“Dry”
“Very dry”
“Dry and itchy”
“Dry and ashy”
“Drier than toast”
“Fatter and dryer”
“Cold!”

Yikes! These were YOUR responses to our Facebook/Twitter fill in the blank on Monday:

“In the winter, my skin gets _________.”

Oh, winter, why must you be so harsh? What did our skin ever do to you?  The winter’s pretty, but when it comes to our pretty faces, we are always desperately seeking the cure. So, after you indulge in your winter-ready facial, the key is to have the best possible face and body moisturizing  products in your beauty arsenal to shield against the wind, the snow and the frigid cold. (Unless you’re down south, in which case we don’t want to hear a word from your lucky, ne’er-frostbitten self.)

Bloggers get to play with all the latest products, so to get the scoop on the best moisturizers on the market for the 2011-2012 season of freezing your tuchas off, we asked some of our favorite beauty bloggers:

What face and body moisturizers will you be using this winter, and why?

Sarah from Beauty Banter says:

Face: I am eternally loyal to Amore Pacific’s Moisture Bound Vitalizing Creme. Come winter – it is hydrating without being greasy and leaves my skin looking so healthy.

Body: It’s always changing but one of my favorite body lotions for the season is Level Naturals Body Butter. It’s a delicious shea butter concoction that is ultra moisturizing for even the harshest days of winter. Currently using the grapefruit bergamot but lusting over the lavender chamomile as well.

Jessica of Beauty Woo Me recommends:

Face: Mario Badescu Control Cream and Sophyto Multivitamin Facial Serum.

Body: Coconut oil, Weleda Calendua Oil and Emma Hardie Amazing Face Rejuvenating Cream. Yes, I use it on my body! All amazing. I have hideously sensitive, easily reddened, rosacea-prone, acne-prone, perpetually superficially dehydrated skin and these all work miracles for me!

Jamie from The Beauty of Life Blog loves:

Face: I’ve been in love with Lierac Creme Mesolift for YEARS. It’s hydrating and extremely moisturizing, which is great when falling temperatures wreak havoc on my skin.

Body: I’ve actually been using Johnson’s Baby Oil Gel! It’s done wonders for my ashy legs and parched, raw elbows.

Romy Raves about:

Face: The Serum & Shea Cream by Elizabeth Dehn. This is my dry winter skin fighting dynamic duo created by a fabulous beauty blogging sista! First, I apply one pump of the super-potent lightweight serum that contains a luxurious blend of plant oils and essential fatty acids that restore and rejuvenate my skin, then I follow it up with this yummy rich velvety soft cream that moisturizes and replenishes my parched skin.

Body: Votre Vu SnapDragon Crème. I adore this yummy tropical smoothie scented antioxidant-rich citrus body crème because it wonderfully hydrates my dehydrated winter skin and it’s infused with fabulous anti-aging ingredients.

Amber the Beauty Blogging Junkie recommends:

Face: I love 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Tinted Moisturizer. It’s the only moisturizer that provides light coverage without clogging my pores and it comes in my exact vampire skin tone shade. Love.

Body: Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Lotion is a bargain, fragrance and preservative free and deflakes my sensitive skin like a dream.

Alexis of The Beauty Bean enjoys:

Face: I am using Estee Lauder’s Re-Nutriv on my face. It’s expensive, but WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY. It makes my skin soft and supple, prevents seasonal dryness and pretty much makes me feel like I’m seriously pampering myself every time I put it on. It’s luxury to the extreme.

Body: I’m using Eucerin Everday Body Lotion SPF 15 on my body – because just because it’s cold out, doesn’t mean you don’t need SPF! I especially love this one because it goes on smoothly like a regular lotion and doesn’t smell like sunscreen. And since melanoma runs in my family, I’m pretty much sun-phobic!

Chrissy from She Knows knows what she loves:

Face: I’m loving First Aid Beauty’s 5 In 1 Face Cream/SPF 30 this winter! I never go without SPF but some SPF moisturizers can be a little harsh on my acne-prone skin, so I love that the light, non-greasy feel of this moisturizer and the fact that it’s formulated without parabens or other harsh chemicals!

Body: I’ve been digging Avalon Organics’s Lemon Hand & Body Lotion since the summer and plan to use it throughout the winter! The light scent reminds me of summer but this is one moisturizer that is great for dry winter skin too.

Danielle the Style & Beauty Doctor says:

Face: Since it looks like winter won’t be as harsh this year, I may use my year-round moisturizer Perricone M.D. Face Finishing Moisturizer. It contains Vitamin C Ester, DMAE, and Alpha Lipoic Acid, is great for moisturizing the skin without feeling heavy, and leaves my skin with a soft radiance. If winter does turn out to be a little harsh, I’ll use Perricone M.D. Hypoallergenic Nourishing Moisturizer made with olive polyphenols for deep hydration and super soft skin.

Body: For my body, I’ll be using LUSH Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner. It’s like the perfect medium between a lotion and a body butter, gets the skin hydrated without feeling greasy, and smells INCREDIBLE.

Laurie of Product Girl enjoys:

Face: I’m relying on the multi-tasking genius of One Love Organics Skin Savior Balm. It’s a waterless balm made with cold-pressed plant oils, vitamin E, vanilla extract and chia extract –smells delicious and a total treat for my face.

Body: I’m all about J.R. Watkins Naturals Grapefruit Body Oil Mist. The spray nozzle makes this the easiest body oil in the world to apply and the subtle grapefruit scent is a perfect twist to your typical citrus! And it’s only $9!

PJ, the Senior Editor of Style + Beauty at Betty Confidential, says:

Face: This winter I’m using Elizabeth Grant Vitamin C Day Treatment ($40) for day and night. Well, until the bottle runs out, then I might try something else. Check out Michelle’s recent post on her obsession with Elizabeth Grant’s Vitamin C line.

Body: I’m pretty bad about this as I’m not consistent and I know that you really need a body moisturizer for the winter time. The closest that comes to a body lotion for me (right now anyway) is the Avon Moisture Therapy hand cream ($5). It’s amazing! It immediately makes my hands soft and happy, not dry or chapped.

Mildred of Beauty Logic Blog enjoys using:

Face: Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizer. I love that this leaves my super sensitive skin incredibly hydrated, but doesn’t break me out at all.

Body: Caudalie Vine Body Butter. This contains grape seed and shea butter which leave my dry winter skin feeling so moisturized and silky and I love the light citrus scent as well.

And now from your *favorite* bloggers of all…
the 3 of us here at Spa Week Daily!

Michelle recommends:

Face: My moisturizers are on rotation and I’m always trying something new! A few weeks ago I started on Sebamed’s Moisturizing Cream for Sensitive Skin and I love how light yet protective it is at the same time. Great price too.

Body: Since 2002 I’ve been addicted to Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Lotion, and this winter will be no different. It’s inexpensive and keeps my skin soft and smooth, and a decade’s worth of friends think of me every time they smell it.

Stephanie likes:

Face: I have been using Neutrogena’s Healthy Defense Daily Tinted Moisturizer since high school and I love it! The tint helps add that soft glow back into peachy completions like mine.  Plus, it has SPF 30 which protects me from sun damage and free radicals which can make you look older and harm your skin, even during the winter!

Body: This Eucerin Calming Itch-Relief body lotion is an Analgesic (pain/itch numb-er) which instantly stops itchy and flaky skin with a soothing combo of menthol and a moisturizing oatmeal formula. This cream is perfect because it’s non-irritating, fragrance free and great to slather on right before bed after a nice warm shower.

Kimberlee uses:

Face: I typically use Cetaphil’s daily moisturizer but really had to step it up for these cold East Coast winters. Benefit’s Total Moisture Cream has been working wonderfully for my sensitive skin.

Body: I have trusted Clinique’s Body Butter for so many years – wish I could buy it in bulk!

Featured photo via sweetestdarkness.tumblr.com

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we want to do our little part to raise awareness. Many spas offer oncology massages to help breast cancer patients, among all the other ways 96% of spas are giving back. We’re also thrilled to partner with Stillwater Spa in Newport, RI for a second year for our Pink Martini Night. (If you are in the area, you’re invited!)

Women should do everything they can to prevent the disease because the facts are staggering: Each year it is estimated that nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will lose their battle. You can show your support in various ways – such as helping Melissa’s mom raise $ for her Breast Cancer Walk – and also shopping for the cure. We’ve rounded up 10 great beauty products that are donating to the cause:

Aveda will donate $4 of purchases of their Lend A Hand Relief Hand Lotion during the month of October to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

AHAVA will make a donation to The National Breast Cancer Foundation with every purchase of their Hope Blossoms Mineral Bath Salts.

For each purchase of Clinique’s best-selling moisturizer, they’ll donate $10 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

diptyque is partnering with The Pink Agenda, non-profit organization, this Breast Cancer Awareness month and donating 20% of the proceeds from their Mini Pink Rose Candle to support in the fight against breast cancer.

Elizabeth Grant International is donating 20% of the online sales during the month of October from their highly coveted Light Up Your Lips in Sweet Pink to Breast Cancer Awareness programs.

Mama Mio will donate $1 to Look Good…Feel Better for every October purchase of Boob Tube Bust and Neck Firmer made on online . A breast self-exam instructional packet is included with each purchase.

O.P.I. has created the shatter version of their Pink of Hearts nail polish and will be donating $20,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation this month.

With each purchase of this Sonia Kashuk 6-piece makeup brush set, Target is donating 15% to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Tweezerman has created a limited edition of their best-selling slant tweezers and will donate a portion of the proceeds to organizations who are in search of a cure.

Philosophy will donate a 100% of the net proceeds of their Shower For The Cure shower gel.

Photo via totalbeauty.com

Whether you’re a beauty addict or never picked up an eye pencil in your life, Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics has something for everybody. As Spa Week’s Fall 2011 Exclusive Cosmetic Sponsor, they are giving one lucky winner $500 worth of makeup products. They are the premier luxury mineral cosmetics line with plenty of options for all skin types. Feeling overwhelmed? No worries! A Youngblood professional makeup artist will help guide you in picking the right products.

Founder, Pauline Youngblood, worked as a Medical  Aesthetician where she saw first hand how harsh chemicals were damaging her client’s skin. This inspired her to develop her own mineral makeup line that would help conceal your skin’s flaws but also allow it to breathe without causing irritation.

Youngblood prides itself  on their products not containing oils, chemicals, alcohol, artificial fragrances, or dyes. They don’t do animal testing. All  products are free of talc and other fillers that can clog or irritate skin. Made from pigments from the earth, mineral cosmetics are much healthier for your skin than typical cosmetics which can contain harsh petroleum dyes.  There’s a lower risk for allergic reactions with mineral makeup which do not support the growth of bacteria or microbes. They also have sun protective properties that keep your skin healthy and youthful.

With all these wonderful qualities, Youngblood is sure to attract some fans. Their celebrity following includes Jennifer Lopez, Hayden Panettierre, Heather Locklear, Mena Suvari, Cheryl Cole, and Nina Dobrev.

Now it’s your chance to enjoy these wonderful products! Contest ends October 31, 2011 – enter here.

Column by Jenna Nicole Levine

I obviously purchase most of my beauty products on a budget; however on rare occasions I discover a product worth that bonus check splurge. The difficult part is figuring out which product is worth the extra cash, and which is just $40 for brand name recognition.  Another common scenario is your best friend highly recommends a $26 bottle of face wash that she claims is incredible, so you drop a Benjamin only to find out this amazing face wash causes you to break out. That pricey wash gets buried in the beauty graveyard known as your medicine cabinet, and you shed a single tear for its demise.  Don’t cry my friends, there is a simple solution: try before you buy.

You may wonder how one goes about sampling these high end products for free. Let’s go back to the scenario where your friend recommends Super Bright Eyes by Dr. Nicholas Perricone which runs $50 for .5oz. With this product title in hand, head on down to your local Sephora, and simply ask a store representative for a sample of the product. They don’t always have them, but if they do, you’re golden.Now you can test out your $50 eye cream for a few days to see if it’s worth the cash.

If you have an affinity for high end products, but not the budget, sign up for a service such as Birchbox. (Featured on Spa Week Daily!) For $10 you get high-quality handpicked samples delivered to your doorstep monthly.  This service is how I discovered my new best friend, Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple face wash.

EDITOR’S NOTE (6 more ideas from Michelle!):

I couldn’t resist but sharing a few of my own ideas along with Jenna’s.

1. If you’re willing to jump through a few hoops for your free beauty samples, sites like Her Beauty Samples have a lot of ways for you to get your hands on new product testers for free.

2. Another great sampling site is 3floz.com – try a bunch of travel-sized version before investing in full bottles.

3. Do beauty swaps with friends or coworkers. Trade your favorite face creams, shampoos and primers for a week, and then when you trade back you’ll possibly have a new favorite.

4. Treat your department store beauty floor like a food court. “Do you have any samples?” Wink wink.

5. Spa Week understands your desires! And we believe in full-sized products, not samples. Make sure you enter to win a ton of spa/skin/beauty products in our MONTHLY SWAG, and don’t forget that every deal on TheRightDeal.com comes with a freebie!

6. Most effectively, dear beauty junkies, if you REALLY want free products… Start. A. Beauty. Blog. I have more samples and products here than I know what to do with! (The other option would be making friends with a beauty editor. Hey, how close are we?)

Now get out there and try something new today!

Jenna Nicole Levine is a native New Yorker turned Washingtonian. When she isn’t writing about ways to save you cash on your favorite beauty treatments, you can find her living the low cost life. To read more from Jenna Nicole please visit Woman Around Town, Gal Time,  or just stop by and say hello on her twitter @Jenna_Nicole.

You may have noticed, I’m not one to gush over products. I don’t swoon for skincare and I don’t lose it over lipgloss, and if I did, you’d probably be reading about the latest moisturizer and the perfect eyelash curler here on the regular. Not my style—there are a gazillion beauty bloggers who were born for that! But that’s not to say I don’t have my many beauty secrets and product obsessions.

So, because I love you guys and think about you in my sleep (seriously!) I simply cannot hold out any longer from sharing my favorite products in world with you. Michelle’s Favorite Things it is! Also, I need a good excuse to start trying the 7,000 products stashed under my desk at work and piled up in the corner of my bedroom—the gift bag ghosts of parties past. I’ll be including a mix of tried and true favorites and all the great new stuff I come across. And I pinky swear: I will ALWAYS tell it like it is. Freebies don’t buy my love (clearly)—if I don’t love it, you won’t see me talking about it.

Today, I’m kicking off MFT (that’s the last time I’ll ever call it that) with one of my favorite simple girly rites: rosy cheeks. Summer’s a minute away and while the sun will be kissing your cheeks generously, a little extra rosiness never hurts. My skin tone calls for pinky/coral shades, and be warned: I like it on the bright side. Check out these fantastic cheek cheerer-uppers, and when you’re strapped, don’t forget you can always just give your cheeks a good strong pinch.

Posie Tint in Rose by Benefit

I’ve gone through 3 or 4 of these miraculous little Benefit cheek stains! You MUST read my Little Luxury Report for the full obsessive scoop. Apply by painting a few dabs on your cheeks, and then immediately (no stopping to check your text at this crucial moment!) with both pointer fingers at once, rub/blot it in to your upper cheeks. Say goodbye to blush! (Unless you’re like me and love the girly sensation of applying powdered blush, regardless. Read on.) - $28

Cheek to Chic Duo #5 by Napolean Perdis

I discovered this blush backstage at Elise Overland’s fashion on ice ordeal this past February. The models’ look wasn’t rosy (the freezing cold air outside The Standard did that for them) but if it was, this duo would have been perfect. I like to pile on the lighter color – it has just the right amount of hue and shimmer. The bright pink can be a bit scary if you use more than a drop, or if you’re wearing red. Use sparingly, embrace your inner Barbie. - $28

Blossom Blush in Sweet Mum (2nd color combo) by Jill Stuart

I’m not going to lie. The packaging won me over on this one. But… that’s not to say it’s not a great product. Using this blush makes me feel 5 again, playing Pretty Pretty Princess. It smells like roses and has sparkling jewels on the casing. You have to shake it strategically to get the right consistency of powder to surface on the netting, without dropping any on the floor. Five year olds love games. It goes on really softly and gently, and works well on top of a brighter color for a sweet angelic shimmer. - $57

Desire (shimmering pink) by Lorac

Every day, my coworker Dina comes in with perfectly rosy dots on her cheeks… and I may or may not have a slight crush. Blush is “her thing” and this Lorac color is her homeboy. I’ve borrowed from Dina on occasion—apply sparingly! Although I don’t own this color, this made the list because it looks darling on Dina, and I’ve also loved any Lorac products I’ve tried and find them to last longer on your skin than average -$20

Rouge Pur 52 Lipstick by YSL

Hmmm, it looks like a lipstick, quacks like a lipstick… this is indeed a lipstick. Not just any lipstick – my SOUL MATE lipstick. I love it so much, I keep one everywhere, much like people keep Chapsticks everywhere. This photo doesn’t do the color justice, it is so bright and coral and stunning! I have tried every comparable color in Sephora and Bloomingdales, and there is not one that compares to the vibrancy and splendor of my baby YSL. I wear it more in the spring and summer, but a dreary January ice storm can’t stop me from a hint of this Rouge Pur. Okay, now I’m gushing. But you are still wondering why the lipstick on the short list. Well, I’m not “recommending” you do this because it may or may have a bad reaction with your skin if it’s sensitive, but I use this as my blush all the time. Not because I ran out of Napolean Perdis, but because it simply looks the best. There. I said it. – $30

Now go get flushed, my pretties! But first, I showed you mine now show me yours – what are YOUR favorite blushes and secrets to rosy cheeks?