1. Candles
I know that you can use candles any time of the year but I think there's nothing nicer than lighting a lovely scented candle while the rain is pelting against the windows. It just makes me feel so cosy! The candle above is from the Yankee Candle range which is my favourite for gorgeous scents. My candle is Waikiki Melon scented and smells of exotic juicy melons and sweet oranges. As soon as you light the candle it fills the room with its gorgeous scent but never gets overpowering. I bought this candle in the Yankee Candle store in Stephen's Green shopping centre in Dublin. This candle is in the medium sized jar and cost me €19.95. This may seem pricey for a candle but they really do last an incredibly long time. I've had this candle since before October last year and look how little has burnt down! The best part about these Yankee candles is that if you don't feel like having a candle lit in your room, you can just take the lid off the jar and the divine smell still fills the room! You can get these candles in all sorts of sizes and scents ranging from as little as €1.50 to €26.95. If you go on line to www.yankee.ie you'll be able to find some of their 'fragrance of the month' candles on special offer. You can find Yankee candles easily in gift shops, pharmacies and Yankee Candle stores across the country.
2. Hand Cream
The colder the air gets, the harsher the weather feels on your skin, especially on extremities like your hands and face. While I always use a good face moisturiser I usually don't use a hand cream. During the colder months though, I find that the skin on my hands is left feeling dry and hard. To treat my mitts I use this 2 in 1 hand and nail cream from Superdrug. It's specially formulated with Keratin and Pro-Vitamin B5 to moisturise and soften skin, whilst strengthening nails. I've found that, used regularly, it helps give me stronger nails (making them less likely to split, flake or break). This 2 in 1 cream is easily absorbed and leaves my hands feeling soft, smooth and supple. The 150ml bottle I got only cost me €2.35 in Superdrug and lasts ages. Total bargain!
3. Dark Nail Polish
Again, I know we can wear whatever nail polish we want whenever we want but I still feel like summer months call for brighter more vibrant polishes while the colder months call for dark, jewel tones and deep, rich hues. I personally love a deep shade of burgundy or a midnight blue on my nails but my favourite winter polish you ask? Nails inc. 411 Elm Park Gardens, a gorgeously dark shade of green. I love that it's so dark it's almost black because I often feel like black on its own is just too dark for my nails whereas this colour has the darkness of a black nail colour while the green adds depth to it. This colour has a gorgeously rich, polished finish. The bottle was a total bargain too as I got it in a pack of four nails inc. polishes in TkMaxx for €18.90. Considering that these luxurious polishes are usually €16.50 on their own I was delighted with my find!
4. Lip Scrub
I've dedicated an entire post to this lip scrub already but when it comes to winter weather there's really no greater saviour for lips than my Lush Lip Scrub! The cold air dries out lips leaving them looking flaky and chapped. A good lip scrub is a must during these months and My Boy Lollipop Lip Scrub from Lush Cosmetics really does the job.This lip scrub uses fine castor sugar grains to gently buff and remove flaky dead skin. This is best achieved by dabbing your fingertip into the pot and once a few grains are stuck to your finger taking it and rubbing it in small circles across both your lower and upper lip working into the corners from the centre to ensure the skin on your lips is all fresh and clean. Then the jojoba oil acts, soaking into the newly revealed skin, it moisturises and nourishes your fresh and flake free lips. It costs €8, which may seem pricey for a small 25g pot but I've had mine for nine months or so and there's still more than half the pot left! Definitely an investment I don't mind making. These pots come in various flavours and can be bought in any Lush Cosmetics store.
5. Vampy Lips
I am a huge fan of dark lip colours and love breaking them out again in the autumn! My favourite from my collection of lipsticks and stains is actually quite inexpensive. It's the Rimmel London 'Lasting Finish Matte' by Kate Moss in 107. It's a gorgeous dark, berry red colour with a matte finish. However unlike a lot of other (even more expensive) brands of matte lipstick I found that this one does not dry out my lips and is really comfortable to wear. The intense velvety colour and in-season matte finish all make this the perfect autumn/winter lipstick. It doesn't hurt that this lipstick doesn't feather or bleed and lasts up to four hours before needing to reapply! The best part though is the price tag. €6.99 for the perfect winter lipstick? Yes please!
Ok, ok, I'll admit, these might not necessarily be winter essentials as such but they definitely help make my cosy, snuggled up wintery nights far more enjoyable! So tell me, what are your winter essentials?
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