Become Your Best Beauty Self With Our January Must Haves

Thanks to this mascara's ($7) petal-shaped brush containing short and long bristles, I can coat every strand of my eyelashes (even those baby ones!). Plus, the beeswax formula is soft enough to build for a seriously flirtatious flutter. Who said you can't get something luxe at the drugstore?

This year True Nature Botanicals is getting a packaging makeover, but inside the same great organic skin care formulas thrive. The new Exfoliating Cleanser ($48) is powered by a mushroom extract that is outshining some of the top at-home exfoliating acids. The milky product has a gritty texture that sloughs off dead skin without leaving you red from irritation. —Jessica Cruel, assistant editor

For fine-haired women, volumizing sprays are staples in our beauty arsenal. One product that creates lift, volume, and sexy texture is thickening powder. I'm a fan of Lea Journo's Pouf Micro Fiber Thickening Powder ($24). Not only does it hold to create thick-looking locks, but it's also alcohol-free, so it won't strip my hair color. Bonus: it's small enough to fit in my purse!

Few beauty looks feel as sophisticated to me as those created with matte eye shadow. The trouble with many matte shadows is that they can be chalky or give very little pigment payoff. That's not the case with Tarte's Tartelette shadow palette ($44) — the 12 (all-new!) shades are supercreamy, resulting in a high-impact eye look that takes just a light swish of your shadow brush.

January is when I shed off all of the eating and drinking I did in December. But bouncing around a dance cardio class means my fine curly locks often slip out of hair ties. I am truly a fan of Emi Jay's Flexx hair ties ($8 for a pack of three). These neoprene bands stay snug on my strands, but they don't leave a dent (read: my blowout can last one more day). The bright-colored bands are cute enough to sport at brunch as well.

Hi, my name is Jessica, and I have an oil addiction. By now everyone in the office knows how much I love to slather down in essential oils, especially during Winter. I never miss my weekly hot-oil hair treatment to ward off dry, itchy scalp. So of course, Arya Essentials Hair Oil ($64) landed on my desk. I was impressed before I even opened the bottle because the glass and gold packaging deserves to be displayed on top of the bathroom vanity. The elixir inside is a mix of coconut and amla oils that offers a full aromatherapy experience.

Sexy Hair launched its first color maintenance system, and lucky for me, it's all about blonds! The set includes two cleansers, a conditioner, and color-preserving spray, and everything is sulfate-free. That means your hair won't be stripped of its precious baby blond color. It also contains quinoa, a gluten-free protein that helps restore hair that's damaged from harsh dyes. My favorite offering is the Bright Blonde Shampoo ($17), a violet cleanser that removes brassiness.

After the holiday-party season ends, I often find myself in a style rut. Gloomy January days and lack of glittering lights feel uninspiring, so I am relying on NARSissist Dual-Intensity Eye Shadow Palette ($79) to help me find some creativity in my makeup routine. The mirrored compact — perfect for on-the-go touch-ups — features six eye shadows that can be worn wet or dry. A special application brush helps you pump up the pigmentation when using these finely pigmented shades wet. Try them dry for a softer daytime look. I see sultry smoky eyes in my future . . .

Our hands are always submitted to a lot of wear and tear, but all the body care rituals we go through to protect our skin in Winter (exfoliating scrub, anyone?) seem to especially take the luster out of a fresh manicure. Loading on layer after layer of top coat to restore shine can get clumpy or even cause your paint to peel off. Essie's latest product ($9) is a polish refresher, which is similar to top coat but a lot thinner. Since you can use it every other day to make your manicure look fresh, it's taken up permanent residence on my desk.

I know it's cliché, but my New Year's resolution is to get in the gym more often. Hitting the treadmill will be a good excuse to use the new Mio Clean Slate Wipes ($29 for 10 in the Gym Kit). Since they're meant to quickly cleanse the entire body (think: stinky armpits, boob sweat, and clammy feet), the cloth is about two times the size of the average face wipe. They smell of refreshing cucumber and won't leave a sticky residue behind, meaning I can go from yoga to happy hour without excess primping.

Lancôme launched its powerhouse antiaging serum Visionnaire in 2011. Now it has redesigned the formula ($79, available late January on lancome-usa.com) to provide results in just three days. My skin was immediately smoother and brighter after application and even my pores looked tighter. The hydrating-yet-matte serum acts as a great makeup primer, too.

Dr. Harold Lancer is responsible for many celebrities' clear skin, and now the pro has a product for your body, too. The moment I put The Method: Body Nourish cream ($55) formula on my body, I could feel it working. It's created with clinical-grade glycolic acid to really exfoliate. The itchy feeling means that your dead skin is slowly being "eaten" away, soon to reveal a red carpet glow.

After a day walking around NYC — my face blasted with cold, windy (polluted!) air — the last thing I want to do at night is scrub it with a hard cleanser. That's why I am a fan of Elemis's Special Edition Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser ($49). First, it's got a soothing, musky Mediterranean scent thanks to neroli, bergamot, and cedarwood. The balmy cream is applied to dry skin and loosens as you massage it in, and then you rinse it off with a hot towel (a washcloth mitten is provided). My skin was left soft, dewy, and makeup-free.

Did you know that the skin on the top of your hands is just as thin as the skin under your eyes? I've had an antiaging eye routine for years now, but I'm a little behind in the hand department. This Radical Hand and Nail Multirepair Creme ($55) has a mix of hyaluronic acid and shea butter to keep skin moisturized even after washing. Plus, it cares for cuticles with the addition of myrrh extract. I love that it doesn't have a greasy finish that leaves fingerprints on the keyboard at work.

Anyone that knows me knows I'm a major lipstick addict, so I couldn't resist trying Cargo's new Matte Top Coat lipstick ($22). I was immediately obsessed! I layered this little wonder over multiple colors and textures, and the result was the same: a velvet-finish pout. I recommend letting your base color dry, then blot your lips before using it so that you don't wipe off the original shade. The best part? You're still wearing a creamy formula under the top coat, so you never experience any dryness like you would with an ordinary matte formula. It also makes my lip color last longer.

Lately, I've been seeing illuminator everywhere from magazine spreads to the runway, and I'm addicted to getting that glow-y look. In my hunt for the perfect highlighter, I've stumbled upon a few glittery options that are best reserved for a night out clubbing under the disco ball. But Maybelline Blur + Illuminate Primer ($10) is the perfect dewy balance for daytime. Wearing it under foundation gives the skin a glow-y finish, and a few dabs on cheekbones after base catches the light just right.

I love getting matchy-matchy — even in the shower. I've been using Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner for years because I love the fun fragrances (and what they do for my strands!), and now I can coordinate my body wash with my hair care. This lather's delicious honey scent ($4) is addictive, and the formula leaves my skin soft — not stripped — so it's not a huge deal if I forget to apply moisturizer after.