I'm a Beauty Editor Who Moved to the Midwest—30 Winter-Proof Items I Love
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@kaitlyn_mclintockMost Wanted is a weekly series in which one editor, staffer, or influencer shares their top 30 must-haves or current wish-list items.
I'm from a small town in Northern Michigan, but up until this year, I spent four years living in L.A. and two years living in Austin, Texas. Not to state the obvious, but the climates of those three locations are drastically different. In L.A., I had balmy 70-degree days. In Austin, I had high heat and high humidity to contend with. Now, I'm dealing with below-freezing temperatures and lots of snow, wind, and ice. Like I said, it's different.
Even though I grew up here, it wasn't exactly easy to readjust to the climate. I dreaded it. Dark, cold days do a number on my mental and physical health—not to mention my skin and hair. For the former, I had to rework my daily routine, get fresh air, and engage in lots of self-care activities. For the latter, I had to rework my beauty routine, collect new products, and use them strategically. It took me a while, but I'm happy to announce that I have my cold-weather essentials on lock. Ahead, check out the 30 products that will see me through to spring.
This plumping gloss is made even better in a sheer icy blue shade. On the lips, it looks pretty much transparent, but I love the shine and volume it leaves behind.
You know the scent of crisp, winter air? Somehow, Ellis Brooklyn bottled it into a fragrance. Notes of juniper berries, bourbon, and cedarwood make this perfume smell both fresh and cozy. I can't stop spritzing it.
When it's 20 degrees outside, fluffy socks are a must.
I get a lot of redness in the winter, so I use this essence-moisturizer hybrid to help calm and soothe my skin. It uses hyaluronic acid, microalgae, and prickly pear flower to hydrate, smooth, and support the skin barrier.
This is one of my all-time favorite blush formulas. It's creamy, easy to blend, and helps me accentuate my unintential "cold girl" look.
This is a cozy yet sensual take on a classic vanilla fragrance that has notes of vanilla tincture, vanilla absolute, and sandalwood. It's one of those perfumes that draws people in and leaves them saying, "You smell so good."
Dry, static hair is a no-go. This in-shower hair gloss keeps my strands super smooth and shiny with hyaluronic acid and rice water.
This iconic eye treatment is so moisturizing, and it never fails to plump up fine lines caused by dryness.
I'll be wearing this long coat all through winter. It's long enough to keep me warm and it's easy to layer.
I love wearing red lipstick in the winter. This one is highly pigmented, moisturizing, and long-lasting, so I reach for it all the time.
This body serum is chock-full of vitamins and antioxidants to leave skin soft, nourished, and glowing.
I follow up the aforementioned body serum with this body lotion. It's a retinol alternative, meaning it benefits the skin like retinol without any dryness or irritation. My skin basically drinks it up.
When my skin gets really dry, I'll add this body butter into the mix. It's reach and creamy and turns my dull, dry skin into bright, glowing skin.
The air here is so dry. This no-mist humidifier helps fix that. Put it on your bedside table, and it'll keep moisture in your skin and hair while helping stop the spread of viruses. Cool, right?
This TikTok-viral powder makes the skin look airbrushed. It's perfect for pairing back shine and disguising texture and enlarged pores.
This bodywash smells incredible—like pear, lily, and palm leaves. It turns my shower into a sensorial experience.
Incorporate a sheet mask into your skincare routine once or twice a week and your skin will thank you. I love this variety pack. After I used the first one, my sister asked, and I quote, "Why does your skin look so good?"
My hands and cuticles look and feel so much better when I use this as my hand cream. There's nothing better for extreme dryness.
The brand's Healing Oil ($45) is a long-time favorite, but I've had my eye on this split-end serum for a while now. It uses protein and oil to seal up split ends and strengthen the hair cuticle.
I apply this every single night before bed and I wake up with soft, smooth lips. It's been my lips' saving grace this winter.
This moisturizing hair mask has lived in my shower for months. Now that it's winter and my hair especially parched, I use it basically every time I shampoo.
Dry hair means tangled hair. This silk pillowcase keeps my hair smooth and shiny even when I toss and turn.
A shower oil is a great way to simultaneously clean and moisturize dry skin. This iconic French formula works so well that sometimes I don't feel the need to apply body lotion afterwards.
I've been wearing this classic red nail polish nonstop.
I use this as an overnight mask to keep my skin smooth, plump, and moisturized. Apply it as the last step in your skincare routine and I promise you'll wake up with baby-soft skin.
Phlur is best known for its fragrances (which I love), but the brand's body washes deserve more credit. With notes of jasmine, green moss, and tangerine, this one brings a refreshing and revitalizing edge to my shower routine.
I've already waxed poetic about this sauna blanket, but it's even more useful in the winter. There's nothing better than slipping into this and warming up after a long, cold day spent outside. More than that, it promises to aid in detoxification, relaxation, and circulation.