Clinique

When people bring up exfoliation, it's usually in reference to the teeny bikinis and bare legs of Summer. Since exfoliation smooths things out and your skin is most exposed in the warmer months, this seems only natural. But it's just as important to bring out your sloughing treatments in the colder months, too, even though you're covered in layers. Here's why:

1. Exfoliation helps dry skin. Those dehydrated, cracked hands that plague you in the Winter are easily remedied by regular sloughing. Pick up a scrub specifically for your palms, like L'Occitane's One Minute Hand Scrub ($22) to gently remove dead skin cells and restore your hands to their pre-Winter glory.
2. Exfoliation keeps your pores clear. One of the more important parts of your skin care regimen is exfoliating, and many women let this fall by the wayside when it's cold. But keeping up your scrubbing is essential to making sure your blemishes stay away and your pores keep clean. Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Acne Treatment ($65) has the right ingredients to smooth away your blemishes.
3. Exfoliation helps you absorb more moisture. Cold air sucks the moisture right out of your skin, but exfoliating away your dead cells makes your skin more accepting of lotions for warding off dryness. So scrub up, and then smooth on a moisturizer like Clinique Deep Comfort Body Butter ($28). Your legs will be radiant with hydration.

There are three big problems with bronzer: it's often applied way too heavily, it tends to spill all over the place when it's a power, and dropping a pressed compact of it requires a superduty Shop Vac just to get the remnants out of everything you own. Clinique takes out all the mishaps with its latest offering: Superbalanced Powder Bronzer ($35).

Turn the dial just a tad, and the compact's internal shaving apparatus scrapes off the perfect amount of product, without a bit to waste. Not only does this keep the accident factor low, but it also ensures you won't look muddy due to excess bronze. Available in two shades (Bronzed 1 and Bronzed 2), the complexion-enhancer is neither too matte nor too shimmery. This means you get that coveted natural-looking, rosy, radiant glow — all with minimal effort.

Though most people are afflicted by acne during puberty, a lucky few of us get to deal with it well into adulthood. The only thing worse than acne, however, may be acne scars. While there are several skin-lightening and hyperpigmentation products on the market, there are three standouts that provide some serious fade action. See which treatments help fade scars best when you keep reading.

If you're obsessed with Hello Kitty and have been looking to restock on either Nars The Multiple in Orgasm ($38) or Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey ($14), may I suggest that you check out Hello Kitty's new collaboration with Sephora?

I just got my hands on both the Sweet Gloss in Berry ($16) and Apple Cheeks Blush in Charmmy ($22), and everything from the color and texture to the packaging is eerily similar. For more on how the Hello Kitty collection compares to what you may already love, just keep reading.

We're excited to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Allure!

The holidays are over, which means no more binging on sugar cookies, vegging on the couch watching TV marathons, and enjoying stress-free days. But it doesn't mean you have to sink into being bummed out.

Of course, true seasonal depression requires professional treatment. But for a milder case of blah-dom, our no-fail cure? Beauty products, of course! As for me personally, I trick myself: It might be time to bundle up, but that doesn't stop me from pretending I'm headed somewhere tropical on occasion. If I'm doing something special, I get a spray tan. But to make sure I don't stick out like Snooki in the middle of Winter, I ask for only one coat of the most subtle spray tan formula the salon offers.

Winter weather is also a great excuse to pamper your skin: "Maybe it's because the air is drier and colder, but I always pay more attention to my skin in the Winter. I smear my face with moisturizer morning and night—I love Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief because it's a gel-cream, so no matter how much I use, my skin never feels heavy or greasy," says Allure beauty editor Angelique Serrano. "Then instead of my usual anti-acne mask once a week, I switch to trying out different moisturizing masks. I do everything I can to get my face looking plump and dewy, because that reminds me of the way my skin looks in the Summer."

What beauty tricks do you have for keeping a smile this time of year?

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There may well be some habit-forming ingredient in Clinique's Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief Gel-Cream ($34), because I'm having a hard time putting it down. Ever since the stuff came across my desk I've been slathering it on like I just wandered out of the Mojave.

I really like the texture; it's like a more emollient version of aloe gel, so it doesn't give your skin that unctuous feel that heavy moisturizers often do, and you can layer on as much as you feel inclined to. Gel cream formulas also work on both oily and dry skin types, so most people will be able to use it without incident, and it'd be a good one-shot moisturizer for combination skin. Claims the ads make about plumping up skin and filling fine lines are a stretch, though — it's a really nice product, but there's nothing antiaging about it. My suggestion would be to keep Moisture Surge around for daily use, and buy something else with retinol in it for fine lines.