I Gave My Beauty Routine a Sophisticated Edit This Winter—17 Products That Whisper "She's Expensive"

If I could bottle up the essence of an upper echelon holiday party glowing through the windows of a historic apartment in Le Marais, this intoxicating scent would be the result. D'Orsay's Holy Berry Extrait is a sensual dance of red berries and woody whispers; each note wrapped in a blanket of vanilla for a touch of warmth.

This long-lasting fragrance sparkles on my skin for hours—long enough that I even catch wintry whiffs in my hair when I lie down for the night. It simply screams "holiday," but not in a cliché way. This is, by and large, my new signature winter scent.

Oh, you haven't heard? "Goth Christmas" is this season's hottest nail trend, and I'm 100% here for it. This nearly black burgundy shade is my new go-to nail polish this winter, and I love that it transcends holiday festivities. Vampy plum is a great idea for fall and spring, too, and it's certainly an elevated alternative to the classic red, silver, and gold polishes that dominate the holiday season. Plus, it's a glossy, good-for-you nail polish that's infused with peptides, kale extract, nail-strengthening treatments, and more.

My skin typically has the ability to be dry at any time of year, regardless of the amount of skincare products I use and facials I receive. However, this quirk of mine has changed drastically since incorporating Dr. Diamond's latest moisturizer—the Hydr/o Bioactive Hydrolipid Barrier Moisturizer—into my routine. WWW beauty editors (and myself!) have long fawned over the brand's line of growth factor-infused lotions and potions, but this new addition is really something else.

Its state-of-the-art formula utilizes a bespoke technology that utilizes hydrophilic and lipophilic structures, which noticeably improve hydration within the skin while strengthening the barrier. At $300 a pop, I hate to tell you it's worth it. But if you struggle with dry, sensitive, and rosacea-stricken skin like me (or are trying to plump skin with fine lines back up), it really is worth it.

Don't get me wrong, the Dr. Diamond cream is (forgive the pun) rich, but light enough to wear during the day. However, I didn't want to waste it this winter (it is $300, after all), so I began testing other daytime-friendly moisturizers to sustain my newfound hydration, work well under my makeup, and protect my skin in the icy Northeastern weather. This featherweight cream from Senself ticked every box thanks to its non-irritating, ultra-luxurious, and plant-powered formula. It layers well with my other skincare and makeup, offers all-day comfort, and makes my skin look glowy—never greasy.

Testing a new body wash can be nerve-racking. What if it breaks me out? Or feels greasy on my skin? Better yet, makes me feel unclean when I step out of the shower? It's because of these anxieties that I don't often test them, but I took a chance on Cyklar's WWW 100 Award-winning formula after reading so many rave reviews from my beauty-minded colleagues and quickly realized what all the hype was about.

This oil-infused formula lathers surprisingly well and makes my skin feel baby-smooth when I step out of the shower, so much so that I usually don't have to follow up with lotion. If it weren't for all the in-shower perks, the scent alone would make me want to buy it—it smells like a five-star hotel spa and contrasts beautifully with the gentle musk of clean skin.

Though my luxurious new body wash has greatly improved the hydration of my skin, that's not to say that I don't need to give a few spots a little extra TLC. The Outset's versatile Rescue Balm is an über-rich formula that acts as a protective layer wherever you need it—on chapped lips, over dry elbows, and so on. I've applied this gentle balm to dry eczema patches and cracked lips, only to be met with gentle hydration and a cool, tingling effect. Founder Scarlett Johansson just demonstrated a few new ways to use this balm, and I'm taking serious note.

Let me start by saying that this is the first beauty product I've purchased in almost a year—that's how determined I was to get my hands on this little yellow bottle. My skin is particularly reactive to hair products, so when I began adding light mists and shaping serums to my freshly cut bangs, a smattering of small pimples started popping up on my forehead.

To combat this (and the occasional hormonal flare-up), I quickly invested in the Mandelic Clearing Serum at the behest of my beauty editor friends. Its fast-acting formula is chock-full of glycolic and hyaluronic acids, plus eight percent mandelic acid, to gently exfoliate and resurface new skin. Even though my skin is dry and reactive, I can apply this daily without irritation (and fast-track to clearer, healthier skin).

As aforementioned, I recently cut bangs—which means I've been spending a lot more time on my hair than I normally do. This new 'do requires far more blow-drying than I'm used to (I normally went the air-dry styler route), so I've been making sure to smooth, hydrate, and protect my hair whenever possible with this styling milk from the celebrity hairstylist-founded brand Rōz.

It's deeply nourishing (packed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, red algae, grape extract, and more), smooths my hair into a salon-level blowout, and it also protects my strands from heat up to 450°F. On the days that I do want to attempt air-drying my hair, this serum is also equipped to smooth and define my waves—basically, it's a year-round godsend, but it's extra nourishing during dry winters (and totally reduces hair static).

The holiday season is busy. Between plans with friends and work commitments, I stretch myself—and my getting-ready time—pretty thin in the winter, but that doesn't mean that I sacrifice my look in the process. To craft a time-saving holiday eye that doesn't look like I cut corners, I swipe Merit's ultra-creamy, subtly shimmery Solo Shadow Sheens across my lids for a hint of hydration and sparkle. The cream formula keeps my lids from feeling dry and offers a whisper of shimmer that lasts all day.

Don't think my holiday eyes end with shimmery shadow. To add an extra touch of drama, I love edging up my eyes with this metallic graphite gray liner from Victoria Beckham Beauty. Sea Grey is a shimmering, dark silver that is easy to swipe on in a crisp line or smudge, thanks to the built-in sponge on the opposite end of the stick. Whether I wear it in a sharp slice or a diffuse it into a glittery haze, this liner is a sure compliment-earner in the winter. (Hot tip: sketch the liner in your lower waterline for extra depth).

Prada Beauty, I was unfamiliar with your mascara game. I was recently recommended this mascara by a fellow editor friend, and the rest is history—I've all but forgotten the other inky tubes in my collection. This ultra-fluttery mascara has a one-sided wand designed to press into the lash line while avoiding accidental smudges and specks from the opposite end. While I first doubted its construction, I later came to appreciate this unique wand: It coats my lashes in fluttery, light layers, it's easy to build intensity, and it's undoubtedly the most natural-looking, lash-defining mascara I own.

Ever since senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider reviewed this glowy foundation from the brand-new, skincare-focused brand Outside In (from Hourglass's founder Carisa Janes), I've been chomping at the bit to try it myself. Her already smooth skin looked even more angelic after a few brushstrokes and blends of this buttery foundation, so I swiftly got my hands on my shade after seeing her results. The featherlight formula offers the hydration and nourishment of a serum while imparting the natural coverage and pore-blurring powers of a foundation. It's virtually weightless, customizable, and oh-so glowy—the only way I can describe its soft radiance is "firelit."

When I find a good lip liner, I take it with me everywhere—from purse to purse and point A to point B. The most recent case has been this silky, stay-put liner from celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips' new makeup brand, M.ph, in the warm brown hue "Double Shot." This umber hue is the perfect backdrop for my favorite holiday lip combo—brown liner and red lipstick—and its long-wearing formula ensures that my festive pout stays put all night long.

While I hoard too many red lipsticks to have a definitive favorite this year, this red lip treatment has quickly risen to the top of my go-to glosses this season. The Outset's peptide-packed glossy balm isn't just a hydrating treatment—it really is an everyday makeup staple.

While many skincare-infused, tinted lippies tend to eat the lip liner or lipstick layered underneath, this one applies like a glowy topper, shellacking the lips in glassy shine and all-day moisture. Plus, it's gently plumping—no uncomfortable tingles or stinging around here.

Not every occasion calls for a cherry-red lip, so when I want a wintry alternative, I opt for vampy plums and deep mahoganies. This mulberry-tinted lip balm is the perfect shade for these looks, and I've found myself gravitating towards it incessantly this fall and winter. Whether layering it on top of a deep brown lip liner for a darkly romantic lip or wearing it alone for a blurred, French-girl wash of color, this lip balm offers a chic, editorial edge that no other tint I've tried has touched.

There's nothing I love more than a funky eye makeup launch, so when I got a chance to try Thrive Causemetics' award-winning mascara in this new, edgy gray, I wasted no time before running it through my lashes. I've been enamored with the grungy, gray makeup trend sweeping the beauty scene in 2025, and this charcoal mascara feels all too fitting for this anti-clean girl aesthetic. I love wearing two to three layers of this graphite shade with the above Victoria Beckham Beauty eyeliner, which creates a dimensional monochromatic look that screams "cool."

If a buttery, blendable, and easily buildable blush is what you're after, I urge you to look no further than Sheglam's cream blush stick. This formula is surprisingly smooth, glowy, and hydrating despite its low price, and comes in a gorgeous array of shades that offer everything from bright pops of baby doll pink to this moody brown-red hue. I can't stop using it this winter.