This may be an unpopular opinion, but I love winter. There's a certain coziness to it, knowing that for the next few months, I'll be in nesting mode. Instead of long days and late nights spent traveling, socializing, and going to events, I'll be sitting comfortably in my home. Maybe I'll catch up on some reading. Maybe I'll binge-watch a show. Maybe I'll try my hand at cooking new recipes. One thing that I know I'll be doing is spending more time on my beauty routine.
While I devote a fair amount of time and focus to my beauty routine year round (I am a beauty editor after all), I take the opportunity to really lean into it in the winter. It's during the coldest, dreariest months that I reach for my most soothing staples in an effort to best care for my body and mind. You see, I'm all about turning my routine into a ritual and using a consciously curated line-up of products. Keep scrolling to see every single product I'm using to fully embrace cozy-girl winter.
Skincare Products
I don't know if you can really describe a cleanser as cozy, but if you can, this one is it. Formulated with pure honey, royal jelly, and propolis, it cleanses the skin without stripping moisture. Natural enzymes gently exfoliate, while green-tea extract soothes and provides antioxidant benefits. The best part is the sensory experience. It feels warm on the skin, which feels so luxe, especially during the brisk days of winter.
I'm committed to forming a face massage habit this winter, and this sleek roller will help me do just that. The cooling dual-headed design helps lift and sculpt the contours of the face.
Every winter skincare routine needs a soothing, plumping serum, and my redness-prone skin loves this one. Formulated with fruit cell culture extract, Ginkgo Biloba, niacinamide, and calendula flower, it targets dullness and pigmentation.
Dry, damaged skin doesn't stand a chance against this super-soothing balm. You can use it on your skin, on chapped lips, on dry hands and cuticles, and even on cuts and scrapes. It's so gentle that it can even be used post-procedure to soothe irritation from things like skin surgery, laser treatments, tattoos, and more. In a pinch, you can even use it to tame flyaways or slick up your brows. It's a true multitasker.
Hair Products
After a long year of heat styling, sun exposure, salt, and chlorine, I go into full hair rehab in the winter. The first step? Swap out my standard hair elastics for these silk scrunchies. They cause less friction, and subsequently, less breakage on my brittle, chemical-treated hair. Plus, they look sleek and elegant. To me, they're like the French-girl version of a traditional scrunchie.
I'll go a step further and outfit my pillows with pure silk pillowcases. I'm a messy sleeper, and I toss and turn all night. These reduce friction, so I wake up with smoother, healthier hair (and fewer creases and lines imprinted on my face).
I bought this randomly, mostly out of curiosity, and it's quickly become a shower staple for me. It's a waterproof vibrating scalp massager that I use every time I shampoo to loosen product build-up and stimulate circulation to my scalp. The latter is beneficial for hair growth, and as a fine-haired person, I need all the help I can get. Plus, it's super relaxing (who doesn't love a scalp massage?).
A scalp-specific gua sha might seem excessive, but only until you use one. The pointed jade teeth gently scrape the scalp to boost circulation (again, it's good for hair growth!) and provide a relaxing massage. It really turns a standard hair routine into a ritual.
My winter hair rehab wouldn't be complete without my trusty collection of hair masks. This one was a recent addition, and I was obsessed at first use. It uses prickly pear seed oil, cactus flower extract, and cocoa seed butter to hydrate, strengthen, and repair hair. Every time I use it, it breathes new life into my otherwise dull and brittle hair.
Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, right? This new scalp serum from one of my favorite brands, Nécessaire, uses peptides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to nourish the scalp and support new hair growth. I like the fact that it doesn't leave a heavy residue like other products I tried. It's nice and lightweight.
Bath Body Products
This cleansing oil is a mainstay in my shower throughout all of winter. At first, it might feel a little weird to cleanse your body exclusively with an oil (especially if you're used to high-foaming soaps), but it's so worth it when you feel how soft, smooth, and plump your skin becomes over time.
A good body scrub is a must. I like this one from Sunday Riley. It uses activated charcoal, salicylic acid, zinc PCA, coconut water, and manuka honey to do a number of wonderful things, including unclogging pores, smoothing bumps, regulating oil production, and hydrating the skin.
Another French pharmacy pick, this lightweight body lotion soothes and hydrates my dry, irritation-prone skin. I love to layer this with body oil for the utmost moisture.
Speaking of body oil, this one is a favorite of mine. Yes, it's expensive, but it moisturizes my skin like nothing else and even gives it a nice glow (which it doesn't have otherwise, especially in the midst of winter). It's formulated with a blend of nourishing and vitamin-rich oils, like rose hip, grape seed, apricot, jojoba, olive, and sweet almond.
I rarely go to bed without slathering my hands in a rich hand cream. It's the best way to moisturize dry, flaky hands, especially if you're like me and you type on your laptop all day, so regularly applying hand cream isn't practical (a greasy keyboard isn't the vibe). This one is formulated with a blend of amino acid rich oils to strengthen the skin barrier and prevent dryness and flakiness.
This body oil softens hair and prevents ingrowns after shaving or waxing. Use it wherever you need it—whether on the legs, underarms, or bikini area in the spirit of giving your whole body TLC.
Fragrances
This is a classic winter fragrance thanks to warm and comforting notes of orange flower, clove oil, chestnut, and vanilla. I wear it on repeat all winter long.
The forest-green bottle will instantly put you in the winter mood, but the fragrance inside is really what's going to make you feel cozy. Notes of juniper berries, bourbon, and cedarwood make you feel like you're breathing in the fresh, alpine air. It's fresh, woodsy, and slightly sweet thanks to a touch of vanilla.
I'm a sucker for a traditional vanilla fragrance, and this one makes me feel as warm and cozy as wearing my favorite sweater while sitting in front of the fireplace. With notes of bourbon vanilla bean extract, cocoa shell, and frangipani, it smells sweet and spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. It maintains a sort of sophistication.
Tom Ford fragrances never miss. With notes of bergamot, jasmine flower, and lemon, it's a fresh twist on a winter fragrance. It reminds me of a bright, sunny day in January.
This classic fragrance from Jo Malone features notes of sea salt, sage, and something called ambrette seeds. All I know is that it makes me feel grounded and comforted thanks to its woody, earthy scent.
