My Top 10 Winter Essentials
I totally wanted to do a video on my top 10 winter essentials as a follow-up to my summer faves video here. But the iMovie program on my Macbook is not working for some reason and I can’t figure it out.
Soooo, here’s a blog post on them instead…
Fruit of the Earth Vitamin E Oil is something I use almost every night along with some aloe vera gel to thin it. It moisturizes my skin in this dry weather and helps to heal scars and acne.
There’s also another reason why I have not moved my butt to get a video camera to replace my faulty Macbook — my skin is not in great condition and as a beauty blogger, I feel embarrassed to have problematic skin at the moment. One of my resolutions this year (and the year is almost over!) is to be more authentic and I’ll be honest why I’m suffering from pimple breakouts: I came off birth control pills at the end of June and the transition has been a bit rocky emotionally and physically. I took the pill for six years and my mother would be so upset if she read this (but mum, if you are reading this, take it as good news that I’ve finally stopped) because she is very against pouring artificial hormones into the body.
For those who have not been through this experience, let me tell you that it is no less than awful. My emotions are better because I don’t have so much estrogen in my body but I feel flat because my body is not used to having that large amount, too. Skin-wise, it has been sucky — I’m breaking out like a teenager and it makes me feel depressed.
But I know it is temporary and I’m trying the best I can to help my body heal. Let’s go back to my winter love list.
Raffine Solid Cleansing Oil is another staple — the orangey, grapefruity scent is always a lovely thing to smell at the end of the day and it cleanses very well. I’m a big fan of other brands too but this one takes off makeup in a jiffy without using a single piece of cotton pad.
As mentioned, my skin is quite sensitive right now so the Yuskin S-series body cream is a godsend.
I like smelling good so I layer this Korres body lotion, called Japanese Rose, on top of the Yuskin one. Yum…It’s a light floral that strangely doesn’t smell like rose at all. I’m picky about floral scents in body products so I was delighted to find this to be very classy and light.
Keepin’ my lips from being chapped is the ever-so-creamy Yuskin Lip Cream that has perilla leaf (or shiso in Japanese) essence in it which is anti-inflammatory.
To pamper myself after a long day or a hard run, I soak myself in these Kikiyu bath salts.
Oshima’s Tsubaki Oil is such a haircare classic and it’s no wonder why it is. Just a teesy bit on wet hair will make my tresses shiny and soft after blow-drying.
When colder weather rolls around, I ditch my fruity florals for warmer scents that have amber, musk, or sandalwood. This perfume, L by Lolita Lempicka, is a staple for me now. The powdery scent is like a hug in chilly air.
Under my moisturizer, I like to amp things up a bit by using Mandom Barrier Repair Concentrate Serum. I don’t want to use creamy moisturizers now because of my “delicate” condition, so I figured layering the skin with thin liquidy moisturizers would work better than a pore-clogging cream-based one.
Before I slather on liquid foundation, I would put a thin layer of Paul & Joe’s foundation primer to prevent fine lines from showing up when I smile.
So there you have it — my top ten essentials for this cold, dry season.
What’s a must-have in your cosmetics case this winter?
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Hello YM!!
Can you please do a through review on Raffine Solid Cleansing Oil if you haven’t? Am very very very intrigued by a solid cleansing oil concept. Thank you!
I’m terribly slow in updating my blogroll, but you are up now!! Thank you for always entertaining me with your posts =D
Hey Blair, thanks for the idea on Raffine Solid Cleansing Oil. I actually did a video demo on it but perhaps photos could provide close up pix
Thank you sooooo much for putting me on your blogroll. I’m a subscriber of yours and I’ve put a link back to you on my blog, too. And always appreciate your comments and feedback, girl!
Hi,
I suspect that not only will your skin be back to fabulous real soon, but it will be better than ever when it isn’t having to deal with those artificial hormones !
Thanks for the fun of your Winter Essentials List .I haven’t tried Yuskin Lip Cream ,which sounds tempting, but I recently did discover Paw Paw Ointment by Pure Nutrachemicals (contains no petrochemicals) and it is wonderful .Without it ,my lips are so dry and chapped all year round that they sometimes bleed ,but ,with it, they are totally transformed .You can use it to heal cuts also .
Feel better fast !
Hi Kim, thanks for the encouragement. Trying not to feel too bothered by breakouts because it’s all part and parcel of being a woman (getting off the pill). I have heard of paw paw being used in beauty products and now you’ve got my curiosity piqued.
Hello,
I came across your blog through random surfing, and I really enjoy your posts! I came to Japan to work since last August, and I feel you regarding skin troubles due to seasonal changes! I’m also using the Mandom Barrier Repair Concentrate Serum, a NECESSITY which I found in Family Mart when my skin was cracking last winter! I love it lots; it worked well with Hada Labo lotion & Clinique Moisture Surge, and retained the moisture in my skin very well. Plus my slightly-sensitive skin didnt react to it. I’m usually skeptical about drugstore products, but this has proved me wrong.
Question: I can’t find the Oshima’s Tsubaki Oil anywhere. Maybe it’s because of the area I live in (Tottori Prefecture)?
@Ru: You can find Oshima’s Tsubaki Oil from online stores like Rakuten.