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Winter is fast approaching and in Ottawa, that means months of snow, extreme cold, dry skin and static-y hair.
We can’t help you with the white stuff, but we can stop the frosty weather from wreaking havoc on your looks. We asked Ottawa moms what locally found pampering services and beauty products they can’t live without when the cold strikes.
Saunas
Nordik Spa-Nature
Price: $51 to $61
Location: 16 Chemin Nordik, Old Chelsea, 819-827-1111
When you can’t escape down south for the winter, where do you go but the largest spa in North America? Several mom friends have raved about the Le Nordik’s saunas, each of which has a unique climate that varies in temperature, humidity, layout and air volume.
Although there are eight saunas, the dry-heat emitting Finlandia sauna and the Vaporo Eucalyptus steam sauna (which benefits the respiratory and immune systems – perfect for winter) received special mentions.
Foot care
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Nordik Spa-Nature
Price: $95
Location: 16 Chemin Nordik, Old Chelsea, 819-827-1111
Your feet are some of the hardest working – and most neglected – parts of your body. The foot care treatment at Le Nordik, which includes a complete cleaning of nails and calluses followed by an exfoliation and a massage with a moisturizing paraffin, will give them some much-needed TLC.
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Yon-ka Custom Facial
Spa Junkie
Price: $115 for 90 minutes
Location: 219 Laurier Ave. W., 613-565-4565
By the time you’re tired of winter, chances are your skin will show it too. Spa Junkie’s 90-minute custom Yon-ka facial refreshes, revitalizes and will leave your skin glowing, even when your surroundings are looking dull.
Paraffin treatment
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Vivianna Day Spa
Price: $25
Locations: Flagship Location (Suite 212-130 Albert St., 613-233-3838) or Ottawa Marriott Hotel Location (100 Kent St., 613-233-3838)
Between washing dishes and changing diapers, a mom’s hands’ work is never done. A hand treatment smooths away rough skin and plumps them up with moisture. The treatment involves bathing your hands in a soothing cream followed by a hot paraffin wax hydrotherapy treatment.
Blush (In shade ‘Orgasm’)
Photo: @2016 NARS Cosmetics
Nars
Price: $38 for 0.16 oz.
Available locally at: The Bay, Sephora (Bayshore Shopping Centre, Rideau Centre)
A long winter can make anyone look washed out. If you’re hunting for a natural looking, universally flattering blush shade, look no further than Nars’ Orgasm pressed powder blush. A staple of professional makeup artists’ kits for good reason, this subtle blush lends a healthy glow that looks good on any skin tone.
Photo: @Clinique
Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
Clinique
Price: $34 for 125 mL
Available locally at: The Bay, Sears, Sephora
One of Canada’s best-selling skin creams, this lotion is great for combination and dry skin, fast absorbing, and lightweight enough to be worn under sunscreen and makeup without turning your face into an oil slick.
The lotion maintains optimal moisture balance for dry skin and lasts all day. It’s been tested against allergies, is fragrance-free, and won’t clog pores.
Photo: @Alterna Hair Care
Moisture Intense Oil Crème Deep Conditioner
Alterna
Price: $40 for 7 oz.
Available locally at: Sephora
It’s not just your skin that suffers in the Ottawa winter. Hair, too, complains about the dry air and static, which is why conditioning is especially important in the winter.
The winner of the Allure Best of Beauty awards, the Moisture Intense Oil Crème deep conditioner claims to transform the driest, coarsest hair to soft, silky and touchable locks. A mom at my daughter’s playgroup (who looks like the star of a shampoo commercial) uses this stuff every time she washes her hair. It’s made without parabens, phthalates and sulfates.
Photo: @Lush
Massage bars
Lush
Price: From $7.95 to $14.95
Available locally at: Lush (St. Laurent Shopping Centre, Rideau Centre)
Here’s a fun way to butter yourself up and treat your skin: get a partner to lather you up with one of these ultra-moisturizing, essential oil-infused massage bars.
Photo: Kaia Naturals
Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloths
Kaia Naturals
Price: $15.50 for a pack of 30
Available locally at: Terra 20
A Canadian Beauty Awards winner for Best Natural Beauty Product, these cloths let you take off dirt and makeup before beddy-bye without stinging your eyes or burning your skin off.
Billed as one of the purest cleansing cloths on the market, these Canadian-designed, U.S.-made cloths are antimicrobial, soaked in vitamins B12, C, and E and are free from parabens, sulfates, alcohol and synthetic fragrances, as well as being free from animal testing.
Photo: Do Not Age Skincare
Do Not Age Beauty Sleep Serum
Dr. Brandt
Price: $175 for 1.35 oz.
Available locally at: Sephora
At this price, I balked at putting this on the list, but the mom who recommended this to me insisted it was her Holy Grail beauty item. After considering that she is 42 and has better skin that most 20-somethings, I included it.
Dr. Brandt bills this serum as a “supercharged night-time serum featuring exotic Tahitian black pearls for a well-rested, fresh, and youthful morning appearance.”
Photo: Dr. Hauschka
Rose Day Cream
Dr. Hauschka
Price: $46.99 for 30 mL
Available locally at: Terra 20
Apparently, high-quality plant extracts of bio-dynamically grown rose flowers and rose hips in the Rose Day Cream helps maintain the skin’s moisture content, but the mom that recommended this to us said she likes the cream because it soaks into her skin fast and best of all, it smells great.
This moisturizer is mild, boasts natural ingredients and is suitable for dry and sensitive skin.