A few months ago I did a ‘my summer essentials’ post - which can be seen here - and so I thought I’d follow up with a post of my essentials for the colder months since we have now been swept into the depths of winter here in England - I'm already bored of the cold and can't wait for summer to return.

I love candles all year round but particularly in winter they are a must for me. There’s nothing better than cosy-ing up after a cold day with a blanket, a mug of tea - how very British of me - and a good movie with a candle burning in the background. This one from the white company is one of my favourites and I buy one every year. The candles from the white company in general are amazing but for me the scent ‘winter’ - which is only released during winter, obviously - is my all time favourite. It’s the perfect blend of cinnamon, clove and orange that isn’t too overpowering like some spicy scents can be. The best thing about the candles from the white company is that even when they aren’t burning you can smell them and you only need to burn them for an hour or so at time so you definitely get your moneys worth. They’re also made from organic material so they don’t smoke and leave black soot on your wall like silicon based candles do - e.g. Yankee candles.

A great lip balm should always be on hand during winter as dry and chapped lips are undesirable and to pair with this a good lip scrub is also a necessity. I’ve done a review of the lush lip scrub before - which can be seen here - but it really is the best. It’s priced well and they last ages - I still have the same pot as when I reviewed it. They also have a range of flavours if the sweetness of bubblegum isn’t your thing. You can’t go wrong with Carmax when it comes to lip balm. They’ve been around for years with a range of different products for different needs. I apply this one every night before bed as an intensive re-hydration treatment. I also love this tinted lip balm which I like to use throughout the day by Blistex.

Winter is the time to switch out your pastel and brightly coloured nail varnishes for more muted and darker tones. My favourites include this offering from Barry M. I’ve mentioned these belly hi-shine nail varnishes a number of times before - a review can be seen here - so I won't talk about it too much as you're probably sick of hearing about them but this colour in ‘plum’ is perfect for winter.

Hand cream is essential during winter especially if you hate wearing gloves like I do - it’s impossible to use an iPhone when you’re wearing gloves, even if they are smartphone friendly - as cold air and brisk winds dry out your skin. I don’t usually bother with hand cream at any other time of year so I haven’t tried that many but hand food from Soap and Glory does the job for me. The scent of Soap and Glory products is always hit and miss with me - I can’t stand the scent of their hand sanitiser - however, the scent of hand food isn’t as strong nor as sweet which I much prefer and can bare.

Bright lips are out and dark lips are in for winter. I love the new re-vamped Rimmel moisture rich lipsticks. My favourite shade is 330 Sloane’s plum. It’s a gorgeous deep purple shade that’s perfect for winter and as it’s ‘moisture rich’ they moisturise your lips throughout the day instead of drying them out like many lipsticks can do.

What are your essentials for winter?

~ Jade xx