Right now, I’m all about intuitive skincare. That’s basically an industry buzzword for giving your skin what it needs at any given moment. It sounds complicated, but it’s actually pretty easy. If your skin is dry, give it moisture. If it’s irritated, soothe it. If it looks dull, exfoliate. You get the picture. What my skin is craving now is a gentle touch, a little TLC, and lots and lots of skin barrier-friendly ingredients to help it navigate lots of travel and weird temperature variations.

A well-functioning skin barrier is important no matter what your skin issues are. A compromised barrier can invite a whole host of problems because the skin isn’t able to protect itself as well as it should. That’s the perfect thing to keep in mind right now as we come to the end of winter, when temperatures can still get pretty frigid. I’ve been focused on soothing and protecting my skin and honesty, it’s made not only a huge difference in how I look, but how I feel, too. Think of this month’s best products as grooming hygge (is that still a thing?).

Jaxon Lane

jaxonlane.com

$34.00

Shop Now

As much as I love Jaxon Lane’s other products like the Bro Mask, I was never a huge fan of the brand’s cleanser because I found the exfoliating powder formula a bit harsh for my skin. But the second I tried this new gel cleanser, I was sold. It’s super gentle thanks to the coconut- and sugar beet-derived surfactants (no harsh cleansers here) and contains ingredients like centella, ceramides, and chamomile to protect and bolster your skin’s protective barrier. Most importantly, it makes my skin feel clean but not stripped or irritated.

Le Labo

lelabofragrances.com

$70.00

Shop Now

I’m a total candle freak, but even among my plethora of candles (seriously, I have a candle closet), I burned this one down within a matter of days. It’s not my usual smokey, woody vibe and truthfully, I was surprised I loved it as much as I did. It’s created with a synthetic version of ambergris, the coveted fragrance note that’s traditionally obtained from the wax produced by sperm whales. Sounds gross, smells amazing. It’s rich, warm and cozy and somehow both bright and unctuous at the same time and completely nose-catching.

Augustinus Bader

augustinusbader.com

$180.00

Shop Now

I’m just going to come out and say it: For all the hype, I’ve never really loved Augustinus Bader’s creams. I was always a bit like Goldilocks trying to find the one that’s just right (except they were all too heavy). Now that this Light Cream exists, though, I understand the hype. This gel-like cream contains all the good stuff Bader is known for—specifically the proprietary TFC8 complex—but now in a super lightweight, mattifying formula. I’ve been using it as my daytime moisturizer for weeks and can’t get enough (plus the beaker-like packaging fits perfectly in my Dopp kit).

Sisley

sisley-paris.com

$290.00

Shop Now

This creamy serum has been around since 1980 and, according to the brand, a bottle of this stuff is sold every five seconds. But it just received an update with new ingredients like burdock extract to help further bolster your skin’s microbiome and hyper concentrated centella asiatica to help increase barrier protection. Not only does it feel silky and smooth on your face, but within days of using it, I noticed my redness reduced and irritation calming down. Now, it’s my go-to for whenever I feel like my skin needs a little extra attention.

Hanni

heyhanni.com

$34.00

Shop Now

Regular readers of this column will know my love/hate relationship with body lotion. Sometimes I love it, but most of the time I hate it. This skin refreshing mist, however, may be the answer I’ve been searching for. It’s packed with hydrating ingredients like aloe leaf extract, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid, and comes out of the bottle as a super fine mist that instantly coats my skin without leaving any residue behind. Sometimes, I don’t even need to rub it in because my skin drinks it up so quickly. I’ve even come to like the semi-sweet scent, even though it’s not my usual thing.

First Aid Beauty

firstaidbeauty.com

$20.00

Shop Now

Laying it all on the table here: Whenever I get waxed, ingrown hairs start to pop up almost immediately. Not only do they look bad, but they’re painful, too. After my last waxing appointment, I started to use these pads after every shower and noticed a complete difference not only in how many ingrown hairs I got, but how quickly the ones I did get went away (and how dark the spots they left behind were). It’s thanks to the combination of alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids that not only help keep your skin exfoliated on the surface, but also help release the hairs when they get caught.

Act + Acre

actandacre.com

$86.00

Shop Now

In a recent meeting with Act + Acre founder Helen Reavey, she busted out a camera to look at my scalp. What she noticed was irritation, and a lot of it, which was the reason my scalp had been itching so much (definitely made worse by the hats I’ve been wearing all winter). She recommended this balancing scalp serum that uses apple stem cells to not only balance and hydrate the scalp but help extend the life cycle of hair, helping reduce shedding. You know what? She was right. I’ve been applying it every night and my scalp hardly ever itches anymore.

Santa Maria Novella

smnovella.com

70.00

Shop Now

I usually go for lightweight moisturizers like the aforementioned Bader for everyday wear, but every now and then, especially when I’m feeling like my skin needs a little extra TLC, I’ll slather on a rich, creamy moisturizer at night. Lately, when I have that impulse, I’ve been reaching for this super smooth cream from iconic Italian apothecary brand Santa Maria Novella. I’ve been a fan of the soaps and shaving products for years, but this cream may be my new favorite. Be warned, the fragrance is strong and floral, like the scent of a very wealthy, well-traveled elderly aunt. But sometimes you just need that sort of thing, you know?

Coola

coola.com

$48.00

Shop Now

Even though I spend a lot of time there, I don’t particularly love the gym locker room. The name of the game for me is to get in and out as quickly as possible, which is why I love multifunctional products that reduce the amount of stuff I need to apply (and carry with me). That’s why this cream has become my post-gym must have. It’s a light, gel formula moisturizer that just happens to contain a highly protective sunscreen—but you’d never know it if you didn’t read the label. There is absolutely no greasiness or white cast and it eliminates the need to apply a goopy sunscreen over my usual moisturizer.

Dr. Jart+

drjart.com

$15.00

Shop Now

I don’t typically struggle with super-dry skin, which this mask is designed for, but when I spend a lot of time in the cold it can get a little chapped. Plus, redness is always an issue for me, which is something I discovered this mask can also address. Packed with skin protecting ceramides, the creamy mask adheres to your skin so well that you can basically do anything while it’s on (someone from the brand actually wore it while they were skiing, so I’ve been told). I love that I can pop it on and not have to worry about it slipping off or staying motionless for 20 minutes while it goes to work soothing my skin.