January Favorites: Skin Care, Makeup and Hair Care

I can't wrap my head around the fact that Feb. 1st is on Friday. It honestly feels like January has just begun and our Christmas decorations were put away last week [well... that one is actually true] sighhh - I guess January has come and gone, and it's been part of a cold winter, that's for sure! We got a few days of -20C temperatures, but with wind chill, it felt like -40C. 

The cold winds definitely affected my skin because it became so, so dry. My hands did as well, and they are still in the recovery process. I neglected my skin and it got worse, to the point that liquid foundation just would not work [we all know that look] and thus, January became skin repair month! I purchased a new, gentler cleanser, various exfoliators [I tried out some natural recipes, too], and switched up my moisturizer, as well as drinking millions of milliliters of h2o - the good stuff. Some products didn't work, while many others worked wonders and remain in my winter cosmetic routine for the time being. Here are some reasons why these products passed the test, and a few of my other current favorite products:

Biotherm 'Biosource Biosensitive - Dermo Neutral Cleanser Gentle Milk': My skin has always been on the sensitive side, and using a harsh chemical cleanser was not helping whatsoever, thus I purchased a new, gentler cleanser for my skin. Biotherm's website says this cleanser is perfect for fragile skin and it repairs itself with the help of phyto-omegas 6 and 3, dermo-balancing ingredients and the equivalent of 5000 liters of thermal water concentrated in the cleanser. Daily application helped my skin levels of flaking, tightness and redness drastically decrease. It also has a neutral/spa-like scent - refreshing!

Macadamia Natural Oil: After only using the nourishing leave in cream only 3 times, I noticed a difference in the silkiness and strength in my hair. It smells delicious and it can be easily combed through with a wide tooth comb especially when your hair is full of knots and tangles. I like how the sample packages have enough product in them for you to use on two separate occasions.

MAC lipstick in the shade 'Brave Red': This one was a big purchase for me, because I've never been brave enough to pull off red lipstick, but I finally made my move. 'Brave Girl' is a creamsheen lipstick, with a creamy texture and a bit of gloss but it is not too sheer nor too bright. I would describe it as a cranberry/blood red. If you're looking for that Marilyn Monroe/Gwen Stefani bold red lip, this one probably isn't the best choice. However, if your a beginner to red lips, give Brave Red a try.

LUSH 'Dark Angels' Cleanser: Dark Angels is a deep cleansing charcoal scrub. Sounds intense, right? Once applied to the face, it becomes a gentle, nourishing scrub great for all skin types (especially oily skin), leaving a moisturized and soft texture behind. LUSH says, "it's a velvety cleanser, sprinkled with black sugar and powdered charcoal to gently exfoliate and cleanse away excess oils. We added antimicrobial rhassoul mud and vitamin-rich cold pressed organic avocado oil to soften, moisturize and nourish skin, as well as sandalwood and rosewood oils to soothe." Dark Angels has become a winter essential for my skin.

eos lip balm in 'Sweet Mint' : Did you know eos stands for evolution of smooth? With that kind of a name, you have high hopes for a truly smooth lip chap and this one definitely stays true to the name. It contains special ingredients such as Vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil that all aid in soothing dryness.The mint flavor is refreshing and not overpowering, and most importantly, it's cured my chapped lips! It's also 95% organic, paraben and petrolatum free.

Benefit's 'Hoola' Bronzer: In having fair skin, I've become critical of many bronzers on the market and there are plenty out there that simply do not flatter pale skin. Hoola is great because it is pigmented, so you don't need a little amount for one use. After tapping off the excess powder and brushing it onto my cheeks, forehead and the sides of my nose, it created a healthy, sun kissed, contoured look that brought my pale face to life in January. Another bonus is that Hoola does not have any added shimmer, aiding in the natural glow look.

Q: What are your January favorites, or winter skincare essentials?