New Year, New Skincare Routine: Winter Wellness with Momma Bears

 Posted on January 1, 2025  |  5 minutes  |  928 words  |  Stacie - Momma Bears Creations

January in Central PA: When Winter Gets Real

Hey friends! Stacie here, writing this on a freezing January morning in Enola.

Yesterday, it was 18°F when I woke up. The kind of cold that makes your face hurt when you step outside. The kind of dry air that cracks your lips within 5 minutes. The kind of winter that leaves my grandson congested and cranky.

Central Pennsylvania winters don’t mess around.

Every January, our family resets our wellness routine to survive the next few brutal months. Not with complicated resolutions—just simple, natural solutions that actually work.

Here’s what’s kept us healthy (and sane) through Pennsylvania winters.

Our Winter Wellness Essentials (Real Talk from a Central PA Family)

Vapor Bear Balm: The Nighttime Lifesaver

The problem: Winter in Pennsylvania = constant congestion. Dry air from the furnace, cold viruses making the rounds, sinuses that never quite clear. For my grandson especially, congested nights meant no sleep for anyone.

What we did: I developed Vapor Bear Balm specifically for this. Coconut oil base (non-greasy), Scots pine essential oil (safe for kids under 12—many vapor rubs aren’t!), and a blend that actually works.

How we use it: Before bed, I rub a little on the grandson’s chest and upper back. Within 15 minutes, he’s breathing easier. We all sleep better.

Why it matters: When a customer’s kid can finally sleep through the night because they can breathe? That’s why we do this. (Read the full story of how this product was born here.)

Real feedback: “This is the only thing that’s worked for my daughter’s winter congestion. Thank you!” - Customer at East Pennsboro Pumpkinfest

Lip Balm: Because Cracked Lips Are Miserable

Real talk: Pennsylvania wind in January is BRUTAL. Step outside for 5 minutes, and your lips are cracked and bleeding. I’ve been there.

What makes ours different: Our lip balms don’t just sit on top of your lips—they actually MOISTURIZE AND PROTECT. Nourishing oils, protective wax, and formulas that last. Apply once in the morning, maybe once mid-day, and you’re good.

My habit: I keep one in my coat pocket, one in my purse, one by my bed. Apply before going outside (prevention!), and again before bed. By mid-winter, my lips aren’t cracked at all.

Pro tip: If your lips are already cracked, use our Lip Scrub first to gently remove dead skin, THEN apply balm. Game-changer.

Breathe Shower Steamers: Morning Clarity

The scenario: It’s 6 AM, January in Pennsylvania. You’re congested from dry air. Your head feels foggy. You need to wake up and function.

The solution: Breathe Shower Steamers.

Place one on your shower floor (away from direct water spray). As steam rises, eucalyptus and peppermint fill the air. Your sinuses clear. Your mind wakes up. Your shower transforms from “ugh, I have to” to “ahh, I feel human.”

Why I love it: It’s aromatherapy that actually WORKS. No expensive spa appointment. Just a $3-4 steamer and your regular morning shower.

Bonus: Also great when you’re fighting a cold. That steam + eucalyptus combo helps you breathe easier all day.

Why Natural Matters (Especially in Winter)

When my grandson was little, I read the label on a popular vapor rub. Half the ingredients I couldn’t pronounce. Some weren’t safe for kids under certain ages. That’s when I decided: If I’m going to put it on my family, I need to know what’s in it.

Natural doesn’t mean “weak.” It means ingredients that work WITH your body, not against it. Coconut oil that actually moisturizes. Essential oils that genuinely clear sinuses. No petroleum, no synthetic fragrances, no mystery chemicals.

Our promise: Everything we make is safe for the whole family. If I wouldn’t use it on my grandson, we don’t sell it.

Our Family’s Winter Routine (Simple & Sustainable)

You don’t need a complicated system. Here’s what we actually do:

Morning:

  • Shower with a Breathe Steamer (clears head, wakes you up)
  • Apply lip balm before going outside

Throughout the day:

  • Reapply lip balm as needed (I keep multiple on hand)
  • Moisturize hands with lotion bars after washing (winter hands crack FAST)

Before bed:

  • Vapor Bear Balm on chest/back if congested
  • Lip balm one more time

Total time: Maybe 5 minutes a day. But those 5 minutes make Pennsylvania winters bearable.

This Year, Try Natural

You don’t have to overhaul your entire routine. Start small:

  • Try ONE product that addresses your biggest winter struggle
  • Use it consistently for a week
  • Notice the difference

Our most popular winter trio: Vapor Bear Balm + Lip Balm + Breathe Shower Steamers. Covers the big three: congestion, chapped lips, morning fog.

Get Ready for the Rest of Winter

Central PA has a few more brutal months ahead. But you’ve got this.

Find our winter essentials:

Stay connected:

Questions about which winter products are right for your family? Message us on Facebook or use our Contact page. We’re Central PA locals who understand your winter struggles!

Related winter help:

— Stacie (Momma Bears Creations, Enola PA)

P.S. - If you’re reading this in January, you’re not alone in the winter struggle. We’re all in this together. One shower steamer, one lip balm application, one congestion-free night at a time.

Bear Vapor Balm  Lip Balm  Shower Steamers  Natural Products  Central PA 

See also

Find Momma Bears Creations Locally:

Carlisle Creative Vibes
152 N Hanover St, Carlisle, PA 17013

Momma Bears Creations | Enola, PA