As a kid, I thought my freckles were cute. Now, I dream of erasing every last dot on my face. (Maybe because I spend way too much time with dermatologists who unapologetically refer to all freckles -- including mine -- as sun damage.)

So I laser. I peel. And I use every brightening product I can get my hands on. But because new brightening products pop up all the time, it's rare that I ever finish one. That wasn't the case, however, with the Eve Lom Brightening Cream, $110, I just scraped completely dry.

This cream is silky and decadent without being heavy. It keeps my skin feeling hydrated all night despite the cold, dry weather. It's infused with rose oil that makes it smell divine. And it definitely helps brighten my freckles. For the first time in a long time, I'm not looking forward to the next new brightening cream -- I'm planning to get another jar of this one. --Dawn Davis

Confession: I love red wine. Give me a glass of a Napa cab, and I'm in my happy place. However, wine doesn't exactly love my skin. On those nights where I do indulge in a few glasses, I wake up looking like the life has been sucked out of my skin. So when Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow Sheer Liquid Foundation, $54, crossed my desk, I was intrigued. It promised to make skin look radiant and minimize the signs of fatigue -- just what the doctor ordered for my sometimes-zombie-like pallor.

It was love at first swipe. The superlight formula is perfect for everyday wear, and is delicately scented with the brand's signature violet fragrance, so it feels luxe right from the get-go. It's infused with pearl pigments in red, green, blue and gold that blend into my skin oh-so-easily, making it look glow-y and alive (no matter how many glasses of wine I've had). In other words: It's like a life-restoring defibrillator for your face. --Allie Flinn

With winter in full swing, my skin is starting to get superdry -- because just like the classic Christmas song says, baby, it's cold outside. On top of the chilly, harsh weather, I'm probably not helping matters by taking marathon-long, dehydrating hot showers and spending inordinate amounts of time camped in front of the heater.

But unless you have a creepy dude holding you captive indoors like the guy in the holiday ditty (seriously, couldn't he have just lent that woman his coat?), then you -- like me -- will have to bear the unforgiving winter elements.

So in addition to grabbing a jacket, I reach for Soap & Glory's The Scrub of Your Life, $12. When my go-to body lotion isn't enough to alleviate my thirsty elbows, legs and hands, this moisturizing foaming scrub unearths baby-soft skin. Plus, the scent, which combines hints of citrus, strawberry and gardenia blooms, lets my mind escape to warmer climes during all those leisurely showers.

And unlike a lot of other scrubs, this formula doesn't leave behind an oily reside. On the contrary, it gives me touchably smooth skin that helps me feel hot -- even if it's cold outside. --Rose Curiel

If you like horror stories, keep reading. It's Halloween 2015. I'm applying my makeup (a bold cat eye to match my "Bad Blood" costume), when all of the sudden, my foundation begins flaking off my face, like a snake shedding its skin.

Immediately, I remove all my makeup and begin furiously washing and exfoliating to rid myself of the dry, dead buildup. But nothing works. I spend the rest of the day looking like a reptile in false lashes and wondering how the heck to solve this insidious new problem.

As it turned out, the root of my dry skin woes was my face wash -- I had been stripping my face with cleansers meant for oily summer skin. But the day I started using Acure Organics Sensitive Facial Cleanser, $9.99, things took a turn for the hydrated.

This affordable cleanser has a creamy texture that foams up into a lush lather as you wash. Its formula is packed with dry skin fixes like probiotics and Argan oil. And most importantly, it cleanses my skin without parching it. Since using the product, I have nearly bounced back from my reptilian state. A happy ending to a terrifying tale. --Amanda Montell

When it comes to my beauty essentials, I feel like I'm 23 going on 60. Sure, I use products most 20-somethings typically reach for -- eyeliner, mascara and concealer -- but I also have an undeniable obsession with hand creams.

While most gals my age don't have to deal with superdry hands, I work in front of a dehydrating space heater all day, so my poor digits are pretty beat by the end of the week. It wasn't until Cake Beauty Heavy Cream Intensive Hand Repair Balm, $22, landed on my desk, that I finally found some relief and decided to retire all the other hand lotions in my extensive collection.

Not only am I in love with the packaging, but the vanilla scent is to die for. And you don't need to, ahem, cake this stuff on to feel its moisturizing effects. The hydrating shea butter, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and other natural ingredients, provide immediate relief to my dry hands without feeling greasy. Plus, it lasts all day. Now if only I could say the same thing about the cake in the office kitchen. --Jessica Amaris