Powder BEFORE Foundation??? The Wayne Goss Foundation Method-Tested

Wayne Goss is one of my favorite artists on YouTube, so naturally when he had a video titled "This Foundation Tip Can Change Your Life", I had to watch it (you can/should too, right here). In the video, he demonstrates putting a loose powder on your face before applying liquid foundation. He himself even admits that he knows "it sounds mental" and goes against everything we are usually taught about the order of products, but he promises us that it will leave your foundation looking flawless. I watched the video several times over a rather long period of time before I finally had to just try "The Goss Foundation Technique". I tried to follow what he does as closely as possible. I think I came pretty darn close, and I was remarkably nervous. I kept reminding myself I could wash it off if it didn't work, but that wasn't very comforting for some reason.


The verdict?? The master is right. I don't know if I would call it "life changing", but it definitely does create one of the most flawless finishes I've ever achieved. It really did leave my skin looking like velvet. Gorgeous, healthy, velvety smooth, but not flat or totally matte. It also did a great job of making the foundation not cling to my dry patches as it sometimes can. My friend even told me how good my face looked and how great my skin looked that day. I thanked her and said it was experiment, but apparently with great results. The picture of my skin shows how smooth the foundation went on, but also how little foundation you need to use with this technique. You can still see my freckles but my skin looked flawless, a combination that is usually hard to achieve. I'm not sure it's a technique I would use every day (although as I'm saying that I'm trying to think of why I wouldn't, and I can't think of a good reason. Maybe I just need to get comfortable with feeling like I'm doing things backwards?), but I definitely liked it and will do it again. Not only did it instantly achieve a gorgeous finish, but having the powder on first really locked that finish in place for hours. Powdering after always makes me look too dry so I don't like to do it, but if I don't, my foundation does move throughout the day. This was just the answer, a beautiful finish that lasted all day.


I documented the whole process of what products I used and the exact technique I used I also took pictures immediately after applying the foundation and hours later to see how it lasted. 

The pictures above are my skin right after applying (you can see I'm a little skeptical by my expression), and then hours later with a full face of makeup, and the foundation still looks flawless.

Products Used

I did not use exactly the same products he used, but I used almost exact duplicates with products I own and know I like
First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Face Cream, which I raved about in my Products I've Hit Pan On/Empty Products #1
tarte Clean Slate 12-hr Brightening Primer
Benefit Cosmetics 'That Gal' Brightening Face Primer
Clinique Blended Face Powder
MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation, which I mentioned in My Favorite Foundations

Technique

I followed (almost along with the video) step by step exactly what he tells you to do
1) Moisturize your face well and give it a minute to absorb. First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Face Cream
2) Apply a skin primer all over your face. tarte Clean Slate 12-hr Brightening Primer
3) Top that skin primer with a brightening, particularly a light reflecting primer. Benefit Cosmetics 'That Gal' Brightening Face Primer
4) Use any powder brush you have and buff a loose powder all over your face into that primer and wait another minute. Clinique Blended Face Powder
5)  Use your fingers or a foundation brush if you want to (I used my fingers like he does in the video) and apply the liquid foundation.

The foundation will start to almost mix with the powder you just applied to create an extremely velvety smooth texture. It looks and feels a little dusty and dry at first, but after a couple minutes it will set and become a slightly luminous, truly velvety and smooth finish.

Tips

*It NEEDS to be a loose powder. If you have more oily skin, a pressed powder might be alright, but I would say for most skins it definitely needs to be a loose powder or you will apply too much, it will get too dry, and the foundation will end up looking cakey.

Look of the Day: Monochomatic Marsala

Pantone named Marsala as the 2015 Color of the Year. Last month just after they announced it, I wrote about how excited I was for this unusual color. You can read it here. I also mentioned how it's not a color I play with very often, but wanted to. Well, I have been playing with it, and really liking it lately. Other than bronze and copper shades on my eyes, I usually stick to cool tones, so this was kind of new for me. I have wanted to experiment with more warm tones, and Marsala was an excellent gateway. I love this look, and it will be flattering on all skin tones. I also mentioned earlier this week how I am currently obsessed with Metallic Eyes, and they worked great as part of this look. I went with a monochromatic look, using a Marsala shade on eyes, cheeks, and lips, and I loved how it turned out. I will list the products I used below. What I did was actually pretty simple, but I loved the way it turned out. This look manages to be understated yet bold at the same time. It's very simple, but it looks so polished and it's quick and easy to do. I am usually uncomfortable in monochromatic looks and think they can end up looking kind of plain, but I felt great in this, and thought it looked far from boring.

Face:

I buffed tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation all over my face
I concealed and highlighted with NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
then I set that concealer with a combination of the light shades from the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit 
then I contoured under my cheekbone, around the forehead and the sides of my nose with Benefit Cosmetics Hoola
I applied BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Rose Gold to my cheeks above the Hoola
then highlighted above that with my favorite highlighter ever, theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighting Powder
and filled in my brows with Hourlgass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil

Eyes:

I patted Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer all over my lid from lashline to brow
then I buffed MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Shadow in M650 Cookie into the crease as a transition shade
I packed Sephora Collection Colorful Eyeshadow in No.79-Indian Summer all over the lid with a wet brush for extra dimension
then put MAC Texture Eyeshadow in the crease
and Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Snakebite
on the outer corner in a V shape
I lined my upper and lower lashline with Marc Jacobs Highlighner Gel Eye Crayon in Brown(out) 54, creating a wing on the top lashes, and being relatively messy on the lower line because I am going to buff it out with shadow
then buffed out the lower line with a pencil brush and more MAC Texture Eyeshadow
and finished with several coats of Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara on the top and bottom lashes

Lips:

I did not use anything on my lips other than OCC Stained Gloss in Nomad
I love this color!!

Current Obsession: Metallic Eyes

I feel like metallic eyes are big right now. Not only are they trendy and every brand is coming out with metallic shadows, but I really like them. I have noticed that they are everywhere from the red carpet to YouTube. Lots of brands now have very high-shine, foiled finish eyeshadows which make getting a mirror like metallic eye look super easy. The best part is, you can wet your brush and get and even higher shine finish. You can manipulate how foiled of a finish you get by how you apply them, which makes them not only versatile, but super fun to play around with. Below are some of my favorites, the best metallic shadows from drugstore to high-end, in my humble opinion.

MILANI Fierce Foil Eye Shine

These are super, super shiny, and also super affordable. They come in quads (4 shadows to a compact) for $9.99 from the drugstore. The only downside is that there are only 4 color options. Granted, the math comes out to a total of 16 shadows, but only 4 combinations, a neutral set, a purple set, a rosy set, and a blue set. The formula of these is nice, especially for a drugstore eyeshadow. It is very smooth and blendable, unlike a lot of drugstore shadows which can be chunky or chalky.They have a very wet look to the finish, even when applied dry. This glossy finish does mean that they don't have the greatest staying power, but still pretty good for one of the cheaper drugstore products. Also, priming your eyes will make them last even longer, so be sure to do so or they will crease quickly.

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow

Urban Decay's eyeshadows are great, we all know that. And they do already have some shimmer and metallic shades in their VERY wide shade range of eyeshadows. I mentioned one of my favorite shimmer shades, Roach, in my November Favorites. These Moondust shadows are a new line of shades that they added to their range. They claim these are their "most sparkly" shades yet, and once you swatch them, you know they are right. They have the most intense, micro fine metallic sparkle that is so fine, it almost feels like a cream when you apply it. They are so smooth, blendable, buildable, and super pigmented. If you like metallic shadows, but don't like how some of them can be chunky, this is your shadow. Like most metallic shadows, they can be applied wet for an even more intense finish, and can be packed on with your finger for a very opaque finish. They come in 7 shades, which include neutrals, pastels, and bold tones. They are $20 a piece, but are so pigmented that I'm pretty sure they will last forever.

Makeup Geek Foiled Eyeshadow

Makeup Geek's eyeshadows have been huge lately. It seems like everyone on YouTube, and therefore almost every makeup junkie everywhere, has tried and loved them. They come in a wide range of shades, and the formula is buttery smooth perfection. I also like that they come in pans without packaging. I depot all my shadows and put them in pallets anyways, so not having to pay for extra packaging that I just throw out anyway is great. If you haven't started depotting yet, Makeup Geek does sell her own magnetic pallets too. Her latest addition to her eyeshadow line are her Foiled formula. She released ten shades, in a range of neutrals and bolds, and these are pigmented to perfection. Again, you can manipulate the formula depending on how you apply them, and they are very smooth and blendable. They have a glossy finish and great staying power. I also like that the shades are similar to other shades she makes, so you can mix them and matte them out a bit if you wanted to.

Anastasia Eye Shadow Singles

Anastasia is a very well know, very well loved brand, and the queen of eyebrows. They recently added eyeshadows to their makeup line, and they are gorgeous. They released a whopping 69 shades, including 13 metallic shades. All of the shades are pretty, but these metallics are beautiful. They have such finely milled shine in them that creates the most dramatic, extreme mirror shine finish, which can be amped up even more with a wet brush. They are so shiny and so pigmented, that just one swipe of a swatch on your finger and you can see how pigmented it is from an arms length away (or further if that was possible). These also are sold as individual pans with no plastic packaging, and are $12 a pan. The shades themselves are gorgeous, and the shade range is amazing.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Shadow

I am in love with these shadows. They come in over 200 colors, about a quarter of which are metallic, and the shade range is beyond amazing! With that many shades I would expect there to be a lot of really similar colors, but these come in literally almost every shade imaginable, including some incredible brights. They also come in individual pans, are super blendable, and the pans they come in are huge. They are $21 a pan, but these pans are by far the largest. Online Sephora gives you the option to create your own palette, and when you do you actually get a discount for buying more than one which is extra great because with this amazing shade range, you are going to want more several. The metallics are beautiful. They are not as mirror-finish, high shine as some of the others listed, but are still very smooth and come in WAY more shades than any others.

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow 

These are one of the best drugstore eyeshadows out there, metallic or not. However, they are very metallic. The formula is similar to a MAC Pressed Pigment, and is not the smoothest of shadows in this list, but it is still blendable, and one of the most foiled, shiny finishes of all when applied wet. They come in 18 very diverse shades and are only $7.99 each. My favorite part about these shadows is how manipulable they are. If you apply them dry with a fluffy brush, they have a lightly metallic, shimmery finish, but if you apply them with a flat, dense, wet brush, they go on very pigmented and high-shine. They also look nice when packed on directly with your finger. I included and swatched the Glistening Garnet shade, a rich cranberry, in a previous Drugstore Dash/Haul, and I'm still loving them. Considering the price, the formula, and the shade range, these are the metallic shadow I would recommend to someone starting out or nervous about playing with metallics at first.

stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow

These are the only on the list that are truly a cream formula. They are also the highest shine formula on the list. I love how buildable these are. You can really keep layering them on to build up a high-impact color and extremely glossy finish. They come in 15 shades, with a terrific range of neutrals and a few good bold shades.They also come with a mini eyelid primer, which helps the color go on even smoother, bolder, and shinier than it already does. It really helps the color stay smooth and bold without fading or creasing. I also like to dip a brush in the primer and mix it into the cream, then pack it onto my lids. If you apply it dry and without the primer, it is has a beautiful sheer shimmer finish, but if you do the mixing and packing like I described, it has an intense, opaque mirror finish.

NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow

NARS revamped and released a number of new products recently, including these metallic eyeshadows. They had a lot of shimmers previously, but these are smooth metallics, not glittery shimmers. They call them "Dual-Intensity" because of the two finished you can achieve when applied dry versus wet (much like most of the others, but this one tells you so in the name). These are very rich colors, which pride themselves on being long-lasting, and that they definitely are. In fact, the formula is so stay-put, that they can be difficult to blend at times. Most of the others listed are very buffable, which is part of what I love about them, but this one is definitely the least buffable and blendable. That very thick, stuck in place formula means that if you do want to pack on very intense color that is not going to move, this is your formula. However, if you want to be able to blend multiple shades, or to buff out any harsh edges, this is probably not your favorite formula. At $29 each, I would hope to love the formula more, and there are definitely people out there who will, it just isn't always what I'm looking for. They come in 12 mostly neutral shades, with a few bolder colors like a plum, cobalt and green.

December Favorites

 

Lime Crime Velvetines in Wicked

Apparently everyone is loving these because most colors are sold out. However, you can get them online at Urban Outfitters, and a Google search usually shows a few more options for purchasing. Their Instagram also said they'd be restocking soon. The reason everyone is loving these, and why these babies are perfect for the holiday/party season, is because they DO NOT come off!! These take the term "stain" to a whole new dimension. You can talk, eat, drink, for hours, and it seriously looks like you just applied it. In fact, at the end of the night when you actually do want them to come off, you will need to use an oil or makeup remover because that is seriously the only thing that will remove them. On top of staying power beyond belief, they are actually also comfortable to wear, and feel relatively creamy and non-drying, like a lot of stains can be.

boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil

I love beauty oils. I mentioned another one by Fresh in my Winter Skin Savers, but I have to say I am now liking this one better. Both are great, and if your skin isn't super parched like mine, you may like the Fresh one better, but for those of us who's faces turn into deserts in the winter, this one is amazing. I like to use it at night, after I cleanse my face and before I moisturize. I don't really rub it in, but press it into my skin all over my face, give it a minute and then moisturize over it. Regardless of what moisturizer I use, my face is 5 times softer when I use this than if I just use moisturizer alone.

Real Techniques Setting Brush

Setting my under-eye concealer is an absolute must for me. I get creased concealer very quickly if I don't set it with some powder, and this brush is magic for doing so. It's tiny, so you can really get close into your inner corner without stabbing yourself in the eye, and the pointed tip makes it even easier. I also like that is more flat than round, so you can pack the powder on and press it into the concealer, instead of sweeping it on top and risking removing all the concealer you just blended so carefully. It's also really soft, and really cheap, a win win. I will be doing a foundation and concealer routine soon, and I'll go into more depth about how I do this and what products I use.

theBalm 'INSTAIN' Staining Powder Blush in Houndstooth

I really like these blushes by theBalm. The formula is so soft and creamy feeling, even though they are powders, and holy crap are they pigmented!! They come in a number of shades, all equally pretty, but I am loving this color for winter. It is a deeper, mauve like color with the most subtle hint of shimmer, but just in a naturally glowy way, not in the "holy cow she has glitter on her face" way. This shade is a gorgeous way to liven up a winter complexion. Now that I am in love with this formula (and they will last forever because a very, very little goes a long way) I will definitely be trying the pinks and peaches come spring. 

MAC Cremesheen+Peal Lipstick in Peach Blossom

During the holidays, I found myself wearing a lot of bold eye looks, which meant I also found myself wearing a lot of subtle/nude lips. I am so fair that sometimes a nude lip makes me look like I am back from the dead, or just dead, but this shade has a nice peachy undertone to it, which is still nice and nude, but still gives me life. I love the Cremesheen formulas, and even though this one is called Pearl, it is not what you think of when you hear "pearl" with lipstick. It has a very, very subtle shimmer to it, but nothing metallic or frosty, or even anything that I would call "pearl" really, which in my mind is a good thing. Just a hint of shimmer, and a very buttery, creamy, feels so good formula. 

SheaMoisture Olive & Green Tea Body Scrub

I can't exfoliate enough in the winter. And for some reason (maybe I'm just picky?) I have trouble finding a body exfoliant I really like. They are either too fine and don't slough off enough, leave you really dry after, or smell terrible. This has none of those issues. It is coarse enough that it really gets rid of the rough patches and reveals smoother skin, and it also leaves a soft moisturizing layer that feels like a body oil. Even after you get out of the shower and dry off, you feel like you applied a light layer of body oil to moisturize that fresh new skin. It also has a subtle scent, but a scent that is actually good. It doesn't smell like straight up olive oil, but it does smell fresh, crisp and clean, but warm at the same time. it's actually a very comforting smell, which goes well with the comforting feeling it leaves on your skin.

Hourglass No28 Primer Serum

I try a lot of primers, and don't always think that they make any difference. In the winter though, I will take any extra smoothing I can get to keep my foundation from sticking to my dry patches. This primer does actually make a noticeable difference in the way my foundation applies, and how it lasts throughout the day. I press it into my skin, all over my face, after moisturizer and before foundation, and I do notice that my foundation goes on much smoother. It's like this creates a perfectly silky surface for your foundation to just glide on top of, no clinging to dry patches, no settling in lines, just smooth, flawless foundation. I do also notice that it keeps my foundation that way throughout the day. Sometimes without it I notice dry patches poking through my foundation as the day goes on, but this stays silky and flawless, without increasing shine, through a full day.

Holiday Glam: Red Lips

The Holiday Season is upon us, and one of my favorite looks for this time of year is a classic red lip. There is nothing more festive than a bright red lip look. I love red lipstick for two reasons. First, there is a shade, undertone, and pigmentation for everyone. No matter who you are, there IS a red lip that is going to look fabulous and flatter you. Second, the red lip look is so versatile. It can easily go from timeless and classic, to edgy and daring, to sultry and sexy depending on what you do with the rest of your makeup. My two favorites are to pair it with a neutral charcoal smokey eye for a very classic, sexy look, or to pair it with very little eye makeup for a more funky, high-fashion look. Here are some of the best (my favorite) formulas and shades for a festive red lip. Between all of them, there is something for everyone! Hopefully my reviews and swatches will help you choose.

L-R above = top to bottom below

L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in Ravishing Red

This is a very "classic" red. It has a blue base, which means it is more cool-toned. This very traditional red will work on most skin tones, with the exception of those who are more olive toned. The formula is nice, but honestly nothing out of the ordinary in either a good or bad way, just nice. It goes on smoothly, and feels relatively creamy. It lasts relatively well, especially considering how comfortable it is to wear.

Maybelline Super Stay 14 Hour Lipstick in Ravishing Rouge

This is another more cool-toned red, but it is a little deeper than the L'Oreal. Still a very classic color, and this formula is super pigmented. Like a lot of long lasting colors, this will stay on for hours, but that comes at the cost of moisture. It is a little dry and get kind of uncomfortable. It is also rather matte. If you want matte, it's great. If you are not looking for a matte finish, I might recommend a balm or clear gloss over this to make it a little more comfortable.

 

NYX Cosmetics Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie

I mentioned these NYX Butter Glosses in my Purple Lips post, and like most beauty junkies, I am still obsessed with them. So creamy and pigmented, and not sticky at all, every woman's dream gloss! Oh, and they smell fantastic! This is definitely more sheer than any of the lipsticks in this post, so if you are nervous about trying a bright red, or want a more subtle look, this is a great place to start.

stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Tesoro

I love this formula. stila definitely named them appropriately when they called them Stay All Day. These are hard to remove even when you want them to. I am amazed every time I wear this how infrequently I have to reapply. I also love that they are super pigmented, and unlike a lot of long lasting stain lip products, they are actually rather creamy, and do not feel drying on your lips. This shade has a definite yellow base, and is more of an orange-toned red. A lot of people think they can't wear orange tones, but they are actually flattering on very fair and very dark tones, and are great on those olive tones who may not like blue-based reds on themselves.

 

CLINIQUE High Impact Lip Colour in Red-y to Wear

This formula is so buttery and creamy, it feels luxurious when you put it on. It is not as long lasting as some of the others, but it won't disappear either. This is a very neutral-based red, which means it has both blue and yellow undertones, and will therefore be flattering on pretty much everyone. The creamy formula also means that it can be applied very sheer or very pigmented depending on how you apply it and how much you apply. This is the both the most versatile formula and shade of red in the bunch. If you only want one, or aren't sure what you like best, this might be your best buy.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red

Um, I cannot express how perfectly named this stain is. It is definitely a stain, and the name has the word "Always" in it, which might just be irony, but is accurate. This stuff stained for my arm for hours after swatching it, even after rubbing with multiple makeup removers and soap. This will last you through hours and hours of eating, drinking, talking, whatever, and it WILL NOT move or fade. The word "cream" in the name is also accurate, because it does feel creamy when you apply it, remarkably so considering how long it lasts. This is a very neutral based red too, which means it will look good on almost everyone, but it cannot be sheered out as easily as the CLINIQUE. If you want a universally flattering red that is pigmented and will last forever, this is it!

URBAN DECAY Revolution Lipstick in F-Bomb

I love this formula, and own a few of them. They feel and apply so completely smooth and soft, but they won't bleed or fade quickly like a lot of creamy formulas do. This is another neutral shade, but it is also a bit deeper than some of the others. I would call this hue "deep", while I would call some of the others more on the "bright" side, like the L'Oreal or SEPHORA. The deeper shade makes it a little more sultry in my mind. I absolutely love this color and formula. A lot of deeper-hued reds can look even deeper once I apply them to my fair skin, but this one manages to be slightly deep, but stay bright at the same time, if that makes any sense??

BITE BEAUTY High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranite

Ok, I know, I mention BITE BEAUTY in every lip post I do, but their products are all amazing. They are probably my favorite lip brand overall. These pencils are super pigmented, and have a slightly glossy finish. They are not as long lasting as the Matte Cream Lip Crayons, which I also mentioned in my Purple Lips post, but still don't need constant reapplying. I also like that they are twist up pencils, so you do not need to carry a sharpener in your purse or worry about them getting dull and not being able to apply them precisely. This is definitely the deepest shade of the bunch.

2015 Color of the Year

One of my favorite moments of every year is when Sephora and Pantone Universe announce the Color of the Year. They just announced the 2015 color of the year, and it is Marsala. I would describe this color as a slightly muted, very rich, reddish-brown. I am really excited to play with this color. It has a terrific mix of warm and cool tones to it, so I think it will be very flattering on any and every skintone. I was especially inspired by the picture above, with the matte lips and metallic eyes, two trends I have been really liking lately. It also immediately reminded me of three products I've been really liking, the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Spice Age I mentioned in my November Favorites, the Make Up Forever Artist Shadow in 608 I mentioned in my Fall Smokey Eye Tutorial, and the Gerard Cosmetics Lipstick in 1995 by Jaclyn Hill I mentioned in my October Favorites. I realized that apparently I've been liking this color lately, but I also realized that other than these three products, I don't really own too many products in this color. I am super excited to play with this color, but first I will need to get more of it! I will definitely do a Marsala Haul once I get a few more products in this color and I will share some of my looks as inspiration strikes me.
Like I said, this color will look good on every skintone. It is also a great color for everyone to experiment with, not matter how much or little color you like on yourself, because it can be used in a variety of very subtle to very pigmented products and looks. My favorite thing about 2015's Color of the Year though, is that is is great on every feature. Some of the colors of years past, such as 2013's Emerald, were only good on certain features like nails and eyes (I don't really see many people wanting to try Emerald cheeks or lips for example). 2014's Radiant Orchid was also good for nails, cheeks, lips, eyes, etc., but I can see Marsala being even more universal. Clearly I am excited about this color. Sephora's collaboration collection with Pantone will be out in January, and for the meantime, they have already lined up a list of products in Marsala to get you introduced. What do you guys think? Do you like this color? Do you plan to try it? On a side note, this color instantly made me think of a specific color everyone has been obsessed with recently, Kylie Jenner's lips, and I can't help but thinking that they may have inspired 2015's color of the year. This muted, yet still potentially bold shade definitely also reminds me of that 90's Supermodel look (which can be compared to Kylie's lips too), which I love. I am very excited to play with it, and to see what everyone else creates with it!

Winter Skin Savers

Winter is here. That's a fact. And that means colder, drier weather, which also means, drier, parched skin. I honestly have a different skincare routine for every season, it changes with the weather because skin changes with its environment. I talked about my Favorite Fall Skincare back in September, and this collection is my favorite winter skincare. I am pretty dry to begin with, but in the winter months, I just CANNOT get enough hydration and moisture into my skin. Drinking plenty of water definitely helps, but these products give me the much needed moisture boost required in winter.

Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil

Beauty oils have been all the rage in the last year or so since Josie Maran introduced us to Argan Oil. I have tried a number of them, and this is my all around favorite, especially as my already dry skin gets drier in the winter. I like to put this on at night, after I wash my face, and before my moisturizer. Oil is actually meant to be applied by pressing it into the skin, not rubbing it like you would naturally do. I put a few drops in my fingertips and press them all over my face so that it really gets absorbed. Regardless of which moisturizer I use over it, my skin always feel softer and smoother in the morning if this was underneath it.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

I love everything First Aid Beauty makes, and so does my sensitive skin. I talked about how much I love their 5 in 1 Face Cream in my Products I've Hit Pan On earlier, and I still love that as my daytime moisturizer, especially because it has SPF in it. This stuff is similar, but with even more amped up moisture. This is great for nighttime or daytime, and can be used not just on your face, but hands, elbows, anywhere you are experiencing dry patches. It is so thick and creamy, it feels so luxurious when you put it on, and it really works to cure those dry, flaky patches (which no one wants to apply makeup over).

PHILOSOPHY Hope In a Jar Night

Hope in a Jar has been a cult favorite for years. I do like it, but I never found it moisturizing enough for my dry skin. I was intrigued to try a product with Alpha Hydroxy as I had always heard what a great moisturizer it is, but I was scared to put it on my sensitive skin. After a lot of research, I decided to give this formula a try, and I fell in love! Instantly. This is one thick night cream, and when you wash your face in the morning, you have seriously never felt silkier, smoother skin. You won't be able to stop touching your face because it will be unbelievably soft. It also causes absolutely no irritation to my skin, which most things bother. My favorite nighttime combination is the Fresh Seaberry Oil under this, and in the morning, oh my god...amazing. The only thing I would change about it is the smell. It is pretty subtle, but what is there smells kind of chemical-ish.

Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream

I mentioned how much I love the C.O. Bigelow Chapped Hand Remedy in my Favorite Fall Skincare, and I still use that one this time of year, but Hand Food is definitely my winter staple. It is so thick, so silky, sooooo hydrating, and yet doesn't feel sticky or greasy. Your hands just feel instantly soft and restored. My hands get super flaky in the winter, and this keeps them from practically peeling. It actually keeps them really, really soft. I keep one everywhere, on my desk, my end table, in my purse, everywhere and just keep applying. The scent is also really nice and refreshing. It is the Soap and Glory Signature Pink scent, which a lot of people love. It's not very strong, and it's just crisp and clean. They also have a great holiday set of three mini bottles, one in the Original Pink scent, one in Fruitigo, a slightly tropical scent, and one in Sugar Crush, a warm, sweet, but not bakery smelling scent.

boscia Tsubaki Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask

In my Favorite Fall Skincare I also mentioned the Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask, which is still great, but like I said, the more moisture the better in the winter. This one has Tsubaki Oil in it, which is another beauty oil, and very moisturizing. This one feels only slightly creamier than the Clinique, which feels more like a gel, when you apply it, but I find that it is definitely more moisturizing. You use it the same way, apply a thick layer before bed (which you can do over your beauty oil, and I like to) and let it soak in overnight while you sleep. It sounds weird, but it really doesn't get all over the place and your pillow. I'm not sure how, but it doesn't, it just leaves you with very hydrated skin in the morning. boscia actually released a whole line of Tsubaki oil products, including a cleansing oil-gel and a beauty oil. I really like both of those too, but this one was definitely my favorite of the three, and I am in love with sleeping masks in general.

Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream

Exfoliating is at least as important as moisturizing when skin is dry, if not more. Exfoliating is going to get rid of those dead, dry skin cells on the surface, and leave you with fresh, smoother skin to apply your other products to. I find a lot of exfoliating products can be really rough, which leave my skin really irritated, not to mention red. This one is a little finer grain, so it is more gentle, but still very effective. I have definitely also tried some where they are fine grain so they don't irritate my skin, but they don't really exfoliate much either. This one is a perfect balance of gentle and effective. It doesn't really have any scent either, just a minimal, clean scent, which I like in skincare. I don't like to feel like I'm rubbing perfume on my face. 

Korres Greek Yoghurt Moisturizing Face Cream

Greek Yogurt is not only yummy, it's a great moisturizer. It does kind of look like yogurt in the jar, but when you think about it, a lot of moisturizers in a jar look like that, you just aren't thinking about it because they don't contain it. This feels so creamy and rich, but is still light enough to use under makeup without your makeup sliding everywhere. This is definitely not a nighttime moisturizer, it's not quite thick enough for that, but I love this in the drier months as my daytime moisturizer. And yes, I usually have a couple day and night moisturizers in each season's rotation. It again has a nice, clean, crisp scent that isn't overpowering. I struggle sometimes with finding something moisturizing enough, but not greasy, and this is definitely a winner.

Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue Lip Balm

I am in love with this lip balm. I raved about the Soothing Sorbet flavor in my November Favorites, and I went and bought the non-tinted version now too. I always liked the original Baby Lips, but the Dr. Rescue line is amazing. I like medicated balms in the winter to really combat the dryness and prevent cracks. They also do a great, and fast, job of healing cracks that you still may get. However, some medicated ones bother my lips and make them almost burn. This does not, and it doesn't feel grainy like some medicated balms can. It also does not feel waxy, like some also can. It just feels super smooth and buttery and creamy and comforting. It also lasts forever. I put it on this morning and it lasted through two cups of coffee and then a few more hours before I even started to feel like I needed to reapply.

The Body Shop Chamomile Silky Cleansing Oil

So in my November Favorites I also mentioned that I love The Body Shop's Chamomile Cleansing Butter (go read why, it's amazing). And as you can probably tell, when I find a product I like, I stick to it. I just use the even more moisturizing product in that line for the winter. I use pretty much the same brands and lines all year round, I just use different levels of moisturization depending on the season. I LOVE cleansing oil. Washing your face with oil might sound like a contradiction, but it's not, it's amazing and it works for everyone! Oil combats oil, so even non-dry people can use this, and dry people will find it doesn't strip your face of the moisture you have like some cleansers can. This one smells so soothing, almost as soothing as it feels, and it's very gentle. It also does a really good job of breaking down makeup. Seriously, if you haven't tried a cleansing oil, go try one, you will love it!

The Body Shop Hemp Foot Protector

I know no one likes to talk about feel, especially about how they can get flaky and cracked in the winter. Eew. But hey, it happens. I find a lot of foot butters can be just plain greasy, especially if you want to use them during the day. You apply them in the morning and your feet just slip around inside your sock or shoe all day long. Not this one, this one actually absorbs, but it is also thick enough that it actually moisturizes. I feel like I have tried so many foot creams and they all either leave you slip sliding away, or don't really do anything, I can never find a happy medium, and then I found this. The smell is...unique. It's kind of strong, and really hard to describe, but I like it. Not everyone will, but they do make some that are similar with different scents.