If you don’t know me, you might not know that my job as a beauty director includes three main areas: fragrance self-care products, and products that don’t take much work. So, it doesn’t need to be said that winter is when I do my best. Staying inside and spending my days pampering my skin with expensive products, wrapping myself in comforting scents from body creams to perfumes, and just enjoying the fact that it’s too cold to go outside? Count me in.
Even though winter hasn’t officially started yet, the cold weather has made it feel like winter for a long time. Because of this, I’ve already started working on my selfish winter arc. I’ve been making time for myself before the party season starts because I know my social battery will run out soon. You should do the same.
I’ve been going to the sauna to both improve my glow and calm my mind. I’ve also been getting facials to make sure my skin looks its best for the holidays, and I’ve been doing multi-step body care routines like they’re a form of meditation. Most surprisingly to those who know me, I’ve been keeping up with my manicures.
Shannon Lawlor in a sauna (Thanks to @shannonlawlor for the image)
Because of all the beauty work I’ve been doing behind the scenes, I’ve been trying out a lot of new products, and some of them have really impressed me. I’d even go so far as to say that I think everyone should try at least one of them in the next few months. So, here is my list of the best beauty products for winter right now.
1. The Winter Set is worth it
The Set for Winter 2025 Value
The Winter 2025 Set costs £87. Buy now
I make no secret of the fact that I am probably Merit’s biggest fan. This brand really knows how to do lazy-girl makeup better than any other, and it’s also really stylish. But when I first got this winter set I thought about giving it to a friend because I already have all the things inside.
I thought so. After looking more closely, I saw that there was a mini Flush Balm, a Signature Lip Liner, and a Shade Slick Sheen in a limited-edition color called Courmayeur. I ripped open the box right away to get a better look when I realized that. They were on my face in a matter of seconds.
This brick-toned brown red is the best color for winter makeup looks. Every day in December so far, I’ve used the flush balm on my face, and every day I’ve gotten compliments on how glowing and full of life my skin looks. This is your sign if you’ve been wanting to try something from Merit.
2. Body Butter from Saltair Golden Hour
Body Butter from Saltair Golden Hour
Salt Air Body Butter in the Golden Hour £23 BUY NOW
Cocooning yourself in a thick body cream is the best way to get through the winter, and Saltair body butters are the best thing for the job. The formula is thick and moisturizing, but not too greasy or thick.
Santal Bloom is my favorite scent in the line-up (sadly, it’s sold out), but this one is a close second option. It smells like coconuts, tropical beaches, and exotic flowers, which makes it the best way to get away from it all on a cold winter day.
3. Bronzer with Hourglass Ambient Lighting
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer Luminous Bronze Light
Hourglass Bronzer for ambient lighting: Luminous Bronze £56 BUY NOW
In the winter, I’ve always found it almost impossible to fake any kind of skin health glow. My skin is either oily and rough or dry and flaky, and when it’s not red and blotchy, it’s pale and sickly.
Without a doubt, this bronzer from Hourglass is the hardest-working item in my makeup bag right now. It gives me a bronzy glow that looks so real that a coworker asked me if I had been on vacation last week.
4. Lip Tint with Rhode Peptide
Scented Peptide Lip Tint Toast—Default Title
Rhode Scented Peptide Lip Tint in Toast costs £20.
In the winter of 2025, I finally gave in and bought a Rhode phone case. I love the Rhode Peptide Lip Tints and Treatments, but getting this case and always having a lip balm with me has made me fall in love with them even more.
Not only does toast smell great like torched crème brûlée, but the sheer rosy-brown color is also the best everyday lip color. I feel great every time I use it, which is about a million times a day.
5. The Panettone Candle from Acqua di Parma
200g Panettone Candle
Acqua di Parma Panettone Candle £76 £61 SHOP NOW
Nothing makes me happier than a great winter candle, and Acqua di Parma Panettone is the best of the best. As I write this, the wick has let out its last puff, and I feel very sad.
Panettone smells like creamy honeyed holiday treats piled high on a warm kitchen counter, but it stays light, delicate, and surprisingly fresh on the nose. It’s a very unique purchase.
6. Hollyhock Manucurist
Hollyhock Manucurist Green Nail Polish in Hollyhock £14 SHOP NOW
I don’t have much to say about this other than that Manucurist Hollyhock is not only my must-have winter nail color, but I also think it’s the best winter nail color ever.
This red is so dark that it looks almost black. I always feel let down when I ask the manicurist at the salon to see if she can make a gel-blend from another brand that looks the same. Nothing beats the original.
7. Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask
Black Rose Cream Mask from Sisley-Paris
Black Rose Cream Mask by Sisley costs £142. BUY NOW
I want you to know that I really mean it when I say that I recommend luxury beauty products. Just because I recommend something doesn’t mean I think you need it.
That being said, if you don’t mind spending more than £100 on a face mask, go ahead and add this to your basket and never look back.
There is nothing like the happiness I feel after putting on this creamy face mask and seeing my skin look the best it ever has: plump, juicy, and glowing.
8. The Virtue 1987
The 1987 Virtue Perfume
The Virtue Parfum 1987: £109 Buy Now
I just found this perfume at the new Boots Fragrance concept store in London. Even though I know a lot about scents, I had never heard of The Virtue, a fragrance brand from New Zealand.
The simple packaging and stylish look drew me in at first, but the smell kept me interested. It smells like a freshly cut bouquet of soft white flowers.
Adding white musk instead gives things a cool icy feel that keeps them bright and sparkling, like a thick layer of snow on the ground.
Also, the mix of scents means that one spray lasts all day. You can get 15ml options for a lot less money if you want to try it out without spending the full £107.
9. Medik8 Pro-Collagen + Peptide Cream
50ml Medik8 Advanced Pro-Collagen+ Peptide Cream costs £79. BUY NOW
Wow, this moisturizer really is as good as everyone says it is. My dry skin is loving every bit of this stuff, and I’m already on my second tub.
With a lot of high-tech peptides in it, it really does raise collagen levels, make skin look fuller, and make skin feel firmer (seriously, it’s been proven to).
It gave me a winter glow I never knew I could have. Also, the best part is that it really feels good to use. The thick cream feels very rich.
