We can’t even turn on the Today Show anymore for fear of hearing Al Roker say those dreaded words: Polar Vortex. Winter has barely begun and we’re already over it — the cold, the boots, the runny noses, everything. But since there’s no end in sight, we decided to round up the products that help us deal with all the unpleasant beauty-related side effects of this winter weather. Check ‘em out, and tell us what you’re loving in the comments. We can get through this long, cold, interminable (ugh) polar vortex together.
Courtesy Kiehl’s
Andrea Lavinthal, Style Director: If you were to rank the seasons by sexiness, winter might not even make it on the list. Between a red nose, chapped lips, watery eyes and flaky skin, cold weather is pretty much the most unattractive thing that can happen to your face.
My solution is to stay inside and watch Law & Order: SVU reruns while drinking red wine until March. That, and use a really good moisturizer. You may think the stuff in your medicine cabinet is just fine, but I’m telling you it’s not. I just switched to Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, which feels deceptively lightweight for something created specifically for very dry skin types. It has enriched hyaluronic acid (the gold standard of moisturizing ingredients), plus apricot kernel oil and glycine betaine. I don’t look any sexier, but at least my skin is thoroughly hydrated.
Courtesy Oribe
Whitney Little, Associate Producer: I’ve been able to deal with dry skin and chapped lips during the cold months, but one thing that annoys me to no end is having staticky hair. I tried everything — from doubling up on conditioner to rubbing dryer sheets on my head (that’s totally safe, right?) — until I found this miracle product from one of my favorite lines, Oribe. The Côte d’Azur hair refresher not only cuts static instantly, it also adds a really great scent so my hair feels refreshed with just a few spritzes.
Courtesy Kerastase
Alex Apatoff, Style News Editor: Any curly girl will tell you that there’s no “good hair” season. Summer is humid, leading to frizz. Winter is dry, leading to frizz. You get one perfect week in September and it usually starts raining halfway through. The only thing you can do is pack on moisture like crazy and hope for the best.
As you can imagine, in this perpetual fight against dried-out, crispy curls, I’ve tried a lot of hair masks. So far, Kérastase Oléo-Relax is the only one that lives up to the hype (and earns its keep — it’s decidedly not cheap). However, I only need a teeny amount once a week or so to keep my curls in line, which means it lasts forever. And (bonus side effect) it smells so good. It’s the perfect pick-me-up on a gloomy, dark winter morning when I’d rather just get back into bed.
Courtesy Walgreens
Brittany Talarico, Associate Style Editor: To be honest, I’m totally over this insufferable weather. It makes getting dressed a total disaster, and I find I’m using the “cry” and “snowflake” emojis way more than anyone should. (These are usually in texts to my sister who is a junior at the University of Miami. I’m bitter!) I also recognize I need to stop being such a baby. Luckily, I finally nailed down a beauty routine that’s improving my mood.
The secret? I turn my bathroom into the tropics. I let the hot water fill the room with steam for that sauna effect and then I whip out this natural Nature’s Bounty organic coconut oil. At first it has a pasty consistency, but when you rub it between your hands it turns into this amazing oil. Not only does it hydrate your skin, but the smell totally makes you forget about those below-freezing temps.
Courtesy FAB
John Soper, Editorial Assistant: Just because it’s winter, that doesn’t mean my face needs to be as dull as the weather. To keep my face looking bright and hydrated, I use the Facial Radiance Serum from First Aid Beauty. My face always tends to get dry and red in the colder months and I was constantly looking for something that would add some hydration to my skin without making it look super oily. After using this serum from FAB, I noticed that things were looking brighter and the discoloration in my cheeks and forehead had evened out. Apply it in the morning and at night after washing your face and you’ll start to see a more radiant and smooth complexion.
What are your cold-weather beauty tricks? Any favorite pick-me-ups? Tell us below!
