Hashtag Not a Beauty Blogger #3 My Winter All Stars

Hi Friends,

I hope you’re all well and healthy. My situation during this most recent lockdown remains status quo. I mask up. I go to work. I obsessively wash my hands. I avoid touching my face. Lather, rinse, repeat. My big excursions out are to the grocery store, and my entertainment is cooking meal after meal. Not that I’m complaining! I'm sincerely grateful for the roof over our head and the food I'm able to provide. Keeping everything in perspective has been my best coping mechanism, especially during this bleak winter season.

In reaction to the darkness of the past two weeks I began making a mental list of all the body care and beauty products that I’ve been using and enjoying this winter, and how fun it would be to share it with you! I love reading other blogger's "Favorites" list and thought I'd jump on the bandwagon. File this under one of my favorite topics, Quality of Life. Or, Confessions of a Wannabe Beauty Blogger. Whatever. The muse hit and I went with it.

I have very dry skin that has a history of going off the rails during this time of year, so if you too have this issue, I hope you find my recommendations helpful!

First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA

8oz. for $28 at Sephora

Since I was a teenager, I have lived with tiny bumps on my arms, a skin condition called Keratosis Pilaris, or KP. My KP is year round, but it always gets worse in the winter months. I’ve tried literally every product under the sun to make it go away. First Aid Beauty’s KP Bump Eraser is literally the first product that has actually worked! I keep it in the shower and use it year round to scrub my arms. A little goes a long way. It has 10% glycolic and lactic acid, and pumice buffing beads that have kicked my KP to the curb!. Not only that, KP Bump Eraser is gentle and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. I’m not kidding when I say First Aid Beauty’s KP Bump Eraser and I are going to grow old together!

Skinfix Resurface AHA Renewing Cream

$45 for 10oz. at Sephora

Step two of my war on KP is this wonderful AHA body cream, Skinfix Resurface AHA Renewing Cream. I use this cream to moisturize my arms post shower. In the past month though, since the weather has been so dry, I’ve also been using it all over my body to prevent my shins and feet from chapping and cracking. It smooths out my bumpy skin and reduces the dreaded skin crepiness, a common malady when you reach a certain age. My one complaint is that this cream takes time to work into your skin. But I can say with authority the pros for using this cream far outweigh the one small con. I will definitely buy it again.

Kirkland Moisture Shampoo and Moisture Conditioner

About $15 each at Costco

I’ve been a member of Costco for over 30 years. Historically shopping at Costco was always on an “as needed” basis. I shopped, armed with imaginary blinders and a strict list of sanctioned purchases. But the pandemic has changed my mindset about Costco. It now provides me the opportunity to shop for items in bulk or multiples, and reduces my need to visit other grocery stores as often as I did pre pandemic. In researching good values at Costco, I came across several articles on what companies secretly manufacture Kirkland products. Although never confirmed by Costco, I read in several articles that Kirkland's moisturizing shampoo and conditioner are actually made by Pureology, a very expensive professional brand. Given that the price was right, I bought both. The verdict? I LOVE them! My hair is shiny and my annoying halo of frizz is gone! A new household staple!

Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil.

$24 at Ulta

No one tells you this, but as you age your brows start to, um, well...bald. Fun, right? To add insult to injury, the only part of my face that is not covered by a mask are my eyes which makes it extra noticeable. Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil is like the Fountain of Youth! It's skinny, not too soft, and is easy to use with a pencil on one end and a spoolie on the other. I also like that it comes in discreet shades that are actually colors found in nature. I can fill in the gaps, subtly reshape my brows, and no one need be the wiser.

O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream

$5.99 3oz at Drugstores

I found this cream about a year ago on a clearance shelf at Marshalls. Dry hands have plagued me for years and I am always on the hunt for a good remedy. I bought one small tube, brought it home, used it, and within 24 hours drove back to Marshalls and bought every remaining tube they had. When the pandemic hit and we all started washing our hands a multiple times a day, O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream was put to the test, and passed with flying colors! I have gone through at least 10 more tubes. Working Hands cream is unscented and non greasy. My love for it knows no depth. This is by far my most recommended product of the year. Run to the drugstore and buy some NOW!

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer Mineral SPF 47

$34 4oz at Sephora

While we’re on the subject of products I discovered on clearance at Marshalls is Josie Maran’s Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47. I have long been a fan of cold pressed argan oil for my face and body. I was once given a deluxe sample of Josie Maran’s argan oil and remember loving it. Finding this Josie Maran Daily Moisturizer at Marshalls, at a low price to boot, made it worth snapping up simply on spec. And I’m glad I did. Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47 is rich, best for those of you who, like me, have very dry skin. It has a mineral sunscreen of SPF 47 that at first application has a faint white cast that disappears as it gets worked into the skin. Once on, it provides a wonderful barrier between your face and the elements. I wear it alone or under makeup. I imagine that come May this cream might be too rich, but it's perfect for now!

Benefit Dandelion Blush

$17 at Ulta

Ok, I know we're in a pandemic, but I still enjoy wearing makeup. I find it relaxing. For me, the main goal of wearing face makeup is to even out my complexion and cancel out the red. I then add back a little color. Not a lot, just enough to give my face some life. I’ve been on a low key hunt for a blush that was natural looking and not too pink. Just enough without being too much. Benefit Dandelion blush is perfect for my winter pale skin. It’s described as pale pink, but I call it light sunburn. The undertone is neutral and the slight sheen flattering. As the weather warms up, and my pandemic pallor lessens, I anticipate this shade may be too light. But for now, I’m happy!

Colorpop Going Coconuts eye shadow compact

$12 at Ulta

I remember buying a medium brown-y gray eyeshadow when I was in high school and wearing that one shadow for years until there was literally nothing left. It was that perfect one-and-done cool brown eyeshadow that always looked good. Not super frosty, not super flat. The perfect sheen. As these things go, when I went to replace it, the color had long since been discontinued. I was devastated. Fast forward to Mother's Day 2020. My son and his sweet girlfriend, who is makeup savvy and very observant, gifted me with Colorpop's Going Coconuts eyeshadow palate, an assortment of cool toned brown shades. It had been on my radar, but at that time, I wasn't making frivolous purchases. None of the colors are exact dupes for my beloved lost eyeshadow. But let me tell you what, the vibe is spot on. And the quality is fantastic! If I never bought another eyeshadow palate again, I'd be fine.

So there you go!

I hope you enjoyed my list. Let me know in the comments below if you've got some good stuff to add! I'm always looking for effective skin and body care. I'm currently on the hunt for a moisturizing face mask and welcome any and all recommendations!