ThisNext Blog

Although I spent my first 25 winters in the unforgiving New England cold, it took a very short time for me to evolve into a full-on L.A. wimp who bundles up in puffy jackets and scarves and UGGs when the temperature dips just a few degrees below 60. Presently at home in Massachusetts for the holidays, I’m donning two pairs of socks right now and doing everything I can to avoid stepping outside. If I did, however, I might want to slather my lips in the Carmex EZ-On recommended by Hope Robertson. Made with skin-healing stuff like menthol and camphor, the balm “helps keep my pout moist all day (and night) long,” says Hope.

One of the most reliable ways to protect your hands against winter chill is by applying a product made with soothing oatmeal. The creme de la creme just might be Kiehl’s Deluxe Hand & Body Lotion with Aloe Vera & Oatmeal, which kxgen promises is “moisturizing without being too greasy.” Chiming in, Revolutionarygirl raves that the lotion will “make your skin super soft” and notes that the “mango scent is extremely yummy and well worth it.”

Once you’ve got your lips and skin protected, slip on a Patagonia Cashmere Hoodie, an “everyday luxe” item that our Kristopher likes to spin into “cheeky chic dolled up with my fav beaded LBD.” For John and Rose, the hoodie “looks comfy enough for these brisk L.A. winters” and should make for perfect outdoor apparel whilst on “a stroll by the Malibu beach” or “a hike in the Santa Monica mountains.” (If you’re dwelling in other climates, however, you may want to keep the hoodie to indoor wear and stick with, I don’t know, a goose down parka or something when venturing outdoors.)

To get supersnug while curling up indoors on a blustery day, pair your cashmere hoodie with the Tempur-Pedic Slippers that esh purchased for his wife last Christmas. “She loves them,” he reports, “especially during the cooler months (what we call ‘Winter’ here in Southern California).” David’s got a pair of his own, sharing that “I was never a big fan of slippers until I put on a pair of Tempur-pedic slippers. OH - MY - GAWD! They are ‘like buttah!’” Wearing the slippers, in fact, is a sensation not unlike “walking on cushions of air. You may even want to get out of bed in the winter.”

Or you could just stay in bed and cozy up with a Duck Hot Water Bottle from FashionHot. “These water bottles are plush and don’t have the awful plastic smell,” says vangie. “They are also good at keeping your toes warm at night.”

And to breathe easier and make your sinuses happier during the cold season, turn on a Plus Minus Zero Humidifier. “Finally, a humidifier that isn’t an eyesore!” says Laura Sweet of the sleek design. The humidifier may also work wonders for your skin, notes thestylepage. “Skin gets dry in wintertime, and the best thing you can do to hydrate it is to run a humidifier,” explains the shopcaster. “This donut-shaped humidifier from Japan’s Plus Minus Zero would look great in any room.”

See more of my Winter survival list at ThisNext.