Those Winter Blues
Three picks to comfort and warm you during those cold winter days and nights.
Winter can be a hard season. It’s unpredictable and almost aggressive. The days seem so short it’s almost as if the sun never came up at all. To date, I’ve experienced close to the full spectrum of winter weather. Growing up in Michigan, there were epic snowstorms, below-zero windchill and blood-freezing lake effect. Moving to Tokyo, Japan, I had subtropical winters that meant a drop in temperature but rarely a flake or need for a heavy parka. Here in London, winters are also milder but very humid. The last snowfall was gone by midday, giving people just a few hours to race to Hyde Park for a bit of white winter magic.
Winter is also a time when many of us feel perpetually sleepy and maybe even a bit down. Whatever your climate, we could all use a little extra comforting during this time of the year. And that’s exactly what this week’s three recommendations can do.
Hang in there. Find the magic of the season. Spring will come.
1. OSKIA Renaissance Body Treatment Milk (£45)
During the winter, our skin may look and feel dry, itchy and dull. It can also be very uncomfortable, especially as we pile on those scratchy knits. To give my skin a bit of extra relief this season (and some glow), I’ve been using this body milk from Georgie Cleeve’s nutritional skincare line OSKIA. To me, it’s a two-for-one special. Not only does this body milk contain hydrating and repairing ingredients like vitamin E, omega 7, minerals and the brand’s signature MSM, but it also features fruit AHAs and retinol palmitate to gently exfoliate and improve your skin’s texture over time.
2. COS Tailored Check Coat (£225)
I am guilty of belonging to the black puffer coat gang this time of year. They’re a staple of the season, but let’s be honest, they’re not very exciting. If you have to deal with the cold, why not have a bit more fun with it? Loud patterns and fluorescent hues aren’t for everyone, which is why I was drawn to this coat from COS with a bolder checked print. It’s made from a blend of alpaca and polyester yarn produced from plastic bottles and other fibers that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Launched in 2007, COS has quickly become a go-to shop for quality basics.
3. Breville Selecta Temperature Select Electric Kettle (£69)
Moving to the UK, I knew I could no longer get away with the very American practice of [shudders] microwaving a mug of water. Living in Asia had already cemented my love for tea, so I wanted to find a kettle that ensured every cuppa I made was perfect, especially for those colder days. This kettle from longstanding Australian brand Breville holds 1.7 liters and allows you to choose between five different temperature settings to suit the type of tea you’re brewing. I start every morning with green tea, which is best brewed at the lowest setting of 80 degrees Celsius.
Something to think about …
If you’re in need of a pick-me-up and haven’t watched the new season of Queer Eye yet, it’s time to let those healthy tears flow. My favorite episode of this season featured Safe in Austin, a rescue in Texas that welcomes people with special needs or victims of trauma to interact with their animals as a source of comfort and healing.
Last week on MIDDI …
