I love winter, when it comes to the holidays. But there’s something so bleak and dreary about the start of the new year.
What’s the best way to beat the winter blues? Establishing new goals, sipping on hot toddies, and curling up with a good book.
A little bit of retail therapy doesn’t hurt, either. Here are 15 items that are helping me stay warm and stylish and keeping myself healthy inside and out.
BOMBAS MERINO SOCKS
$102 for 8 pairs
I love it when a company does good while making good products. Bombas is one of those companies.
These wool socks (expensive, yes, but hear me out) are perfect for winter. They’re so warm, but also breathable (read – no stinky shoes). And I love that for every pair bought, another pair is donated to a homeless shelter.
J.CREW STADIUM PARKA
$365
It’s taken me a little while to find the perfect winter coat – but this one is it. Most puffers (I tried this one) were too warm. Long wool-blend dusters left me feeling cold.
But J.Crew’s chateau parka is just right. It keeps me perfectly warm on the coldest of days, has plenty of pockets for me to stash other winter accessories and essentials, and manages to look elegant.
OVER-THE-KNEE BOOTS
price variable
In addition to a solid pair of snow boots, a weatherproofed pair of over-the-knee boots are essential for winter. And for life.
I practically live in the 50/50 boots from Stuart Weitzman (a splurge, to be sure), but wore the Sole Society Andie boots for years. These Blondo boots are another great option, with the look of the 50/50 boots at over half the cost.
I’ve always preferred earmuffs to hats, for the sole reason that they don’t mess up my hair.
Until I found this hat.
It’s softer than a kitten, not scratchy at all, and does not mess up one hair on your head.
I swear. It’s a magical winter hat.
And since it’s on final sale, I may have to purchase it in black as well.
And maybe a pair of these cozy cashmere socks as well. Because, hygge?
When the snow falls, out comes my most weather-resistant bag.
Dagne Dover’s Mini Tote is built to survive anything – blizzards, water bottle floods, the forthcoming Cold War.
And it doesn’t sacrifice style in the process.
I switch my belongings to this petite coated-canvas bag during the winter months, as the crossbody strap can slip over my winter layers with ease. I have the Mini Tote in classic black, but am tempted to add the blush beauty to my collection.
M-61 POWERGLOW PEEL
$28 for 10 treatments
I have to thank my friend Elena (a beauty publicist at ABMC) for getting me hooked on these pads. They. Are. The. Bomb.
Because they’re quite strong, I use them twice a week for a good chemical exfoliation. With a Sunday mask and a monthly facial, they’ve successfully kept my stubborn blackheads at bay.
When it comes to kimchi cauliflower rice or skin oil, Gwyneth knows her stuff.
The Goop skin oil has been a mainstay in my beauty routine since I tried it from her discovery set. It’s rich without being greasy, light AND hydrating, and just feels so good. I apply it every morning and night after my serum and before my moisturizer (which I’m equally obsessed with)
BLISS FABULOUS DRENCH ‘N’ QUENCH
$48
This moisturizer feels like an upgraded version of my old favorite, the Neutrogena Hydro-Boost.
It just drenches your skin in quick-absorbing moisture, and feels so good.
Like the Goop oil, I apply this every morning and night. And because it’s so light and great, I may make it a permanent fixture in my skincare routine.
This is the best lip balm ever. And I’m not exaggerating.
Between the cold air outside and the dry heat inside, my lips are perpetually chapped in the winter. And this is the only lip balm that keeps them hydrated.
And yes – it’s expensive. But a pot will last you a solid 5 months, even with obsessive reapplying.
LIVING PROOF NO FRIZZ NOURISHING OIL
$26
I’m trying to get over my blowout addiction and style my own hair at home.
Thanks to this oil, I’ve started to succeed.
Armed with it (applied on damp hair) and this hot air brush (the blowout novice’s best weapon), I’m finally able to give myself a sleek, smooth blowout. Without the $45 price tag.
This tumbler (and this water app) is how I drink my recommended 100 ounces of water a day.
It keeps my water cold. It has a straw (which endlessly amuses my son). It’s lightweight, as giant metal glasses go.
I don’t have much else to say…except thank you, TumTum.
DAILY HARVEST SMOOTHIES & SOUPS
start at $7.99/smoothie or soup
These prepped, frozen smoothies and soups are a game changer.
They’re also delicious, which helps.
Daily Harvest has achieved the impossible, and gotten me to eat my daily recommended fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Now if they could also fit a burrito in one of those cups…
ORANGE PILL BOX
$7.99
It’s pathetic that cute items are what get me to adopt healthy habits, but it’s true.
This orange pill case sits on my nightstand, ready to dispense the day’s vitamins every morning. With a full (cold!) TumTum, it’s gotten me to take my supplements every day, for two months straight.
I love it so much, I bought a second one for my travel kit.
I’m new to the essential oils game, and thieves oil was the first I started with.
And given that we’re in the midst of cold/flu season, it’s my most frequently used oil.
I diffuse the oil daily in my office and will add two drops to my water when I feel a cold coming on. It’s a great natural remedy, but always check with your doctor first.
Whether it’s a cold or a bad day, I swear by this hot toddy recipe.
In addition to lulling you to sleep, it’s filled with all kinds of cold-fighting ingredients – fresh lemon juice, raw honey, cloves, raw ginger.
I prefer sipping on one of them over my usual glass of wine in the winter, even when I feel perfectly fine.
What are your favorites to survive the cold months? Or are you one of those lucky folks in a warm climate? COMMENT below and let me know!
