The sun is out, flowers are at its best colors, birds chirping, the breeze are not to be feared anymore and people are not into hybernation mode at all. I must say this is the most perfect climate ever. The nasty winter season was a pain in the ass. It was my first winter and it's not even snowing. But the snow storm in China made me learn a lot of stuff about winter and here are the basic things to remember:1. 
Never neglect putting on moisturizer (of course still with SPF), lip balm and lotion before leaving your house. Better yet, use butter. (Body shop's Cranberry butter is the best for me.) This is my first time to finish one. Hahaha!!!! My hands were like an old woman's during the last season. LITERALLY!!!!! The thing is, my pain threshold was very strong that I don't notice my skin cracking anymore. One distinct sign to watch out for that you may have dermatitis (skin inflammation in simple language) because of the cold weather, is ITCHINESS. As for moisturizers, I don't know among you but Nivea did instant wonders to my face. For lip balm, since I put make up a lot because of shows, I chose to use plain Petroleum Jelly. I am also a huge victim of wind burns. It sucked really.
2. Invest on good bonnets/berets, jackets/sweaters, scarves/mufflers, trench coats, warmers, gloves, and boots. Choose jackets and trench coats that are double sided. This is to give you enough warmth when you have to deal with long walks and when you're standing by at MTR stations. You just can't help but look for a confined place when Winter season is here because it's just soooooo damn cold. Mong Kok offers good deals with what's needed at a certain season. On boots, it's very important for you to choose the most comfortable and neutral one. I loved Hong Kong's style with Flat boots. They can make it sophisticated and comfortable at the same time. Choose neutral colored boots that can be matched with most of your wardrobes because believe me, you don't want to wear just sneakers when it's winter. Scarves and mufflers offer an "umph" with dull sweaters and long sleeves. Gloves are not really that necessary but if your hands are very sensitive (like mine), then it becomes a must. Lastly, warmers help you to avoid tendonitis and arthritis. Mind you, weather is a big factor in developing these especially when you resort to drinking beer or eating a lot to compensate the coldness and boredom since you least likely would want to go out because like how I emphasized earlier, it's just soooooo damn cold! It just reaches from 8 to 12 degrees Celsius. Here are some of the samples of these garments.
Never neglect putting on moisturizer (of course still with SPF), lip balm and lotion before leaving your house. Better yet, use butter. (Body shop's Cranberry butter is the best for me.) This is my first time to finish one. Hahaha!!!! My hands were like an old woman's during the last season. LITERALLY!!!!! The thing is, my pain threshold was very strong that I don't notice my skin cracking anymore. One distinct sign to watch out for that you may have dermatitis (skin inflammation in simple language) because of the cold weather, is ITCHINESS. As for moisturizers, I don't know among you but Nivea did instant wonders to my face. For lip balm, since I put make up a lot because of shows, I chose to use plain Petroleum Jelly. I am also a huge victim of wind burns. It sucked really.2. Invest on good bonnets/berets, jackets/sweaters, scarves/mufflers, trench coats, warmers, gloves, and boots. Choose jackets and trench coats that are double sided. This is to give you enough warmth when you have to deal with long walks and when you're standing by at MTR stations. You just can't help but look for a confined place when Winter season is here because it's just soooooo damn cold. Mong Kok offers good deals with what's needed at a certain season. On boots, it's very important for you to choose the most comfortable and neutral one. I loved Hong Kong's style with Flat boots. They can make it sophisticated and comfortable at the same time. Choose neutral colored boots that can be matched with most of your wardrobes because believe me, you don't want to wear just sneakers when it's winter. Scarves and mufflers offer an "umph" with dull sweaters and long sleeves. Gloves are not really that necessary but if your hands are very sensitive (like mine), then it becomes a must. Lastly, warmers help you to avoid tendonitis and arthritis. Mind you, weather is a big factor in developing these especially when you resort to drinking beer or eating a lot to compensate the coldness and boredom since you least likely would want to go out because like how I emphasized earlier, it's just soooooo damn cold! It just reaches from 8 to 12 degrees Celsius. Here are some of the samples of these garments.
3. It wouldn't hurt if you'll stock your fridge with liquor. This really helps to warm you a little bit. On weekends, a shot of bailey's or cranberry lychee won't hurt as you go on with that movie you've been dying to watch again. Or so what if it's a rerun on a Saturday night? I don't mind seeing Brad Pitt's sexy butt again in Troy! Hahaha!!!!
4. Heaters can really make the bills hike up but you have to maximize its use. Like air conditioning units, set your alarm clocks by the time you want to turn it off. It does provide comfort but it may drain you out. Don't forget to nourish your need for water before and after using it. It also helped me in drying some of my clothes at the most wet days Winter season has. Because you see, even if you keep your clothes hanged for 3 days, it will still feel wet. You can't just put them in a dryer because it's mostly made up of wool. And you know what happens when wool is dried up.... well, it gets very short.
4. Heaters can really make the bills hike up but you have to maximize its use. Like air conditioning units, set your alarm clocks by the time you want to turn it off. It does provide comfort but it may drain you out. Don't forget to nourish your need for water before and after using it. It also helped me in drying some of my clothes at the most wet days Winter season has. Because you see, even if you keep your clothes hanged for 3 days, it will still feel wet. You can't just put them in a dryer because it's mostly made up of wool. And you know what happens when wool is dried up.... well, it gets very short.
5. You have to be aware of what hybernating can do to your body. Due to the cold weather, you would least likely be outside. And you would hate going out. This is a natural reaction of the body. It retains as much fat as you could, for heat production. Which ends up you, getting fat. So much so, there's no excuse for you to just munch on chocolates all the time. You have to find activities that will make you stay inside the house but would still keep your heart beating fast. Before you think of anything else, here are some suggestions of the "activities" I'm telling you about. POKER, NINTENDO WII or PS2, stretching on your own, and blogging.6. Be careful in dealing with your hair. Too much static (because of the heat you produce vs. the cold weather) may damage your hair. You will also find yourself adjusting the shower a notch warmer (which may lead you to baldness), usually, these kind of changes stress your scalp a lot and may produce undesired outcomes. Also, in blowdrying it and in using the straightening iron.
7. Remember to drink your vitamins daily. This boosts your body to its max. You see, I learned that no matter how you cover up, your lungs would just slowly get weak because of the cold air that holds lots of viruses. Cold weather is very conducive for airborne viruses to stay alive at. So, it's important to keep your immune system intact. Flu shots are worth having during Winter.
Well, there you go folks! These are all based on my experience. It's just little information that you may find useful someday.