo they’d taken in Cairo, the one he swore he’d destroy soon, where Tali was curled up in Ziva’s lap and Ziva was looking down at her like she’d hung the moon and stars.

It was the same night, as if by magic, that his phone beeped. He scrambled around for it in the dark, heart in his mouth. A  withheld number flashed on screen.

“Checking in. Everything is OK. On my mind tonight and always.”

———————–

The first and last time Ziva sent Tony a photo, he hadn’t been able to sleep all night.

When Ziva had been away he’d been non-negotiable on work trips and conferences. Now she was back he’d considered it a miracle he’d managed to get 18 months out of the way before being offered a spot on a 3 day conference that was taking place in London. Two hours in it became clear that nothing being shared was particularly relevant to his role, and any number of other members of staff could’ve been sent in his place. He knew he had no more right to be at home than any of them, but it made being away that much harder.

It was 3:18am in London and he knew it was even later in Paris but he couldn’t help himself as he flicked his screen on.

“Still awake? x”

“You sound like a teenage boy.”

“Take that as a yes”

The photo she responded with was a simple one from her slightly pixelated front-facing camera on the phone she refused to upgrade. She was sat up in bed, hair tipped over one shoulder. Wearing one of his t-shirts.

“How is it possible you’ve got even more beautiful in my absence?”

“Hush.

We missed you today”

“Never leaving again. Can’t wait to be home.”

“Pizza and movie night. Your pick.”

“Marry me?”

“Maybe the gigantic block on my finger in that photo did not give it away, but unfortunately I am already getting married 3 months from now.”

“That’s too bad. Lucky guy.”

“Yes, he is.”

“(Just so you know, it’s a rock. Not block.)”

“Goodnight, Mr DiNozzo. X”

“Night Mrs DiNozzo”

[lindyhunt]

How Winter Beauty Routines Differ Around the World

Ever look out your office window, mid-winter, and feel a sinking sense of blah? Why is it dark enough to be cocktail hour at 2pm? And on that note, why are we not sipping on cocktails at 2pm? A feeling of despair due to winter darkness is a real thing, but Canadians are far from the only ones suffering. Getting through the dreary season is made easier with some products and treatments, and thanks to a few friends from similarly frozen nations around the world, we’ve gathered a few tips and tricks to keep us cushy ’til spring. Click through for winter beauty rituals from around the world, from Russia to Morocco to Japan.

A photo posted by Moscow Views (@moscowviews) on Mar 9, 2014 at 8:55am PDT

Russia

Ksenia Makhaniova, Spa Administrator at the Purovel SPA & Sport at the Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy Moscow

During the winter, I really love a chocolate body wrap. Chocolate can increase your sense of happiness and well-being, which everyone needs a boost of in the cold, dark months. (According to the Medical Wellness Association, “Chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins, natural hormones produced by the brain, that generates feelings of pleasure and promotes a sense of well being.”)

The treatment not only lifts your spirits, but also makes skin really soft, supple and boosts its natural glow thanks to the chocolate’s nourishing properties. It also increases circulation, so you’ll look and feel good enough to eat!

Another popular treatment for wintertime is a paraffin wax manicure. Starting with an exfoliating scrub to get rid of dry, dead skin, we then use a rich mask to soften and condition hands. After that, the paraffin wax treatment is applied. Paraffin wax is extra important in the winter as its thermotherapy increases circulation and helps renew tissue, and deeply moisturizes from the inside out.

A photo posted by Visit Luxembourg (@visit_luxembourg) on Jul 11, 2015 at 1:25am PDT

Luxembourg

Mélissa Sfredda, half-French, half-Luxembourger beauty aficionado

Although Luxembourg doesn’t have extremely cold temperatures in the winter, I still need to switch up my beauty routine and add extra moisturizing products. My hands get especially dry, and Neutrogena’s Original Hand Cream is the absolute best. Rich in super-moisturizing glycerin, this highly concentrated cream instantly soothes and hydrates my hands.

For my lips, I love French favourite Nuxe’s Rêve de Miel Lip Balm. A winter staple, this delicious honey and grapefruit-scented balm is rich and repairs even the driest and most delicate lips.

Another winter must-have for me is Clarins Delectable Self-Tanning Mousse. It’s nice to have a natural-looking glow in the winter, and this makes skin the perfect shade of tan without looking at all fake. The mousse is also really beautiful to apply; it feels really light, smells divine and moisturizes skin, too. You can also use it anywhere, on the face or body, which is another reason why I like it better than other self-tanning products.

A photo posted by visitnorway (@visitnorway) on Aug 8, 2015 at 11:55am PDT

Norway

Line Schrøder, PR and marketing manager, and Jasmin Jacobsen, a skin therapist at Artesia Spa & Skincare in Olso

During the cold and dry winter in Norway, it’s especially important to re-hydrate skin, so we like to use products and have treatments that focus on moisturizing and protecting the skin from cold weather and snow.

We especially like using rich facial creams, hydrating serums, or even facial oils, paying special attention to skin at night when the skin repairs itself best. The Lagoon series from Carita is one of our favourites, as are the rich facial creams and hydrating serums from Elizabeth Arden PRO.

At the spa, we love our Artesia Facial, which is tailored to each client’s individual needs. Generally, during the winter, we incorporate extra hydrating products, mainly from Murad. And we always stress the importance of an at-home program post-treatment to achieve the best and longest-lasting results.

There’s no point in spending hundreds of dollars (or kroners, as we use here) on treatments if you don’t continue to care for your skin everyday. It would be like going to the gym and running on a treadmill for an hour once a month, and expecting to run a marathon in a few weeks. It doesn’t work like that! A good hydrating boost you can do at home is Carita’s Biological mask. It’s very moisturizing and really makes skin glow; perfect for a Christmas party complexion boost.

Above all, we also remember that the skin is a reflection of your insides, so we make sure to eat healthy and drink lots of water to hydrate from the inside out.

A photo posted by Fleur De Force (@fleurdeforce) on Nov 23, 2015 at 2:49am PST

Japan

Linda Dong, Designer

While living in Japan, my absolute favorite go-to product for keeping my skin hydrated and soft in the winter was Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion. Its ingredients actually help absorb other lotions you layer on top of it, so on really dry winter days, I would apply this lotion and then put on a Japanese face mask (SK-II’s was one of my favourites) and the lotion would help pull all the extra goodness into my skin.

I love removing makeup with cleansing oil because it’s so gentle and moisturizing for my face, as opposed to the harsh and drying alcohol cleansers, and Three Balancing Cleansing Oil is my favourite. I liked how Three sources it’s cleansing oil from all-natural organic ingredients found only in Japan. I used this paired with a Japanese Konjac sponge to gently exfoliate my face.

To keep my hair smooth and hydrated during the winter without weighing it down, I used Shiseido’s Tsubaki Damage Care Shampoo and Conditioner. It has Camellia oil, otherwise known as green tea oil, which is a very popular Japanese skincare ingredient and it smells fantastic.

On really cold days, my favourite thing to do was go to an onsen (hot springs) and soak in the hot mineral water for a couple of hours, it was the perfect way to warm up and left my skin really soft and lovely. I try to replicate that now with a long soak in the tub using Japanese bath salts, like Bath Roman Yakusen Japanese Bath Salts.

A photo posted by Visit Bulgaria (@visitbulgaria) on Sep 11, 2013 at 10:23am PDT

Bulgaria

Neli Korkinova, product junkie

For my naturally curly hair, I like to use MOA Argan+ Hair Treatment, which is extra moisturizing in the dry winter season — it’s formulated with Melaleuca, Omega-3 and Argan Oil for a triple dose of hair nutrition. My hair feels soft, easy to style and maintains a natural look and feel after using it.

Because I have normal to combination skin, I don’t need to go crazy with heavy face creams. Once a week during the winter, I just replace my night cream with coconut oil, which is very popular in Bulgaria at the moment.

For my lips, I love Greenland’s lip balm. It’s a Dutch brand that uses all natural ingredients in their products. This lip balm’s formula is made with cocoa butter, jojoba oil, Shea butter and beeswax to nurture and hydrate lips. They have a lot of yummy flavours; right now I’m using the papaya one.

One thing that does need extra care in the winter for me is my skin. To fight dry skin on my body, I use Cattier Paris Beurre de Karité Honey Fragrance. It’s made with 100 % organic shea butter, and it’s suitable for your face, hair and hands. It keeps my skin soft and elastic, and I also use it as my hand cream.

A photo posted by @chiletravel on Nov 13, 2015 at 4:18am PST

Chile

Marcela Ortega, Head of Tierra Atacama’s Spa

During the winter, the night’s here get pretty cold, and being in the desert means year-round dryness. To combat this during the harshest season, I love a full-body scrub, followed by a yellow clay mud mask, a local thermal mud rich in minerals.

In Chile, we are lucky to have mineral-rich crystal salts that are extracted from mines in the Atacama Desert. 100% natural, they gently scrub away dry, dead skin cells. Exfoliating is especially important in the winter to reveal the softer skin underneath. It also preps skin to better absorb moisture, which is why we use yellow clay right after the salt scrub.

Chilean yellow clay is extremely good at moisturizing skin, as it has hydrating and restorative properties. But it does so much more than that: it’s highly concentrated and nutrient-dense, which allows the clay to improve circulation, tone and tighten skin, relax muscles and alleviate joint pain, and has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Dry, tired, winter skin is restored and has the ability to retain moisture.

A photo posted by Travel Visit Morocco (@travel_visit_morocco) on Aug 28, 2015 at 10:56am PDT

Morocco

Touria, a sales assistant, and Mbarka, a hammam therapist at the Kasbah Tamadot

Touria: I start my mornings every day by washing my face with warm water, then rinsing with cold water to firm my skin. After washing in the winter, I apply a rose cream all over my clean face and use a little sunscreen, too; the rose cream is extra moisturizing in the colder months, and sunscreen is important in Morocco all year round.

To seal in hydration when it’s cold, I apply sweet almond oil, which is a great source of nurturing Vitamin E, all over and gently massage it in to my skin. Once a week, I apply Argan oil — it’s very rich, so once a week is enough to reap its replenishing and softening benefits. Also done weekly, I apply a homemade mask for my rosacea. I mix some milk powder with cucumber juice and leave it on my skin for 30 minutes. It helps soothe my skin and reduce redness.

Mbarka: I work in the hammam, so I need to moisturize my skin, face often— dryness is exaggerated in the winter when I’m in the hammam all the time. In the morning, I wash my face with a lavender soap, followed by patting on a little Argan oil. I do the same at night, and I apply the oil all over my body and a tiny bit in my hair to help keep my skin and hair nourished in the drying winter.

[jessicakehoe]

How Winter Beauty Routines Differ Around the World

Ever look out your office window, mid-winter, and feel a sinking sense of blah? Why is it dark enough to be cocktail hour at 2pm? And on that note, why are we not sipping on cocktails at 2pm? A feeling of despair due to winter darkness is a real thing, but Canadians are far from the only ones suffering. Getting through the dreary season is made easier with some products and treatments, and thanks to a few friends from similarly frozen nations around the world, we’ve gathered a few tips and tricks to keep us cushy ’til spring. Click through for winter beauty rituals from around the world, from Russia to Morocco to Japan.

A photo posted by Moscow Views (@moscowviews) on Mar 9, 2014 at 8:55am PDT

Russia

Ksenia Makhaniova, Spa Administrator at the Purovel SPA & Sport at the Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy Moscow

During the winter, I really love a chocolate body wrap. Chocolate can increase your sense of happiness and well-being, which everyone needs a boost of in the cold, dark months. (According to the Medical Wellness Association, “Chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins, natural hormones produced by the brain, that generates feelings of pleasure and promotes a sense of well being.”)

The treatment not only lifts your spirits, but also makes skin really soft, supple and boosts its natural glow thanks to the chocolate’s nourishing properties. It also increases circulation, so you’ll look and feel good enough to eat!

Another popular treatment for wintertime is a paraffin wax manicure. Starting with an exfoliating scrub to get rid of dry, dead skin, we then use a rich mask to soften and condition hands. After that, the paraffin wax treatment is applied. Paraffin wax is extra important in the winter as its thermotherapy increases circulation and helps renew tissue, and deeply moisturizes from the inside out.

A photo posted by Visit Luxembourg (@visit_luxembourg) on Jul 11, 2015 at 1:25am PDT

Luxembourg

Mélissa Sfredda, half-French, half-Luxembourger beauty aficionado

Although Luxembourg doesn’t have extremely cold temperatures in the winter, I still need to switch up my beauty routine and add extra moisturizing products. My hands get especially dry, and Neutrogena’s Original Hand Cream is the absolute best. Rich in super-moisturizing glycerin, this highly concentrated cream instantly soothes and hydrates my hands.

For my lips, I love French favourite Nuxe’s Rêve de Miel Lip Balm. A winter staple, this delicious honey and grapefruit-scented balm is rich and repairs even the driest and most delicate lips.

Another winter must-have for me is Clarins Delectable Self-Tanning Mousse. It’s nice to have a natural-looking glow in the winter, and this makes skin the perfect shade of tan without looking at all fake. The mousse is also really beautiful to apply; it feels really light, smells divine and moisturizes skin, too. You can also use it anywhere, on the face or body, which is another reason why I like it better than other self-tanning products.

A photo posted by visitnorway (@visitnorway) on Aug 8, 2015 at 11:55am PDT

Norway

Line Schrøder, PR and marketing manager, and Jasmin Jacobsen, a skin therapist at Artesia Spa & Skincare in Olso

During the cold and dry winter in Norway, it’s especially important to re-hydrate skin, so we like to use products and have treatments that focus on moisturizing and protecting the skin from cold weather and snow.

We especially like using rich facial creams, hydrating serums, or even facial oils, paying special attention to skin at night when the skin repairs itself best. The Lagoon series from Carita is one of our favourites, as are the rich facial creams and hydrating serums from Elizabeth Arden PRO.

At the spa, we love our Artesia Facial, which is tailored to each client’s individual needs. Generally, during the winter, we incorporate extra hydrating products, mainly from Murad. And we always stress the importance of an at-home program post-treatment to achieve the best and longest-lasting results.

There’s no point in spending hundreds of dollars (or kroners, as we use here) on treatments if you don’t continue to care for your skin everyday. It would be like going to the gym and running on a treadmill for an hour once a month, and expecting to run a marathon in a few weeks. It doesn’t work like that! A good hydrating boost you can do at home is Carita’s Biological mask. It’s very moisturizing and really makes skin glow; perfect for a Christmas party complexion boost.

Above all, we also remember that the skin is a reflection of your insides, so we make sure to eat healthy and drink lots of water to hydrate from the inside out.

A photo posted by Fleur De Force (@fleurdeforce) on Nov 23, 2015 at 2:49am PST

Japan

Linda Dong, Designer

While living in Japan, my absolute favorite go-to product for keeping my skin hydrated and soft in the winter was Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion. Its ingredients actually help absorb other lotions you layer on top of it, so on really dry winter days, I would apply this lotion and then put on a Japanese face mask (SK-II’s was one of my favourites) and the lotion would help pull all the extra goodness into my skin.

I love removing makeup with cleansing oil because it’s so gentle and moisturizing for my face, as opposed to the harsh and drying alcohol cleansers, and Three Balancing Cleansing Oil is my favourite. I liked how Three sources it’s cleansing oil from all-natural organic ingredients found only in Japan. I used this paired with a Japanese Konjac sponge to gently exfoliate my face.

To keep my hair smooth and hydrated during the winter without weighing it down, I used Shiseido’s Tsubaki Damage Care Shampoo and Conditioner. It has Camellia oil, otherwise known as green tea oil, which is a very popular Japanese skincare ingredient and it smells fantastic.

On really cold days, my favourite thing to do was go to an onsen (hot springs) and soak in the hot mineral water for a couple of hours, it was the perfect way to warm up and left my skin really soft and lovely. I try to replicate that now with a long soak in the tub using Japanese bath salts, like Bath Roman Yakusen Japanese Bath Salts.

A photo posted by Visit Bulgaria (@visitbulgaria) on Sep 11, 2013 at 10:23am PDT

Bulgaria

Neli Korkinova, product junkie

For my naturally curly hair, I like to use MOA Argan+ Hair Treatment, which is extra moisturizing in the dry winter season — it’s formulated with Melaleuca, Omega-3 and Argan Oil for a triple dose of hair nutrition. My hair feels soft, easy to style and maintains a natural look and feel after using it.

Because I have normal to combination skin, I don’t need to go crazy with heavy face creams. Once a week during the winter, I just replace my night cream with coconut oil, which is very popular in Bulgaria at the moment.

For my lips, I love Greenland’s lip balm. It’s a Dutch brand that uses all natural ingredients in their products. This lip balm’s formula is made with cocoa butter, jojoba oil, Shea butter and beeswax to nurture and hydrate lips. They have a lot of yummy flavours; right now I’m using the papaya one.

One thing that does need extra care in the winter for me is my skin. To fight dry skin on my body, I use Cattier Paris Beurre de Karité Honey Fragrance. It’s made with 100 % organic shea butter, and it’s suitable for your face, hair and hands. It keeps my skin soft and elastic, and I also use it as my hand cream.

A photo posted by @chiletravel on Nov 13, 2015 at 4:18am PST

Chile

Marcela Ortega, Head of Tierra Atacama’s Spa

During the winter, the night’s here get pretty cold, and being in the desert means year-round dryness. To combat this during the harshest season, I love a full-body scrub, followed by a yellow clay mud mask, a local thermal mud rich in minerals.

In Chile, we are lucky to have mineral-rich crystal salts that are extracted from mines in the Atacama Desert. 100% natural, they gently scrub away dry, dead skin cells. Exfoliating is especially important in the winter to reveal the softer skin underneath. It also preps skin to better absorb moisture, which is why we use yellow clay right after the salt scrub.

Chilean yellow clay is extremely good at moisturizing skin, as it has hydrating and restorative properties. But it does so much more than that: it’s highly concentrated and nutrient-dense, which allows the clay to improve circulation, tone and tighten skin, relax muscles and alleviate joint pain, and has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Dry, tired, winter skin is restored and has the ability to retain moisture.

A photo posted by Travel Visit Morocco (@travel_visit_morocco) on Aug 28, 2015 at 10:56am PDT

Morocco

Touria, a sales assistant, and Mbarka, a hammam therapist at the Kasbah Tamadot

Touria: I start my mornings every day by washing my face with warm water, then rinsing with cold water to firm my skin. After washing in the winter, I apply a rose cream all over my clean face and use a little sunscreen, too; the rose cream is extra moisturizing in the colder months, and sunscreen is important in Morocco all year round.

To seal in hydration when it’s cold, I apply sweet almond oil, which is a great source of nurturing Vitamin E, all over and gently massage it in to my skin. Once a week, I apply Argan oil — it’s very rich, so once a week is enough to reap its replenishing and softening benefits. Also done weekly, I apply a homemade mask for my rosacea. I mix some milk powder with cucumber juice and leave it on my skin for 30 minutes. It helps soothe my skin and reduce redness.

Mbarka: I work in the hammam, so I need to moisturize my skin, face often— dryness is exaggerated in the winter when I’m in the hammam all the time. In the morning, I wash my face with a lavender soap, followed by patting on a little Argan oil. I do the same at night, and I apply the oil all over my body and a tiny bit in my hair to help keep my skin and hair nourished in the drying winter.

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