10 Beauty Items to Get You Through the Winter!

It is cold out there and the cold temperatures along with the wind coupled with the dry heat indoors takes a toll on the skin and hair. During the winter months, we need don't need to spend a lot of extra time pampering ourselves if we use the right products to get us through the season. Think of this as your beauty guide to get you through the rest of winter.

I have been using a lot of products this winter that have been a great help. These are 10 beauty items that are helping me get through the winter.

1. bliss Fabulous Drench 'n' Quench - This is a really unique cream-to-water moisturizer that uses what is called transformative hydrozome technology that instantly drenches the skin in hydration. It does so with over 10,000 marine micro-droplets to give skin the immediate hydration which leaves skin plumped up and looking and feeling super healthy. Buy it for $38 at blissworld.com.

2. Caudalie Make-up Removing Cleansing Oil - This extra gentle oil cleanses the skin without stripping away natural moisture. The hydrating formula combines natural ingredients to soothe and hydrate the skin while it removes makeup, dirt and oil. I love how soft and hydrated my skin feels right after washing.  Buy it for $28 at caudalie.com and Sephora.

3. Dove Advanced Hair Series Serum-In-Oil - This unique serum-in-oil instantly rescues dry, damaged winter hair. Just three or four pumps into freshly washed hair provides a ton of smoothness with it's potent formula. My hair is left super soft and shiny while still staying manageable. I also like using one pump into my dry hair to manage flyaway's and static which seem to be out of control this time of year too. Buy it for $5.99 at your favorite drugstore or mass retailer like Target, Walgreens or drugstore.com.

4. CHANEL La Solution 10 de Chanel - Skin is super sensitive during the winter, so a cream like this one with only 10 ingredients is perfect. Created in collaboration with Dermatologist Dr. Amy Wechsler, this cream was created with just the ingredients that would comfort the skin but are known to have a specific purpose and skin benefit too. At the heart of the formula is Silver Needle Tea which is super soothing on the skin. It is also a powerful anti-oxidant so it helps to regulate skin's response to irritants and protect it against free radicals. I loving smoothing this on anytime my skin feels raw (which is often in the winter) and it is instantly calmed. Buy it for $80 at Nordstrom.

5. Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture - This rich, yet non-greasy, moisturizer is the ultimate for dry, dehydrated skin. It is clinically proven to lock in optimal moisture levels as it instantly soothes the skin. With a blend of collagen, shea butter, fruit and olive oils, skin is soft, smooth and instantly hydrated and plump. Buy it for $72 at murad.com, Nordstrom and Sephora.

6. MAKE UP FOR EVER Nourishing Primer - This primer adds a boost of hydration for extra dry skin. It does so while making skin more smooth and even while helping foundation hold better and longer. Buy it for $37 at Sephora.

7. SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 - This new intensive moisturizer is specifically formulated for really dry skin. It is made with the only proven ratio of natural lipids to help restore the external skin barrier and support skin’s natural repair functions. Made with the 2:4:2 that means it has 2% Ceramides, 4% Cholesterol, and 2% Fatty Acids, which are precisely formulated to refill the skin’s natural surface lipids to instantly and long-term improve the skins condition. Buy it for $125 at SkinCeuticals.com.

8. SK-II Mid-Day Essence - If you find your skin needing a a boost of hydration throughout the day, this spray is for you. This hydrating spray is designed to be used throughout the day or on-the-go to give skin a boost, anytime — even over makeup. I love the way it perks up the skin and really makes skin feels more comfortable when feeling tight and dry. Buy it for $80 at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales.

9. L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition Facial Oil - This oil has been saving my skin these last few weeks. It is super hydrating as the brands first facial oil with an SPF to boot. It's super lightweight as it absorbs into my skin almost immediately without leaving any greasy after-feel. Buy it for $19.99 at your favorite drugstore like CVS or Walgreens or mass retailer like Target.

10. Dr. Brandt Oxygen Facial Flash Recovery Mask - In just three minutes, this in-home luminizing mask helps lessen the look of dull, dry, fatigued skin that tend to plague us in the winter months. With a blend of ingredients that revitalize and freshen up, it also lessens the look of fine lines which is a great bonus. Buy it for $70 at Sephora.

Fake a Good Night of Sleep with Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't get enough sleep. While experts say that the average adult should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, I average about six to seven hours of sleep each night; there are plenty of times that I look exhausted. I am known to use a few makeup tricks and rely on skincare to to help me look more awake then I am and fake a good night of sleep. Clinique is out with a brand new product called Pep-Start and this is an eye cream that does just that — fake a good night of sleep.

Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream is a really lightweight cream that instantly (and over time, the more you use it) brightens, refreshes and wakes up the entire eye area. Between the blend of seven peptides, special extracts, caffeine to reduce puffiness along with a really unique spherical massaging applicator, Clinique has a winner on their hands.

The peptides in Pep-Start help maintain and stimulate collagen which helps to plump the skin so fine lines are diminished. At the same time, caffeine helps to de-puff and energize the skin. The blend of extracts help to diminish the appearance of dark circles and brighten and smooth the skin.

I was immediately drawn to the bright orange tube and unique shape of this eye cream. The end of the tube has a ball on it. I couldn't figure out exactly how to open and use it, but once I read the directions, it all made perfect sense.

You simply snap pen Pep-Start Eye Cream's spherical applicator to dispense a very small amount of eye cream until it comes out of the tip. I only need the size of about a baby pea to cover both eyes.  Then dot the cream under each eye, pop the applicator to the closed position and swipe the product around in small, circular motions all around the eye area, massaging the eye cream into the skin. Whatever product is left, just gently pat in with your ring finger.

Eyes are instantly de-puffed and tightened. I notice that they take on a brighter appearance. It looks like the cream might have a little bit of optical diffusers in it, which always helps too.

Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream is available exclusively at Sephora for $26.50.

UD | Gwen Stefani Spring Collection.

The UD | Gwen Stefani Collection is now complete with the release of the rest of the products that make up the spring collection. The second phase of this exciting collaboration with the singer and fashion entrepreneur has had us makeup girls chomping at the bit! Now that these items are here, which include a Blush Palette, eight must-have Lipstick shades and six coordinating shades of 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil along with a Brow Box, they are flying off the shelves. Get these limited edition makeup items while you can.

When I first saw that Gwen was teaming up with Urban Decay late last year, I knew there would have to be lipsticks. Gwen is known for her iconic lip looks. I fell hard for the 15-pan eyeshadow palette and I knew that the rest of the collection would be just as luxe and beautiful — it is!

The UD | Gwen Stefani Collection was a true partnership with Stefani who worked closely with the brand as she went over every detail of the collection. Gwen was involved in creating all of the shades and the packaging and I think it totally comes through. Urban Decay Chief Creative Officer and Founding Partner Wende Zomnir carefully crafted each product with Stefani so that the exact shades Gwen always wished she had in her personal makeup collection came to fruition.

The entire UD | Gwen Stefani Collection:

UD | Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette - $58

Filled with 15 must-have shades, this is a neutral girls dream. Add a pop of color with one of the three bold shades or line with Blackout. My complete review is here: UD | Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette Review + Swatches

UD | Gwen Stefani Blush Palette - $45

Filled with six shades to highlight and define, this blush palette is amazing. Made with Urban Decay's 8-hour Afterglow finely milled formula, these blush, bronzer and highlighting shades go the distance. I like that there are a mix of easy to wear shades here. The palette includes two blush shades, a true bronzer that I think will work well for light to medium toned gals and three shades that are great for highlighting and layering over the blush or bronzer.

UD | Gwen Stefani Blush shades:

• Cherry - Light Pink Satin
• Easy - Deep Rose with Gold Shimmer
• Angel - Champagne-Nude Shimmer
• Lo-Fi - Soft-Bronze Matte
• Hush - Medium Pink with Gold Shimmer
• OC - Soft Pink with Peach Shift

The Palette is itself incredibly packaged similar to the eyeshadow palette, but this one is all sleek white and gold. It opens to reveal the six larger shades of blush, bronzer and highlighter shades. I like Cherry and Easy pretty equally, but tend to use a little shimmer so I've been layering Angel over Cherry. Of course, I use both of these over Lo-Fi which I use first in the hollows of my cheekbones and where I would contour. 

UD | Gwen Stefani Lipstick - $18

After trying over fifty shades, Gwen settled on eight must-have lipstick shades for her collection and I think they are very well suited to her and the collection. From the packaging to the shades themselves, everything about them are exquisite. Featuring Urban Decay's proprietary Pigment Infusion System™, the lipsticks are super creamy in texture with rich color payout.

UD | Gwen Stefani Lipstick shades:

• Ex-Girlfriend - Sheer Nude-Rose with Pink Shimmer
• Firebird - Deep Fuchsia Cream
• 714 - Bright Red Mega Matte
• Rock Steady - Deep Wine Red Cream
• Spiderweb - Satin Red Cream
• Wonderland - Dark Pink-Red Cream
• Phone Call - Sheer Bright Pink (UD exclusive)
• Plaid - Sheer Deep Berry (UD exclusive)

Of course, my favorite is Ex-Girlfriend, but I have been rocking Phone Call just as often (I'm really trying to break out of my nude lip shell!). All of the colors are fabulous and you really can't go wrong with any of them. I have all but the Urban Decay exclusive Plaid which is currently sold out.

UD | Gwen Stefani 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil - $20

To go along with the lipstick shades, Gwen helped to come up with six 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils. These lip pencils are dreamy as they are creamy and waterproof and seriously last. They line and prime to help lipstick stay in place while helping to maked lipstick go on more smoothluy and prevent feathering.

UD | Gwen Stefani 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil shades:

• Ex-Girlfriend - Nude-Rose
• Firebird - Deep Fuchsia Pink
• 714 - Classic Red
• Rock Steady - Blood Red
• Wonderland - Dark Pink-Red
• Phone Call - Bright Pink (UD exclusive)

UD | Gwen Stefani Brow Box - $30

This is a limited edition Brow Box packaged to match the rest of the UD | Gwen Stefani collection. Made like the rest of the brands Brow Box, this contains two brow powder shades, but these were made just for Gwen so they are called Bathwater Blonde and are a dark and light blonde. The box also includes a wax, mini tweezers and two mini angled brushes to apply the brow powders. What I really like about the brow box, that you might have not known, is that there are two mirrors inside and one is quite magnified. These blonde shades are actually like taupe and pretty universal for medium brown hairs as well.

The entire UD | Gwen Stefani is available now. Buy it at urbandecay.com, Sephora, Macy's, Nordstrom, beauty.com and Ulta.