Island Essentials: Our Best Winter Beauty Products

When it comes to winter, there are few things we feel inspired by - but the glitter of overnight ice is one of them. Enter this cult crystal reflector from *the* makeup master himself, Mario. Designed to make cheeks and eyes sparkle when hit by light, we use this in one sweep across our eyelids for a frosty shimmer that is anything but boring.

It might be the time to embrace the pale and let our natural skin shine through, but, for whenever we want to look like we’ve just stepped off a plane from the Algarve, we use a few drops of this bronzing serum for a sunkissed glow. Infused with Sea Kelp, Hyaluronic Acid and a host of natural, hydrating ingredients, it’ll boost your glow over time, too. 

There’s no better brand to turn to for our best winter skin than Lumene. Drawing on Norway’s fruitful natural resources, this gentle cleanser features Nordic Oat Milk, Nordic Oat Oil and Nordic Birch Sap to remove makeup and nourish at the same time. And if that wasn’t enough, the icy cool packaging will transport you to calmer mindscapes. 

When winter comes, we need all the winter skincare tips. Our top tip? Swap out lighter, gel-based moisturisers for thicker creams packed with Ceramides and Lipids. This is where Skinfix’s viral cream is our saving grace. Featuring Active Lipids, Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Shea Butter, it’s proven to restore skin barrier lipids and boost hydration after just one use. It's our go-to winter cream for dry skin.

By far our best moisturiser for winter, don’t be fooled by the silky texture of this fan-fave body lotion. Although it’s fast absorbing and soft to touch, it’s filled with CeraVe’s signature Ceramide Complex and Hyaluronic Acid for a formula that really packs a punch. We apply straight out of the shower to damp skin and seal in with our favourite body oil during those especially cold nights. Oh, and it also doubles up as the perfect face cream for cold weather whenever you run out of your usual. 

While most of us ditch the fake tan in winter in favour of fairer skin, some of us do like a little top up to see us through the season. For when we want a light glow that doesn’t look like we’ve been out in the July sunshine, our best beauty tip for winter skin is to smooth on this iconic, gradual tanning lotion from TAN-LUXE. With Raspberry Seed Oil to soothe and Caramel to bronze, it’s the moisturiser-tan hybrid we love to see.

Briogeo always takes the crown for hydrating hair products that leave our locks looking silky, smooth and above all, healthy. While their cult hair mask deserves its spot in the limelight, this protein treatment delivers intense repair to all hair textures and types. A star in our winter haircare hall of fame, we leave on overnight for the ultimate treat. 

We can always rely on Kérastase for results-driven haircare with a little luxury. Promising all the benefits of a heat protection spray and the hydration of an oil, it’s the multitasking hair product we can’t live without. Now in a heady Rose scent, you’ll find Camellia Oil, Marula Oil and a host of botanical extracts clinically proven to impart mirror shine and intense repair. Now that’s what we call magic.