Winter Beauty Survival Kit

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YC winter is HARSH! The last week kicked my butt with the snow and the wind.  My winter beauty essentials for cold weather are all about pampering and moisturizing your skin.  These are all products I am actively using this season:

My top products for winter beauty:

I start every day with AHAVA Serum under my moisturizer.  My Mom introduced me to this brand when she visited Israel.  She has been a convert ever since.  In the winter, I change up my moisturizer depending on temperature, wind, sunscreen, etc. but the serum goes under it all.  It gives a burst of hydration that I found I can't do without right now.

My hands get super-dry between handling clothes, and forgetting gloves, so Jurlique Hand Cream that I was given as a gift has turned out to be a life saver for my cuticles and digits.

My sister and I can't live without our Kiehl's lip balm.  I prefer the tube with sunscreen.  She likes the tub.  About ten years ago I bought her a super size one more as a joke until six years later, she was still using it and all of her friends and family were disgusted.  I have now committed to buying her a new one every year to ensure that she will discard the old one.

I love the scent of Bliss Body Butter when I apply it before bed; it reminds of their spa.  However, my Hubby likes it too, and the citrus scent is just confusing me when worn by a man.  At least his skin is super soft.

For makeup, I love using Smashbox shimmery cream shadow.  It touts 15-hour wear, and I can't dispute it.  I like using it as a highlight, but also as a moisturizing base to help other shadows stick.   For holiday, I can't help but add some glitter too.  Urban Decay has a lot of fun colors in their Stardust product.

My hair is a mess in winter.  Fekkai Glossing Cream is the multi-tasking product I like to have in my bag.  The thick consistency is great for smoothing out my frizzy flyaways.  A light sweep of it over my hair, in general, is good for shine.  It is moisturizing, also good for the dryness my hair gets after being blasted by wind and sitting next to the office heater.

Essie Good To Go is just great because I beat the crap out of my nails.  It keeps the mani in check (and also stops a run in my tights).  Also, I have little patience; so I am grateful that it speeds up the polish drying noticeably.

 For all the products above, I either recently purchased, received as a gift from family or the brand itself to try.

OK, I need to know YOUR secrets for winter beauty... SPILL!

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Spring Beauty: My Top 5 Picks

One of fun things about being a blogger is that you get to try all sorts of fun beauty products.  The real story though, is determining which products do you love enough to spend your own money on after the PR provided samples are gone?

The five products I chose here are the ones I have been A) using and buying for years, or B) have been purchasing regularly since my first date with them!

1.) MAC lipstick.  I was at the Canadian fashion trade show way way back when Frank Toscan launched MAC cosmetics.  Who knew this homegrown line would dominate as the top collection with fashion divas and drag queens alike?  I have worn the Del Rio shade since high school, kissing the vanilla scented tube as my mainstay.  My springtime shade is Sophisto.

2) Garnier B.B. cream didn't look particularly sexy, but the the moisturizing tinted cream has replaced by daily moisturizer/sunscreen/foundation combo with one product.  It does help smooth out your complexion noticeably.  It's more affordable with one product too!

3) Nail Art is the biggest fashion AND beauty trend this year.  However, you need a very steady (ambidextrous) hand and a toMy fan patience.  I have neither.  My favorite easy manicure look is a glitter ombre combo.  I start with a medium shade like OPI's Coney Island Cotton Candy then dab on Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear glitter  nail polish on the tips.  This technique hides lots of flaws.  Finish with a topcoat of Essie's Good to Go.

4)  I was initially skeptical of Revitalash and its claims.  It just sounded like the PR fantasy claims that every high priced eyelash product came with.  I gave my mother some products for her brows.  Brows have always been her point of insecurity, going so far as to tattoo some in.  It was a shock to me (and her) when after using the Revitalash on her brows and eyelashes, she actually had to pluck for the first time in her life.  I have since used their mascara regularly and still amazed at the results.

5) Maybelline has been a regular sponsor of Mercedes Benz Fashion week for several years now.  Thanks to them, I have tried a large range of their goodies.  I can't say I would use all of them again, but my hands down favorite is the New York Studio Volumizing eye shadow.  They make dramatic eye effects super easy, with a clearly mapped out lid shade, brow bone highlight shade, crease shade, liner and sparkles.

Ok, I showed you mine, now you show me yours. What are your favorite products of the season?

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