What’s in My Makeup Bag — Winter Edition

Hi! I’m Michelle — wife to one and mother to three. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a contributor here at Chic Critique since 2008.

A few weeks ago I posted what was in my makeup bag, so rather than re-hash what I’ve already told you, I thought it might be fun to let you in on the products that I use specifically in the winter — a look at my “Winter Beauty Arsenal,” if you will.

In the winter, all the products I use are with a single goal in mind: hydration. Dry skin is a constant threat for me. So, most of what I’m going to share revolves around cleansers and moisturizers.

First up, Tropical Tradtions Unscented Liquid Soap:

Oh, how I love this soap. I use it to wash my face. Wanna know the ingredients? Saponified organic coconut oil. That’s it. No sulfates, no crazy substances I can’t pronounce. The best thing about this soap is that it does a good job cleansing and never leaves my skin with that tight, dry feeling when I finish. My skin feels hydrated. And clean.

After washing my face, I follow up with Tropical Traditions’ Baby Silk Moisturizing Cream.

This is a very thick, rich cream, so I only apply it to my face at night. The ingredients are all natural with no alcohols, artificial fragrances or petroleum. It feels a little greasy when you first apply it, but that’s because of the lack of alcohols to speed absorption into the skin. It only takes a minute for the lotion to absorb, and after that your skin is left feeling really hydrated.

I swear my skin looks better — almost brighter — since I started using these two products. I have no hard data on this, unfortunately, it’s just my opinion. But, as someone who has tried more than her fair share of facial cleansers and moisturizers, these are the two I’ll be sticking with.

One of the things I hate about winter is the way it turns my fingertips into little pieces of sandpaper. You know what I’m talking about? Your skin gets so dry, that your fingertips feel like they are snagging on everything they touch. In the past I applied hand moisturizers practically every hour. These days, I use this:

That’s Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil, which I just happen to cook with. It’s also what I use to moisturize my hands. Just a pea-sized drop is all it takes. Again, it’s pure oil, so it takes a minute to fully absorb. But this keeps my hands hydrated for hours, and it smells divine. I only need to apply it once a day. It moisturizes your hands and can make your dinner too. What else could a girl need?

I do realize this post is beginning to sound like an ad for coconut oil. For the record, I get no compensation whatsoever from mentioning these products. This is just what I find is working for me this winter. But I do use other products too. So let’s move on to some of those, mkay?

While we’re on the subject of hands, my cuticles can take a serious beating in the winter. So, I use Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream once the temps start to dip.

Made with sweet almond oil, beeswax and a good helping of Vitamin E, it isn’t really a “cream,” but more waxy in texture. Massage it daily into the cuticle and nail bed, and you’ll see it not only prevents hangnails and softens cuticles, it also strengthens and nourishes nails in the process.

When it comes to soap for the rest of my body, I use Dr. Bronner’s, which I reviewed here at Chic Critique a while back.

It’s an olive oil based soap — with no drying sulfates and such. It’s fantastic and great value for the money. I use the liquid concentrate to refill our foaming hand soap dispensers (much more gentle than those drying anti-bacterial soaps, which often result in raw, chapped hands), and the bar soap is great for the shower.

Finally, I’m still loving the eos Smooth Sphere.

I can’t help it. I’m addicted.

Petroleum and paraben-free (with a short list of recognizable ingredients), the Smooth Sphere is full of Vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil, which work to keep your lips smooth and hydrated. And it’s all wrapped up in the most adorable little package.

What are your favorite winter products?