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Jan 29, 2024

Our Beauty Director’s Favorite Winter Beauty Products

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

Perk things up with Kate Sandoval Box's latest beauty picks.

I find that things can start to look and feel a little dull in January. I go back to life's regularly scheduled programming, my plate is mostly leafy greens (vital, yes. Thrilling? To me, not so much), and my skin begins to reflect the gravel tone of the sky. Could there be a more needed time for bright, bold, mood-lifting beauty?

This is the month when I don't discount the impact of, say, a vibrant lip on my complexion and my outlook, when the smell of a fresh floral fragrance is especially welcome, and when my skin reacts to a hydrating serum with a thankful gulp. Of course, not all beauty products can stand up to conditions that have reached peak gloominess. But I’ve found a few that absolutely do—and I’ve been reaching for them over and over again. Discover them for yourself here:

Originally founded in 1973, Fashion Fair has relaunched to serve a new generation of women with darker skin tones. The creamy Magenta Mist is stunning on bronze skin; the crimson, called Cat Fight, makes every complexion pop; and Pure Plum complements deep tones beautifully.

Ever since I applied this creamy (not sticky), shimmery (not glittery) formula, no other highlighter has measured up. It adds a natural glow to cheekbones, browbones, the inner corners of your eyes, and the Cupid's bow.

I've been using this duo for months: the set includes a night serum that delivers shrunken hyaluronic acid molecules to the deep layers of the skin and a day serum that expands those molecules back to their original size, making skin feel more hydrated and look firmer and plumper.

I always feel like I have it all together when there's glossy, unchipped color on my nails. This muted Prussian blue is on trend and looks good with everything from camel to coral.

Cleansing used to be something I just powered through—I didn't relish it. But I actually look forward to feeling this gel-oil transform into a lovely lather as soon as it touches my damp skin. It feels gentle and hydrating—but still removes grime and makeup while amino acids and probiotics protect and restore skin's pH.

If you’ve wished that fragrance would smell more like actual flowers and less like rubbing alcohol, then meet Dior's newest scent, an alcohol-free emulsion of water and flower extracts (magnolia, jasmine, and neroli) that stays true to its fresh floral blend from the first spritz to an hours-later whiff.

Kate Sandoval Box (she/her) is the Beauty Director at Oprah Daily. She has over 18 years of experience at national women's media brands; and, in fact, started her publishing career at O, The Oprah Magazine. She's also held beauty editor roles at Shape, Self, Latina, and Cosmopolitan. Kate tests hundreds and hundreds of beauty products that cross her desk each year and interviews many top experts, celebrities, and indie brand founders to bring you the best in beauty. Follow her on Instagram.

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