Contrary to what you've probably (definitely) read on the internet, there is at least one benefit to the month with an average national contiguous temperature of 32 degrees, and it is that you are automatically granted the excuse to send that "raincheck? lol" text any chilly evening you so choose and instead snuggle up with your ugliest jogger sweatpants, a glass of Rioja, and brand-new skincare products [1]. (It's called self care [2], look it up.)
With the plethora of face creams [3], cleansers, serums, treatments, and oils hitting the market this February, however, it can be hard to decide which formulas are truly deserving of your Friday night. That's why we've asked our beauty editors to share their favourite at-home spa-day indulgences ahead, so you can stock up on the skincare products [4] worth canceling all your plans for this month. (Well, at least until your friends start responding with the eye roll emoji.)
Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser
"Like a tall glass of freshly-squeezed OJ, the Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser [5] ($28) is the most refreshing thing you can give your skin first thing in the morning. Not only does it use orange fruit water to revive skin, but also polyhydroxy acids to lift away dirt and oil for truly the deepest cleanse your pores can imagine." — Samantha Sasso, associate native editor
Glow Recipe x Netflix To All the Boys The Love Letter Set
"Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for a good rom-com, but there's nothing I'm more excited about than the new To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You movie (just please don't tell my girlfriend). What do you get, then, when you marry your guilty pleasure with a not-so-guilty indulgence, like Glow Recipe skincare products? Answer: the Glow Recipe x Netflix To All the Boys The Love Letter Set [6] ($46), a set that comes with the brand's bestselling Watermelon mist and mask and a cute pink pouch to boot." — Kelsey Castañon, senior beauty editor
Naturopathica Sweet Cherry Conditioning Lip Butter
"I can't stop using the Naturopathica Sweet Cherry Conditioning Lip Butter [7] ($22) for two reasons right now: First, it leaves my lips feeling soft and smooth; and second, it smells like a delicious cherry dessert. I've been keeping it at my desk and applying it whenever my lips start to feel a little dry for instant hydration — or when I want a natural flush of cherry red colour." — Jessica Harrington, associate beauty editor
Mary Kay Hydrogel Eye Patches
"I will do just about anything to look like I got eight hours of sleep these days, and Mary Kay Hydrogel Eye Patches [8] ($40) are the first step in my faking-it routine. Unlike other under-eye gel patches, these really stay put (you could do a TikTok dance routine and they wouldn't move), and they plump, hydrate and brighten in a matter of minutes. My full-coverage concealer glides on over top, and I look well-rested all day even when I'm anything but." — Dawn Davis, senior editorial director, Group Nine Media
Avon Green Goddess Facial Oil
"I'm not much of a facial oil person — mostly because I can't be bothered to wait the extra .2 seconds it typically takes to absorb into skin — but there's something about the Avon Green Goddess Facial Oil [9] ($50) that made me want to give the category a second go. (It can't be that it's named after my favourite salad dressing, right?) Be forewarned, a little goes a long way with this one — just a drop glides comfortably across the entire face, and the sustainably-sourced hemp oil, plus hydrating squalane oil and brightening turmeric, immediately get to work." — KC
YSL Beauty Pure Shots Lines Away Anti-Ageing Serum
"I've always struggled with finding a hyaluronic acid serum that doesn't pill. No matter what kind of formula I reach for or how long I wait before applying makeup, I've always found myself covered in teeny, tiny serum balls when I tap on my foundation. It not only makes my routine a lot longer because I have to patch up the parts the slip off, but it also makes me feel like the serum I'm using isn't doing what it's supposed to. Needless to say, I was pretty floored when I tried the YSL Beauty Pure Shots Lines Away Anti-Ageing Serum Refill [10] ($70). It's the first HA serum I can proudly say absorbs immediately and makes my skin feel plumped, hydrated, and ready for that next makeup step. The best part? I noticed my complexion was brighter and more smooth after just a week of application, and I haven't seen a pill in sight since." — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, associate editor, Makeup.com
Alpyn Calming Midnight Mask
"Haven't you ever wanted to give your skin a dose of melatonin so it would just chill out? Well, Alpyn Calming Midnight Mask [11] ($68) kind of does that. In fact, it actually uses an antioxidant-rich melatonin in tandem with hyaluronic acid and bakuchiol, a gentle alternative to retinol, to recharge skin while you sleep." — SS
StriVectin Cloudberry Moisture Plumping Cream Mask
"Ever since I started hearing about cloudberries in skin care, I've been obsessed — and not just because they make me think of Willy Wonka's snozzberries. They're similar to blackberries, taste super delicious, and are packed with vitamin C to brighten and protect skin. StriVectin Cloudberry Moisture Plumping Cream Mask [12] ($48) contains cloudberry as well as prickly pear and hyaluronic acid. It feels rich yet light and fluffy, smells like an orange creamsicle, and gives my skin an immediate boost of both hydration and overall zippiness — like I've been skipping through a chocolate factory." — DD
Innbeauty Down to Tone
"With sensitive (and sometimes volatile!) skin in the wintertime, I'm always hesitant about switching up my toner, but there was just something about Innbeauty Down to Tone [13] ($26) that made me want to try it as soon as it landed on my desk. Its colourful packageing is as good as its formula, which is chock full of six acids and niacinamide meant to brighten and tame blotchiness. After using it a few times a week, I noticed my skin was less red, more even, and a few breakouts I had had completely dissipated. I think I made a good bet on this one because I don't think I can go without it for the rest of the season." — AMK
Peace Out Skincare Microneedling Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Patches
"Smile lines are cool and all — they demonstrate a life well-lived, as my mom likes to tell me — but if you curse every full-coverage foundation and powder for putting them on blast, you're going to want to pop on the Peace Out Skincare Microneedling Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Patches [14] ($28) a few hours before applying your makeup. The retinol and peptide-infused microneedling sticker feels invisible on skin, but just so happens to soften those wrinkles [15] juuuust a smudge." - KC
InstaNaturals Firming DMAE Collagen Serum
"I love a good multi-tasking product and this InstaNaturals Firming DMAE Collagen Serum
[16] ($21) really does it all — hydrates, firms, plumps, and smooths. It's formulated with vegan collagen and vitamin C, a combination that renews the appearance of skin for a healthier, more resilient, and radiant complexion." — JH
Tula Brighten Up Smoothing Primer
"I'm so obsessed with how the Tula Brighten Up Smoothing Primer ($34, launching Feb. 5) feels. I've been wearing it on the weekends sans any makeup at all. It has an ultra-smooth, gel-like texture that feels like a burst of water when you apply it before drying into a satin finish. It's also silicone-free and loaded with healthy ingredients I can get behind." — JH
Botanics Simply Calm Hydrating Face Cream for Stressed Skin
"I happened to try the Botanics Simply Calm Hydrating Face Cream [17] ($18) during a facial treatment after a particularly hectic day of what felt like a trillion meetings, events, and calls. My skin up until that point looked about as stressed as I felt, which is to say: very. But you wouldn't know it by the way I floated out of the spa room — glowing and smelling of soft rosemary essential oils, all thanks to this moisturiser. It's only infused with hydrating, good-for-you botanical ingredients like cannabis sativa oil and shea butter and none of the potentially harmful stuff, which felt like hitting the reset button on my tired complexion." — KC
Sobel Skin Rx Plant Stem Cell Day Cream + Sunscreen SPF 30
"My biggest gripe about wearing sunscreen is that it always seems to pill under my foundation. It drives me crazy! Lately, though, I've been using this Sobel Skin Rx Plant Stem Cell Day Cream + Sunscreen SPF 30 [18] ($72) from NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Howard Sobel, and it's been a life-, er skin-, saver. It's packed with plant stem cells to help regenerate the skin and has SPF 30 to keep me protected from UV rays. I love that it's a physical sunscreen made with 15% zinc oxide that somehow doesn't leave a hint of white cast, and it never pills! I'm sold." — Lindsey Unterberger, content director, Makeup.com
Eve Lom Rescue Toner
"My skin actually throws a tantrum every time I neglect it of an exfoliating toner. Luckily, just as my last bottle ran out, Eve Lom's Rescue Toner [19] ($70) came across my desk. Packed with a natural source of AHAs from Australian caviar lime and aloe leaf this liquid keeps my complexion softer than baby skin." — SS
Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream
"I swear by retinol for everything [20] under the sun besides actually shaving years off my life: it fades acne marks, smooths fine lines, and minimizes shine. The only problem is it can sometimes be a little harsh on my sensitive skin. Not the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream [21] ($82), which is also formulated with hydrating niacinimide to counter any drying effects. If you're not using retinol, you'll want to build up your tolerance by slowly introducing it into your regimen, but it's worth the extra effort — because this sh*t works." — KC