Glamour and Grind

Welcome back to Glamour and Grind my favorite party people!

 Sorry, it has been a minute since our last (and first) column but when life hits you sometimes you can’t help it. I traveled a bit, I worked a lot, my cat got out for a few days, my cat came back after a few days of me being a distraught, unslept mess, and now I’m sick…which brings me to our topic!

With fall and winter comes lots of things, good and bad. Restaurants and bars get busy earlier since it gets dark halfway through the day, holiday parties get booked out left and right, families come to town, you will see hordes of people dressed up the weekend before and after Halloween, and you might have to cook a giant Thanksgiving meal if you aren’t working, .

before you know it it’s already Chrismahanukwanza and New Year’s.

and then What else bad could come with all of that, you ask? Stress, dehydration chapped skin, and sickness

For the last few weeks, all of my coworkers have been complaining about how dry and cracked their hands and lips are. Chapped lips can happen any time of the year obviously but even more so during the colder months. The same goes for our hands but when serving food and drinks to people all day and night it is imperative to wash and sanitize your hands throughout the day after doing almost anything which can be super harsh on your skin. However, it’s a necessity. Use the bathroom? Wash your hands before returning to work. We’ve all seen the signs. Take a smoke break or go outside? Wash your hands when you come back in. Stock beer and wine that has potentially been collecting dust or moisture somewhere? Wash your hands. Pet a dog on the patio? Wash your fucking hands. You get the idea.

Think about it. Germs are everywhere. You don’t want to get yourself sick or someone else sick but it happens. As I type this I currently feel like I’m dying but the show must go on. However, if you come down with something it is also important to remember to take care of yourself and others which unfortunately sometimes means having to call out of or miss work for a day or two until you feel better and aren’t contagious anymore. I let work know this morning that I woke up sick and boom, they told me not to worry about coming in today. I know it sucks to lose a shift and the money that you would make but that’s not the point here. Also, if your boss gives you shit for being sick and not being able to make it into work for the betterment of your health and not to spread whatever ick you have, it’s probablyyyy time to seek a different employer. Sorry not sorry, babes.

Now folks, listen up because this is the part where I offer you help and not just talk at you and try to make your life just a little bit easier. Teach a F&B’r to fish or whatever. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your skin hydrated this time of year. Remember in the last article where I said winter was coming? It still is so lucky for you there is time to figure out a routine that works in your favor.

Wash your damn Hands!

We are going back to the basics here, my friends. Washing your hands is such a basic necessity to keep clean and germ-free, thus hopefully keeping you healthy and not sick.

Eczema Honey Gentle Foaming Hand Soap

$8.95 on eczemahoneyco.com

This foaming hand soap contains essential oils and Aloe Vera to moisturize your skin while you cleanse it. You’ll also be happy to hear it contains zero dyes, fragrances, or harsh chemicals AND it is animal cruelty-free!

Moisturizing your Hands and Body, Be Smooth like a Dolphin

Moisturizing your body isn’t going to have as many steps, per se. That being said though there is a plethora of things you can do to battle dry and cracked skin. As I’ve mentioned previously in my last article I have psoriasis so I understand dry skin, take it from me. Moisturize after your shower and after every time you wash your hands if possible. I understand that this can’t always be done at work, you can’t necessarily be picking up glass liquor bottles and hot pans on the stovetop if your hands are slippery but try to do that when you can. Lotions, creams, oils, butters, anything works but look for products containing vitamins and nutrients. At night you can even heavily moisturize your hands and feet and sleep with cotton gloves or footies, you can find these items at any beauty supplier or pharmacy near you! Wear SPF, the sun is still out there even in the colder months, and as we all know the sun can damage and dry out your skin as well. Last but not least, remember to stay hydrated from the inside out. Try to drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day and eat your fruits and vegetables. Do what works for you but do it.

Eczema Honey Oatmeal Body Lotion
$23.95 at eczemahoneyco.com

This full-body lotion comes from the same company as the soap listed above and it is another wonderful product. Not only can this lotion be applied anywhere, but it contains 1% colloidal oatmeal and honey, which gently moisturizes, cools, soothes, and comforts your dry, itchy, and irritated skin. Other notable mentions inside of this remedy in a bottle are cocoa butter, shea butter, aloe vera, glycerin, and Sodium Hyaluronate.

Lip Care 101

Last but not least we need to talk about your dry, crusty, and chapped lips that I keep hearing about. Again, find a product that works for you and use it, it really is as simple as that. There is a plethora of items out there for lip care. Find yourself a non-irritation lip balm, lip moisturizer, Chapstick, etc., and apply it multiple times a day, whenever you feel like your lips are dry, and before bed. There are also thicker, better-sealing ointments available if you need a more intense remedy. Try to find a lip balm with SPF in it if you will be outside during the day or night. Lip scrubs exist as well and they aid in exfoliation which removes your dead skin cells that build up over time. Scrubbing your lips with something like a sugar scrub also helps stimulate your blood flow and assists collagen production. Want to look like Kylie Jenner without having to buy her Lip Kit? There you go. Another really cool product you might want to try is a lip mask. These items moisture, exfoliate, and essentially do a lot of the work for you while you relax or sleep. Some come in a little tube or container, some look like big lips that you put over your real lips, literally a mask. Give it a shot if you’re looking for something new and fun to add to your beauty routine that actually works!

PLUSH PUDDIN’ INTENSIVE RECOVERY LIP MASK WITH POMEGRANATE STEROLS + VITAMIN E
$22 at Sephora.com

This lightly scented and flavored lip mask and scrub are vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free! Get the most out of your lip care with this product which will moisturize, smooth, firm, and plump your lips. What’s not to love about all of that in one little jar?

That’s all for now, folks. Please try to stay happy, healthy, and hydrated this holiday season. Look out for yourself and others, take Ubers if you’ve had a few too many at the holiday party, and remember to give yourself some time for rest and relaxation. Cheers!