Sorry, I've neglected this site for a while... I just haven't had time for it. Which is sad considering I love eye shadow and well, all makeup. And fashion. And all that other girly "stuff". So yeah, I'm sorry if I've been awol but hopefully I'll have more time!

 

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Soon, parts of the country will be experiencing super cold weather. Actually, some parts already have. Today was a delightfully hot and sunny 85 so yeah, work with me, I'm trying to imagine haha. It's been a while since I've actually had "cold" weather. But, I do remember that there were certain products I seemingly couldn't live without. I was also a college student living in a snowy city and I still use the same products today! And as we all know, certain body parts need a little "extra love" so even when they're exposed to the cold all of the summer-gained moisture isn't lost. So, here are a few of my "must have" products to beat the cold and dry winter weather*:

Hair: I have naturally dark brown (not black) hair which is made all the more apparent when I wear my main trusty black peacoat. And even more apparent, are the split ends and damage which I may have from the constant flat ironing my hair endures. So, to combat that, I use John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette Shine Shock ($5.99). It's a leave-in glossifier for your hair and will tame the fly aways brought on from the dry weather without weighing it down or building up. Static, be gone! It seals the hair shafts without looknig "too shiny", which some silicone based products have a way of doing. But nope, not this! A little goes a long way and lasts all winter and then some!

Hands: Dry hands are something we can all relate to! I remember that just a quick trip walking from my apartment to my class (10 minutes, max) would result in dry hands in desperate need of a little TLC. Or, a lot of lotion... whichever came first! As it turns out, I needed neither but instead just a little bit of a good hand cream. Almond Oil Intensive Hand Rescue ($18.00) was that answer! From The Body Shop, it's a heavy cream but it's easily absorbed so you're not left with greasy or sticky hands. After just once use (hooray for in-store samples!) I noticed a huge difference. My roomate actually ended up buying it for Christmas gifts! And best of all is the scent... think of an almond cookie. Only, a moisturizing one

Face: Skincare is important. Even if you have oily or very oily skin. Actually, especially if you have oily skin. The colder/drier months may be welcomed because they're less likely to encourage oil than say Summer or Spring, but that's where most people get confused: why is my skin still so oily but so dry it's peeling?? Bottom line is all skin needs moisture so, I use Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with an SPF of 15 ($11.50). Yes, in Winter you need a sunscreen. Maybe not SPF 100, but definitely a something. The sun, after all, is always there, no matter how cloudy. It never makes my very oily skin seem oilier and never once have I broken out from it. I've found that: makeup/primer applies smoothly over it, there's never that 'greasy' feeling usually associated with sunscreens and it doesn't leave behind a whitish residue like some sunscreens (aka: very good for photographing). When the pump starts sputtering, I immediately run to get more because I musn't be without it!

Body: Ok, so I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop's products. They're a great company and help out in the community by donating some of their profits and sponsoring recycling programs. Did I mention they're eco friendly? Their Body Butters ($8-$20) moisturize like nobody's business and you can immediately tell a difference.. all while leaving behind a light scent. This season, they have a new 'Nutmeg and Vanilla' scent which I can't wait to try! The Body Butters definitely give you a luxurious feeling and on the first day of Spring you just want to prance around in skirts to show off your seemingly impossibly moisturized legs. Or, maybe that's just me.

Lips: Chapped lips are a no-no. Sometimes, even a painful no-no. I rely year-round on Carmex. Their Cold Sore Reliever and Lip Moisturizers ($2.50) are simply the best lip moisturizers I've come across. Great under lipsticks, the formula which contains a pain-reliever and a numbing agent, imparts a light sheen. Together, it ensures that your lips are moisturized and not in pain or peeling. I always carry it with me, and have actually been known to panic if I mistakenly leave the house without it. The product actually has quite a following as well... I think there's a fan page on Facebook!

So, whether you're a "girly girl" or a "tomboy", we can all agree that moisturized and healthy-looking are the adjectives we all want this Winter! Have you tried any of the products? Likes? Dislikes?

*all prices are approximate and not guaranteed; please check your local prices.

As part of my weekly website viewings, I do an in depth exploration of Sephora's website to see all the new goodies they've added. And while I'm mostly interested in the new eye shadows, liners and mascaras (when Dior Show made its debut, I all but ran to my nearest Sephora!) I occassionally check out the new hair products. Especially if they have an unusual name, like one happened to have this time around! HerCut!

Described as "hair care for your hair cut" the concept immediately intrigued me. All my life I'd been taught to use shampoos, conditioners and stylers for my specific hair type. It made sense after all. But now, I'm thinking differently. HerCut features unique styling products called "catalysts" for various hair cuts including: layered styles, blunts, bobs, shag styles and pixie cuts and according to the Sephora website, its unique formulation "impels the hair to behave brilliantly". And I suppose I can wrap my head around the idea, as a pixie cut has different styling needs than a long layered cut.

But for me personally, the only thing that will "impel" my chemically relaxed and layered cut to behave is heat. Lots of heat, to be exact. So, with my trusty Prytodefrisant and a flat iron I go to town straightening my curly hair so the layers are visible. My curls are just too tight that any cut is practically invisible and any styling product isn't going to fix that. Though, I do often give my hair a break with a deep conditioner and style it in a bun and then the layers don't matter. On second thought, they might still be obvious considering the multiple bobby pins needed just to get all my hair off my face. Meh.

Would you use a product meant for your hair cut instead of your hair type? Because even if we all have the same hair cut, it's going to look vastly different on each of us depending on our hair's natural texture, any chemical processes, damage, moisture levels, etc. Or what do you think?