A holiday-shopping survival kit
We consider a great lip gloss essential any day of the week, but holiday shopping calls for something a bit more protective. Slather lips with Biomimetic Perfect Lip Honey ($19), a no-frills balm by REN Skincare that’s formulated with a biomimetic complex — sounds fancy, makes you pretty — and, for karma points, is environmentally sound. Thick without being sticky (for both protection and kissability), and with a hint of shine (for style), the gloss is available online at www.renskincare.com.
When you finally stumble home laden with heavy bags, you’ll want to thoroughly cleanse that film of retail grime from your skin. For a deep clean, turn to the shelves of C.O. Bigelow (Copley Place, 100 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.236.7257) for Awake’s Deep Purity Clay Wash ($30). Sea clay helps absorb excess shine, while natural plant fibers slough off dead skin and other annoying pore-cloggers. After all, you want to avoid making the holiday-party rounds accessorized with an attention- grabbing blemish, don’t you?
First off, you’ll want to ensure that your skin is protected before exposure to the dry air (and unflattering mirrors) of your average shopping center. We suggest slathering on a thin layer of Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Cream ($61) from Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins. Fortified with Hypsizygus ulmarius (huh?) and Chaga mushrooms to keep skin calm and on the defensive — essential while navigating those frenzied crowds — the cream also contains heather extracts for firmness and seaweed for moisture retention. Stock up at Origins (8 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 617.868.8090).
It’s amazing how refreshing a quick spritz can be. So stow the soothing Eau Florale Floral Spray Mist ($98) from Sisley in your bag for a good-for-skin pick-me-up whenever the exhaustion/frustration/holiday mania starts to set in. (Around-the-block lines, your umpteenth dressing room, hour five crammed into the back of your parents’ station wagon, etc.) Infused with rose, cornflower, and witch-hazel extracts, the lightly scented mist will mask that food-court smell, too. Find it at Saks Fifth Avenue (750 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.8500).
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