All of a sudden, dry skin season is here. One day my hands were fine; the next they were cracked and flaky. Fortunately, I had a tube of Make Marine Salve, $20, in my bag. I whipped it out on the train platform and rubbed it into my unsightly knuckles, and my hands were instantly silky but not greasy. This miracle balm is also great on dry lips--protecting skin with a host of natural butters and oils.

My friend Amber and I have the same hair. Sure, she's a blonde, and I'm a brunette, but our natural texture is similar, and we style our hair the same way. Close enough. When she texted to say that Hairstory New Wash, $40, was perfect for "our hair," I had to try it. While New Wash works like a cleansing conditioner, it's extremely light so it doesn't weigh down our fine hair, yet it leaves behind enough product that waves are smooth and controlled -- exactly what we need. It's especially good for static -- something we could all use some help with this time of year.

There's something charming about everything the Austin-based Seaweed Bath Co. comes out with. The packaging is cool, and the ingredients are minimalist -- except for seaweed. Lots and lots of seaweed. The company just launched facial skin care products, and The Seaweed Bath Co. Purifying Gel Cleanser, $25, is a standout. It deeply cleans without drying or stripping skin, and it's infused with marine peptides to fight free-radicals and aging.

I'm a sucker for taxidermy or a nice set of mounted antlers, so naturally this fragrance speaks to my (slightly macabre) design sensibilities. Penhaligon's Portraits The Tragedy of Lord George, $249, is rich and warm and woody like a hunting lodge, yet it has a hint of delicate soapiness. It's the perfect-for-winter fragrance I find myself reaching for every morning lately.

Skin care guru Dr. Perricone believes in some alarmingly strict dietary rules (think: goodbye coffee and dairy), but he still loves chocolate. He created the Perricone MD Cocoa Moisture Mask, $69, because cocoa has more antioxidants and blueberries or green tea -- and he thinks you should put those antioxidants on your face. This mask smells and feels like ultra thick chocolate pudding, and it leaves skin firm, bright and moisturized -- without breaking your diet.