As I've gotten older, my hair has gotten thinner. And I've become extremely paranoid about hair loss -- as in balding. The average person loses about 100 hairs a day from natural shedding, and while I've never actually counted the hairs in my brush, I've been tempted. So when I heard that Alterna Haircare Caviar Clinical Daily Densifying Foam, $36, could save me up to 1,300 strands a month, I started doing the math (if I lose 3,000 strands a month now, I could save more than a third of those) and started using the foam. It gives my hair body and softness and I think I've already noticed a difference in the amount I'm shedding. It might be all in my head (pun intended), but I'm much less tempted to count the strands in my brush, and that's worth a lot.

If you've ever tried to achieve the "sucking on a popsicle" lip look (makeup enthusiasts know what I'm talking about, right?), then you've probably used stains, lipsticks and saturated balms -- only to fall short of the ultimate goal. The result either looks like you're wearing product (which it shouldn't) or it doesn't last through lunch. Meme Time on My Lip in Pink, $12, is the popsicle-lip lip stain we've all been looking for. It's a watery stain in a bright pink shade, and even when it's freshly applied, it looks like it's been there for a while. Naturally, it's imported from Korea -- leave it to those beauty geniuses to finally crack the code.

I could go on and on about the holidays being the most wonderful time of the year. I love the family time and the traditions and the music. (I really, really love the music.) It's as if, just for a day or two, my not-so-perfect life resembles a Norman Rockwell painting -- if only slightly. Kiehl's is betting lots of people feel the same way (or at least love Norman Rockwell) with their limited edition version of Kiehl's Creme de Corps, $29.50. The bottles are adorned with a holiday Rockwell motif, and proceeds benefit Feeding America -- an organization through which Kiehl's will be providing 1 million meals to people in need. So even if you're not a Rockwell fan, you get an awesome moisturizer and you can feel great about your purchase.

I've been slathering myself in Body Shop Body Butter for decades, which might explain why I've always thought of the Body Shop as a body brand. So I was surprised -- in the best possible way -- when they launched Body Shop Colour Crush Nail Polish, $8. There are 24 great shades, the formulas are vegan and they're enriched with fair trade marula oil to keep your nails strong and hydrated. I'm already planning a weekend DIY mani-pedi -- with my body butter, too, of course.

I recently attended a fascinating lecture about gene expression. The most captivating part explained that scientists have discovered a link between what your mother ate when she was pregnant with you and the way some of your genes display themselves -- contributing to things like cancer and Alzheimer's. (Naturally, I called my mother immediately after the lecture, only to learn that she ate dozens of hotdogs when I was in utero. I'm screwed.)

I found the research behind The Organic Pharmacy Gene Expression Lifting Serum, $330, to be similarly fascinating. The serum is packed with 10 active ingredients that aim to minimize -- or even reverse -- genetic and environmental aging. Grape stem cell extract protects cells from UV damage; glucosamine and aloe reduce inflammation and vegetable peptides work to smooth wrinkles and lift sagging skin. There are pages and pages of research packed into one bottle -- and it has a beautiful pearlescent quality that gives your skin an instant glow. Basically, it's the opposite of a hotdog.