I take advantage of Christmas lists to the max. Whenever my parents ask me what I want for Christmas, I immediately think of asking for the products I use daily. These are items I would consider my “empties.” I’m not a skincare expert, but these are some products I cannot stop going back to. Take all of these recommendations with a grain of salt. I am not an esthetician or dermatologist, so please don’t come to me if you try these and your skin breaks out.
Rhode Barrier Butter Intensive Moisture Balm
While there is considerable controversy surrounding Rhode, some people love it, while others hate it. All feelings about Hailey Bieber aside, I tried this product kinda of randomly. I wasn’t looking for a new moisturizer or anything, but I saw the Rhode section at Sephora and thought, Why not give it a try. I think this works extremely well if you feel like your skin stays hydrated during the winter. I like that it’s thicker than most traditional moisturizers, and like how it leaves a layer of protective shine on my skin.
Rhode Glazing Mist Hydrating Face Spray
All of these items are extremely subjective, with this one being one of the main ones that has been super hit or miss with people. For me, it was a hit, and it’s something I’m 100% asking for again. I didn’t understand the purpose of hydrating facial sprays at first, yet I used them a lot this summer. It was great when I wanted to wear less makeup, and still wanted that glow to my skin.
Byoma Hydrating Milky Toner
If you want your makeup to look lethal and your skin to be glowing brighter than a star, this is the product for you. It goes really well when paid with the Rhode Glazing Mist Hydrating Face Spray. Also, this is a great alternative to the Rhode Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial Essence if you’re looking for something on the cheaper side. Something I love about this is that whenever I repurchase it, despite using it daily, it takes forever to run out. It truly feels like you’re getting your money’s worth.
Merit Great Skin Instant Glow Serum with Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid
This next one is a bit of a controversial one; however, hear me out. It is more on the higher price end for hyaluronic acid, yet I felt like it really made a big difference for me. This is the type of product that I use under makeup in the morning when I’m getting ready. The glow you’ll get is unbelievable, and in general, your skin seems to retain that glow after consistently using it. If there’s one thing on this list worth begging for as a Christmas gift, it’s this one.
Olehenriksen Banana Bright+ Vitamin C Eye Crème for Dark Circles
I used to think eye creams were a bit of a scam. But as someone with the worst chronic dark circles, I realized that it is not the case. I always tried them, and they would peel under my concealer, but one day I got a sample of this, and everything changed. I instantly saw a difference, and this didn’t peel under my makeup. But because I’m a college student on a budget, I can’t afford to keep rebuying a little container of this for 45 dollars. So maybe Santa will come in clutch.
Happy Christmas list-making and shopping, from your favorite NON dermatologist and NON esthetician.