The holiday season is full of life’s “little things,” like cinnamon in your coffee, the smell of pine needles in your living room, and rosy circles on your kids’ cheeks. And sometimes, those little things can be not just wonderfully delightful, but also downright practical—think, snuggly socks and heated seats.
So, a treat for your senses and your sensibility? That’s worthy of recommendation in our book. And maybe it’s one that will make your winter days just a tiny bit brighter.
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From our very own, Jenny Bremer:
Well folks, it’s happening: Starbucks PSLs have given way to Peppermint Lattes, the ice skating rink is open at Rockefeller Center, and “Sweater Weather” advertising is in full swing.
As any good Game of Thrones fan would tell you, winter is here.
And for me and many other poor souls, winter is synonymous with Dry Hand Season. Every year it’s the same—no sooner do I bring my scarves out of storage, then my poor knuckles start to crack and my cuticles get as parched as the Sahara. But all that’s about to change, because I’ve discovered the best kept secret of hand therapy: Trader Joe’s A Midsummer Night’s Cream!
Here I thought Trader Joe’s was just a place to stock up on delicious Chocolate Brooklyn Babka or mind-bogglingly refreshing Organic Moroccan Mint Green Tea; I’ve been naively passing by the personal care aisle on my way to raid the Syrah-Soaked Toscano Cheese. But this summer I read about this moisturizing hand cream, and knew I had to try it. Not only am I a fan of a good Bard-based pun, but the formula contains all the good stuff you’d expect in a moisturizer (aloe vera, avocado oil, jojoba oil), and it’s all-natural, vegan, and of course, never animal-tested. And at $3.99 for a 16oz. bottle, the price can’t be beat.
Before I learned about the TJ’s cream, I had recently been swindled into buying a $100 bottle of luxury hand balm from a NY boutique. Don’t ask me what came over me, but good news about this bad decision was that I had the opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison! Over-Priced Hand Balm smells nice and makes me feel like a Parisian princess when I lather it on, but Midsummer Night’s Cream leaves my hands feeling just as silky smooth with no oily residue. It’s billed as “unscented,” but it actually has a very mild, fresh scent with no perfume-y odor. All-in-all, Midsummer Night’s Cream is a great product for an incredible value, and it gives Over-Priced Hand Balm a run for its money. I’ll be sticking with it long after the snow has melted and the Peppermint Lattes have cooled.
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