This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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It's easy to feel blue in February. Chances are, wearing layers is getting very annoying, you haven't had iced coffee in way too long, and your skin is starting to look like the Gray Spell in Halloweentown. While it seems like nothing could make the end of winter feel any better, a little exfoliation and a fresh manicure is an easy way to use self-care to lift your spirits — at least until Daylight Savings begins on March 8th.
Luckily, every month our favorite beauty retailers stock their shelves with new offerings, many of which we put to the test early. In February, our favorites included a brightening toner, neutral nail polish set, and more formulas that have, at a minimum, kept us busy indoors. Click ahead for a full round-up of all the products that made February's cold weather and overcast skies (slightly more) bearable.
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Saie Glowy Super Gel
“I first discovered this cute new makeup brand through its 101 Mascara, which is the only clean formula I’ve found that lengthens and defines my lashes but doesn’t give me raccoon eyes by 3pm. It’s great, but if I'm picking a brand favorite, it would be the new Glowy Super Gel. It’s that perfect skin-care-meets-makeup hybrid: I rub the watery, pearlescent gel across my complexion between moisturizer and makeup for a dewy, post-facial glow. Honestly, in a pinch, it's the only makeup I need." — Megan Decker, Beauty Writer
Saie Glowy Super Gel, $, available at Saie
Victoria Beckham Beauty Cell Rejuvenating Power Serum
"From a technological perspective, there's a reason this serum is $200 — and it's not because it has Victoria Beckham's label. Created in partnership with German scientist Augustinus Bader, this apple cider vinegar-smelling concoction comes with Bader's patented TFC8 technology. In layman's terms, this tech aids in your skin's natural turnover process, so whatever it needs — maybe you have a crusty acne scar or clogged pores on your nose — the synthesized molecules call the skin's repair systems into action to fix what's out of balance. So yes, it's expensive, but I know why, and I will say I haven't had a breakout since I started using it…" — Decker
Victoria Beckham Beauty Cell Rejuvenating Power Serum, $, available at Victoria Beckham Beauty
Dr. Loretta Urban Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 40
"I've always tried to find easy ways to include sunscreen in my skin-care routine without having to actually apply sunscreen — and this might be my favorite attempt so far. The silky formula feels soft on the skin, blurs like a primer, and doesn't make me break out. Fast forward a month and I haven't gone a a day without it. I think this is called adulthood?" — Thatiana Diaz, Senior Beauty Writer
Dr. Loretta Urban Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 40, $, available at Dr. Loretta
Versed Weekend Glow Daily Brightening Solution
"As a former pimple popper, post-breakout marks dot my face as the ultimate reminder of my skin-care sins. So when Versed dropped a dark-spot lightening toner, I was sold. It's gentle enough to use every day, and in one month, I've seen a difference in tone and texture. It's like a glow potion in a bottle." — Diaz
Versed Weekend Glow Daily Brightening Solution, $, available at Target
PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Concealer
"Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a stan for the PAT McGRATH LABS Sublime Perfection Foundation. So, when the brand announced it was launching a concealer, my expectations were high. Spoiler alert: It delivers the same filter-like, glowy radiance as the foundation. I only use it where necessary (like the corners of my eyes or over blemishes), and when used with my beloved foundation, it's a winning combo that hurts me to wipe off at night." — Diaz
PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Concealer, $, available at Sephora
Nails Inc. Keep It Tonal Nail Polish Set
"As much as I love going to the nail salon, sometimes, nothing beats an at-home manicure from the comfort of your couch (and Netflix queue). This super chic set of four polishes has some of the most gorgeous warm neutrals I’ve seen in quite some time, and it's perfect for getting that trendy, one-color-on-each-nail look. (They also stand on their own, though, if you're a polish purist.) Plus, at $22 for four full-size bottles, it’s a serious deal." — Karina Hoshikawa, Beauty & Wellness Market Writer
Nails Inc. Keep It Tonal Nail Polish Set, $, available at Sephora
JINsoon Hyper Gloss
"Another product I was majorly into last month is Jinsoon’s new quick-dry top coat. I’ve tried pretty much every fancy and affordable formula out there, and so far, this one beats them all. It actually dries in a matter of minutes, but most importantly, stays shiny and glossy for an entire week. I recently sat down with Jinsoon Choi herself at the R29 offices and even she was blown away by the results." — Hoshikawa
JINsoon Hyper Gloss, $, available at Materiae
Bumble And bumble Pret-a-Powder Post Workout Dry Shampoo Mist
"I try to workout a couple times a week, and even though I switch things up between the treadmill and my rotation of go-to ClassPass studios, this product has become the one constant in my routine. Bumble and bumble’s newest dry shampoo — brought to life by a new campaign with the USWNT’s Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris — isn’t a dry shampoo at all, but rather a bi-phase mist that helps absorb sweat and clean hair without any chalky or starchy result, which can sometimes happen when I use a dry product on sweaty strands. And to those wondering whether it has that iconic Pret-a-Powder scent, the answer is of course!" — Hoshikawa
Bumble and bumble Pret-a-Powder Post Workout Dry Shampoo Mist, $, available at Sephora
Matrix Total Results Dark Envy Red Neutralization Mask
"I have dark, dark hair that desperately wants to be red: Every subtle balayage highlight and naturally sun-kissed strand goes bright and brassy in the time it takes to mix up a bowl of toner. This neutralizing, color-correcting mask could not be more suited to my needs — or effective in curbing the rusty tones that show up at every opportunity. Five minutes with this treatment (which you really should wear gloves to apply), and my color goes back to the cool, nuanced dark brown I've paid good money for it to be." — Rachel Krause, Deputy Beauty Director
Matrix Total Results Dark Envy Red Neutralization Mask, $, available at Ulta Beauty
ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
"I've tried enough skin tints, tinted moisturizers, and 'complexion perfectors' to tell you, hand to God, that this is one of the very best. It's packed with skin-care ingredients like niacinamide and squalane, provides an unprecedented SPF 40 via non-nano zinc oxide, and covers blemishes and under-eye circles better than you'd expect. Plus, it's silicone-free, fragrance-free, chemical screen-free, oil-free, non-comedogenic, vegan, and available in 18 shades that are sheer enough to adapt to multiple skin tones. There's a learning curve to applying it (I recommend placing a few drops on the back of your hand and using your fingertips to pat it all over your face until blended) and the finish may be a little too dewy for some, but it's nothing that can't be fixed with a little setting powder. Other than that, it's fundamentally perfect, and while it's not cheap, I anticipate this little bottle will last me months." — Krause
ILIA Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, $, available at Ilia
Odele Leave-in Conditioner
"The perfect high-low combo isn’t a Birkin bag with Levi’s jeans or a Burberry trench with a pair of Converse, it’s this under-$12 leave-in treatment and my Dyson Airwrap. On towel-dried hair, I spritz whichever volumizing spray is physically closest to me at my roots, then work two pumps of this lightweight lotion through my lengths and ends before I use the big curling barrel to whip my fine, frizzy hair into shape. My hair typically falls flat by midday, no matter how much product I put in it, but the definition and added protein from this formula holds my loose curls in place better than any other leave-in I’ve ever tried. The result is lush, bouncy volume and waves that actually last." — Krause
Odele Leave-in Conditioner, $, available at Odele Beauty
Maybelline Nudes Of New York Eyeshadow Palette
"TK." — Cat Quinn, Beauty Director
Maybelline Nudes Of New York Eyeshadow Palette, $, available at Target
J.R. Watkins Cleansing Oud Hand Elixir
"TK." — Quinn
J.R. Watkins Cleansing Oud Hand Elixir, $, available at Ulta Beauty
Tracie Martyn Firming Serum
"TK." — Quinn
Tracie Martyn Firming Serum, $, available at DermStore
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