January f*cking sucks. And February is honestly worse. It’s dark, it’s cold, and Colton’s Bachelor season is making me concerned about the state of our future. So what better way to brighten up this dreadful time than with some beauty products specially chosen to fit your zodiac sign? I mean, who doesn’t love a little customization, especially when your horoscope is involved?
Aries
SKINFOOD Black Sugar Mask Wash Off
Although a spa day probably doesn’t sound like the best use of your precious time, it’s good to put that hard-working mind to rest for a bit, Aries. You’re courageous, so you’re totally into trying new products, but you’re also super impatient and can’t afford to sit and soak all day. SKINFOOD has been creating food-based beauty products since 1957, so you can bet they’ve perfected their method by now. This sugar-based exfoliating mask will have you feeling rejuvenated and refreshed in less than 20 minutes.
Taurus
Love Beauty and Planet Murumuru Butter Rose Blooming Color Shampoo
You’re super responsible, Taurus, so your beauty products should be too. Love Beauty And Planet has the most luscious and sweet-smelling shampoo. Your practical self can find this shampoo at your local Ulta for under ten dollars. It’s also sulfate-free so it won’t ruin your Keratin-drenched locks or newly colored hair. The best part? It’s infused with a ton of organic sh*t, has not been tested on animals, and comes in a bottle made of 100% recycled plastic. How boho of you, Taurus.
Gemini
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
While being a social butterfly has its perks, most social events you’ve been attending involve an indulgent amount of alcohol. So let’s give your liver a break and show your dried-out skin some love. Like you, the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is gentle and affectionate, smoothing out your dehydrated skin. Don’t let your indecisiveness keep you from trying this product. Besides, it’s basically a cult classic at this point, so you really can’t go wrong.
Cancer
Caudalie Vinopure Skin Perfecting Serum
Since the New Year, you’ve been in go-mode. Whether that be in your career, relationships, or Insta-stalking abilities, you’ve been putting a ton of effort into your passions. With that, though, can come some neglect, specifically of your face. Skipping a few morning face washes? Thought so. This lightweight Caudalie serum has everything you need in one bottle. The salicylic acid base flushes out excess oil, tightens your pores, and activates your skin’s natural glow.
Leo
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter
You’re stubborn as hell, Leo, so I can’t convince you of much, but if you want one beauty product in your life right now, it’s Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter. With colors to complement every skin tone and type, this highlighter takes any flat-faced makeup look to the next f*cking level. Even if you don’t want to admit it, we all know you’re dramatic AF, so don’t deny your makeup look of the same impact. So try and listen to someone other than yourself for once, Leo—I promise it’ll pay off.
Virgo
Guerlain Cils D’Enfer Maxi Lash Volume Creating Curl Sculpting Mascara
It’s been a rocky start to the New Year, Virgo, but things are finally turning around for you. Your constant anxiety will probably subside, but if it doesn’t, let’s at least make you look like you’ve got your sh*t together. In my mind, a great mascara can fix practically anything. My go-to is always Guerlain’s Mascara Cils D’Enfer. Getting this mascara in any other color than black is a sin. Their serum is one of the darkest I’ve ever used, which is perfect for your all-black wardrobe, Virgo. It’s reliable and loyal, just like you, so it’s worth the splurge.
Libra
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
You may be the queen of fairness, Libra, but lately you’ve been acting like a bad bitch. And we love it on you. To match your bold new attitude (without straying too far from your comfort zone), try out a classy and defined brow look. The best of the bunch? Anastasia Brow Wiz. With its fine tip and waxy formula, you’ll get an Insta-worthy brow every time. Even when life takes you for a turn, your harmonious personality can come through in the symmetry of your eyebrows—cause life is better with perfect brows.
Scorpio
It’s cold as ice, and I’m not talking about your heart, Scorpio. In this frigid weather you’ll have to be taking extra good care of yourself, because we all know how f*cking dramatic you get every time you catch a cold. It’s annoying. Instead, take a nice warm bath with a Lush Big Blue Bath Bomb. This lavender and lemon-scented bomb fills your bath with ocean-blue goodness. Light a few candles, grab a book, and in no time you’ll have an Insta-worthy bath (but don’t actually post it please).
Sagittarius
Tom Ford Shadow Extreme Eye Shadow
Ever since the start of 2019, you’ve been overly generous with your time, Sagittarius. So it’s okay to be a little selfish as we slip into the icy month of February. While it may seem pricey for an eyeshadow, the Tom Ford Shadow Extreme Eye Shadow has been voted Allure’s best in beauty, so it’s totally worth the extra bucks. Choose from an array of vivacious and flirty colors that only a Sagittarius like yourself could pull off. It’s time to start putting yourself first again, so bring on the bold eyes.
Capricorn
NEOM Organics London Perfect Night’s Sleep Face Oil
It’s been an exhausting past few months for you, Capricorn, and as self-disciplined as you are, you haven’t been the most responsible. Ever since that office holiday party, you’ve gone just a touch too hard (did I say a touch? How about a slap). Ending off the month, it’s time for you to re-find your ~zen~ space. The NEOM Organics London Perfect Night Sleep Face Oil is full of rejuvenating vitamins. It also encourages sleep (IDK how, I’m not a scientist) so you’ll be getting those eight hours in without stress.
Aquarius
Take Me For Pomegranate Lip Whip
Happy birth month, Aquarius! You know what that means? A big-ol’ birthday present for yourself. You’re an independent and unique woman, so buying yourself a gift can be a little tricky. We know you don’t want to go for anything too mainstream. Beauty Bakerie is an adorable indie makeup brand that packages and names all of their products in the theme of food or baking (could it get any cuter?). Get that bold birthday lip look with their Take Me For Pomegranate lip whip. Bonus: it’s vegan, paraben- and cruelty-free, and smudge-proof.
Pisces
James Charles X Morphe Dare To Create Artistry Pallet
It’s time to get creative with your beauty game. With an artistic mind like yours, Pisces, you have the ability to pull off wild makeup looks that none of us mere mortals could ever dream of doing. This is why you need to get yourself the James Charles x Morphe Dare To Create Artistry Pallet. Your distrusting ways may give you hesitation about this purchase, but thousands of happy customers can’t be wrong. The colors are super pigmented and are perfect for unleashing your wildest side. Even though the palette is currently sold out, you can add yourself to an email list. Besides, you have to work on your patience anyways.
Images: SKINFOOD; Murumuru; Neutrogena; Becca; Caudalie; Guerlain; Anastasia; Lush; Tom Ford; NEOM; Beauty Bakerie; Morphe/Ulta
Betches may receive a portion of revenue if you click a link and purchase a product or service. The links are independently placed and do not influence editorial content.
No one likes crusty lips. They aren’t attractive, make you look like you ate sand for breakfast, and can cause your lips to bleed—making everyone you run into question whether or not a vampire kid. It’s true. The bleeding, dryness, and generally chapped appearance that you’re struggling with is actually the fault of many of the ingredients present in some lip balm, making a bad situation worse. According to Style Caster and dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD, “Lip balms with humectants such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin make lips worse … these ingredients pull moisture out of the skin, especially in a dry environment, and then the water evaporates away.” But before you throw away everything with a humectant, Baumann goes on to say that as long as the product has occlusive ingredients like shea butter, beeswax, and some oils, you’ll be fine. Those ingredients help hold water, so the two things can work together.
Here are the best and worst lip balms for you as we (barely) trek into spring.
The Best Lip Balms
Tatcha Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm
Are you bougie enough to wear gold flecked lip balm? Duh. Allure awarded this brand with a Best of Beauty stamp for 2017 thanks to its high content of vitamins, fatty acids (amazing for your lips), and hydration powers.
Aquaphor Lip Repair Healing Ointment
It can be used for eczema, which proves it’s perfect for calming down the dry, chapped, and cracked lips that have come to be our go-to accessory this winter. It isn’t fancy, tinted, it comes in a cute tube—which makes it super legit in our book, and NY Mag’s, apparently, too. Don’t worry, it’s great for sensitive skin.
Smith’s Rosebud Salve
Tinted, minty, and used by our favorite weirdos, the Olsen twins, Smith’s Rosebud Salve is amazing because it can be used ANYWHERE your face is chapped. It also has a super slight tint—perfect for rubbing into lips and cheeks for a nice, subtle glow. NY Mag, HuffPost, and Total Beauty can’t all be wrong.
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm
Allure loves it, The Fashion Spot loves it, HuffPost loves it, so you should, too. With a combo of shea butter, vitamin E, AND sunscreen, you definitely need to start using this lip balm. It goes on a super smooth, and actually heals your lips as opposed to just coating them in weird chemicals.
Fresh Sugar Lip Hydrating Balm
This tinted and slightly shiny balm is listed on several sites including The Fashion Spot, Style Caster, and BeautyEditor as a great chapped lip treatment. It does contain several of the no-no ingredients like fragrances and perfumes, but the high percentage of natural oils derived from apricot, grapeseed, and black currant helps to moisturize even the crustiest lips.
Vaseline
Sometimes you just need something simple that will get the job done. Even if you’re not using the ~fancy~ new Vaseline lip tins that come in varieties like Aloe and Cocoa Butter, this product has been with you since day one. Probably literally—I bet you still have that 10 gallon tub of Vaseline you bought in 2008. Vaseline is the ultimate ride or die, and it’s good for your lips, too.
The Worst
We’re by no means saying don’t, like, EVER use these three, but we’re putting it out there that the internet says they aren’t so great. So, like, buyer beware.
Carmex
It isn’t going to kill you, doesn’t contain formaldehyde, and doesn’t contain cut glass. According to The Cut, though, the reason it may be irritating or making your lips drier is due to the benzocaine (which many people are allergic to) and the salicylic acid (which you’ll recognize from every acne product ever). The higher levels of menthol feel cool on your lips, but can actually dry them out further.
Chapstick
Sigh. Unfortunately for those of us who pick up packs of this classic and been-around-forever lip balm, Chapstick is likely making your lips worse. It kind of just sits on the top of your lips without actually healing it, causing you to constantly reapply. If you want a classic, plain, normal lip healer and helper, go for the Vaseline or Aquaphor.
EOS Lip Balm
HEAR ME OUT. I know we all love the little spherical shapes and pastel colors of these cutesy lip balms. But don’t forget the lawsuit from January 2016, which alleged this product caused blistering, rashes, and other negative effects for one user.
The case was quickly settled, but by November there were at least 10 more class action suits which EOS also settled alleging the same blistering, rashes, and other not-cute side effects. You and I may use EOS with little to no issue, but it’s worth mentioning that two lawsuits and a lot of people in the past few years have claimed something is up with these lip balms.
Images: RW Studios /Unsplash
