Keeping the skin on the face, lips, and neck supple, hydrated, and nourished will help it glow this winter and beyond. Ready to get the latest in the world of skincare? Don’t miss out on these sublime skin offerings.
LaFlore Live Probiotic Skincare Discovery Kit ($99)
I’ve been a fan of LaFlore and its focus on probiotic skincare for several years. I’ve incorporated the system into my regimen multiple times and have noticed a marked difference in the appearance of my skin each time. The only two things I thought could be improved were the packaging and the fragrance.
This fall, when the company debuted a new look with some formulation updates, I was excited to try it again. First, the new packaging is extremely elegant and looks gorgeous on my bathroom shelf. I think this new look with white glass bottles and gold accents was an excellent choice to catapult the brand into the luxury category. This time around, I didn’t have any issues with the fragrance. In fact, the scent is now subtle and soothing. I was able to try every product in the line, and once again, I noticed a difference in the appearance of my skin. According to the brand, live probiotics are the reason behind the line’s effectiveness. Live probiotics are living organisms that have nutritional, metabolic, and immune benefits. They also produce postbiotic metabolites that the skin needs such as vitamins, AHA, BHA, PHA, antimicrobial peptides, amino acids, micronutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory substances, and more.
I particularly loved the Longevity Oil, which smells heavenly and works beautifully at night, courtesy of a blend of prebiotics and a healing blend of soothing oils like cold-pressed perilla frutescens seed oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, turmeric, arnica, and hibiscus. The morning combo of the Enzymatic Cleanser, Live Probiotic Concentrated Serum, Daily Defense Moisturizer, and the Vitality Eye Cream turned out to be just the blend I needed to create glowing, hydrated skin.
Rael Miracle Patch: 3-Step Pore Melting Pack ($15.99)
As a teenager in the ‘90s, I was a frequent user of the famed Biore Pore Strips. I’m sure the brand has improved in the decades since I tried them, but at the time, I’m pretty sure that I removed several layers of skin along with the blackheads on my nose by ripping off that heavy tape. Now that I know better, I try not to do things that will cause my skin trauma. Yet, I’m still sometimes bothered by the pores on my nose, so I was excited to sample this three-step system. First, I was thrilled to see there is nary a step that involves painfully yanking tape off my nose. Instead, it’s quite a gentle treatment. The first step involves placing the Pore Melting Sheet, which is infused with peppermint extract, on the nose for 10 to 15 minutes to naturally dissolve pore-clogging impurities and excess sebum. Next, a handy sebum-clearing cotton swab with one side designed for stubborn extractions can be used to remove deeper clogs. Finally, the Soothing Sheet is placed on the nose for another 10 to 15 minutes to soothe skin and reduce the appearance of redness with antioxidant-rich jeju mugwort extract and hydrating and nourishing succinic acid. When done, the pores on my nose appeared decidedly smaller and my skin felt soothed, which is a far cry from the bright red, sore nose common in my teenage experiences and something I plan to do on a regular basis.
Organic to Green COSMOS Certified Day Glow Kit ($58)
I’ve always enjoyed makeup, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that many of the pigments and materials can be irritating to my eyes. As such, I often find myself keeping things simple and mostly going makeup-free or only using cosmetics with natural, non-irritating ingredients. When I do wear eye makeup, I enjoy a shimmery yet natural palette and tend to turn to natural mineral options. As such, I fell in love with this charming four-color kit made with organic, natural formulas and featuring some of my favorite colors—gold, rose gold, taupe, and bronze. The artisan, Italian-made, baked mineral powders are both Ecocert-certified and looked gorgeous yet natural and had amazing staying power. I also received the COSMOS Certified Night Glow Kit, which was equally appealing with a blend of colors that are ideal for creating a smokey evening eye. Both are now a permanent part of my makeup bag and are the ideal combo to take my look from day to night.
The Golden Secrets Youth Beauty Face Oil ($111)
I’m a huge fan of face oils. I’ve battled dry sensitive skin my whole life and love the feeling of dousing my parched skin in oil to boost moisture. I’m a bit finicky about my oils, but this one made the cut for me as an ideal barrier protector and hydrator. The texture was enticing, and the blend of ingredients, including carrot seed, frankincense, rose geranium, lavender, pomegranate, rosehip seed oil, vitamin E, and sea buckthorn oil, worked well together to hydrate and nourish my skin. I mostly used it at night, but when I was feeling extra dry, I also added a morning dose to my routine and found it to be effective for keeping me nourished all day long. Plus, I got a rather deep cut on my finger and was worried about scarring, so I used it there as well and found it helped with healing.
Want to discover more face oil options? Check out 12 Transformative Face Oils That Hydrate and Protect.
Dermalogica Calm Water Gel ($52)
As someone with dry, sensitive skin, I normally prefer face oils and heavy moisturizers, particularly in winter. But after using this gel for a few days, I have changed my perspective. Because it is a gel, I was nervously expecting it to dry out my skin. Turns out, it does the complete opposite. The texture is amazing, and the gel penetrates deeply. Plus, a little bit goes a long way. I’ve been using the same bottle for several weeks. According to the team at Dermalogica, the magic of this gel comes from glycerin, a powerhouse ingredient in not only skincare, but food and drinks. This glycerin-filled weightless water-gel moisturizer perfectly hydrates dry, sensitive skin and transforms into a skin-quenching fluid upon application, forming a weightless barrier against environmental pollutants. Dual hyaluronic acid technology works in different skin surface layers to increase and lock in moisture. I was pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of this penetrating gel and am happily adding it to my winter skincare regimen.
Alastin Restorative Neck Complex ($112)
Much like the great Nora Ephron, as I have aged, I sometimes feel bad about my neck. It is one of the more obvious places for showing signs of aging, and I work hard to keep the area moisturized and protected. This nurturing neck complex, which has been specifically formulated to address the unique challenges of the delicate skin below the chin and above the chest, is a perfect solution. Helpful tip? Be sure to use upward strokes during application and be sure to use it morning and night. I saw immediate results and improvement in the appearance of fine lines and a reduction of redness and pigmentation. It’s also hypoallergenic, cruelty free, and free of parabens and gluten, which I also love.
Whish Lip Trio Bundle ($70.40)
Winter can do a number on my lips. No matter how many lipcare options I have tucked into pockets, drawers, and purses, my lips are often quite dry. I was excited to sample this trio of products all designed to create a perfect pucker. I used two of the products—Pink Champagne Lip Scrub and Pink Champagne Lip Mask with Bakuchiol—at least once a week to try to offset the effects of the season’s try air. The scrub was effective without feeling like it was damaging delicate skin, while the overnight mask was an ideal option to allow me to wake up with plump, moisturized lips that were not peeling or chapped. As for the Pink Champagne Lip Mask with Bakuchiol, I liked the texture and found it to be shiny but not sticky. I used this daily and found it to be effective and not drying. I also found the fragrance of all three products to be subtle yet still enticing.
Looking for more lipcare suggestions this season? Don’t miss 16 Luxe Lipcare Options That Nourish, Protect, and Create More Kissable Lips.
Yon-Ka Paris SERUM C20 ($168)
There is something special about longtime European skincare brands, and Yon-ka Paris has long been one of my favorites. Their decades-long focus on phyto-aromatic skincare has proven wildly successful, and I always get exceptional results from their products. It should come as no surprise that their brand-new SERUM C20 has quickly become one of my favorite vitamin C products. Vitamin C is tricky for me. One, it can sometimes be so active and chemically based that it irritates my skin, and two, I generally don’t love the scent of vitamin C products. Neither of these are an issue with this serum. It worked quickly to correct dull skin, wrinkles, and dark spots to reveal younger, more luminous skin. But it doesn’t irritate the skin and is ideal for use morning and night. It also actually smells good, and it’s made from plant-derived ingredients.
According to the company, Serum C20’s stabilized vitamin C corrects all the drawbacks of synthetic vitamin C while optimizing its action. This stabilized vitamin C is obtained from active vitamin C and isopalmitic acid (a fatty acid not derived from palm trees). Both substances are of biotechnological origin, in which non-GMO corn sugars undergo fermentation. As a result, absorption is optimized in the epidermis and dermis, which gives it more extensive antioxidant action and allows it to increase collagen synthesis by a factor of eight. “As an aromatic, plant-based skincare brand, Yon-Ka Paris’ formulation is both rooted in and backed by clinically proven, natural, vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free ingredients to ensure results,” says Amal Amgaad, head of communications for Yon-Ka Paris. “The latest addition to our growing line, SERUM C20, further illustrates our commitment to offering anti-aging and healing outcomes for women
