As we all dive headfirst into the holidays and in these early days of Hanukkah, we search for quick tricks to make our skin radiant, create seamless holiday crafts and entertain snappily yet fit for a king! Here are my tips, as seen on a recent segment of WJLA’s Let’s Talk Live!

NIVEA LIP CARE

Winter’s beautiful, photographic moments call for supple, shiny lips. I’ve long loved Nivea Lip Care (Mint & Minerals is my refreshing go-to for snow days – in my ski jacket right now as a matter of fact!), and the latest offering features its signature shea butter with a hint of real fruit extract that gives a touch of color. I like it because it enhances your natural lip shade without overwhelming and looks really natural. The choices include Watermelon, Peach and the berries: Blackberry, Strawberry and Cherry. Everyone at the studio was hovering over my display, and I only escaped with one for my tween daughter’s stocking!

$2.49, Ulta and drugstores, Niveausa.com

EUCERIN ADVANCED REPAIR CREAM

With sharp changes in the weather, my kids notice marked differences in their eczema-prone skin: redness, bumps, rashes, irritation. Generally, the winter becomes a time of increased moisturization for my family. After a hot bath or shower, this repair cream, which has a smooth liquid texture, is great for trapping said moisture to the skin for times when we need to tackle totally dry skin. It contains Alpha Hydroxy that both exfoliates and hydrates at the same time. The formula is fragrance-free and highly absorbent, and thus, non-greasy to the touch.

$12.46, CVS and drugstores, eucerinus.com

MEAD HEATSEAL 9.5” THERMAL LAMINATOR

Those who know me, know I love to laminate! And this incredibly compact and affordable ($18.79) laminator is an absolute snap to use. Simply plug in, turn on and wait approximately 3 minutes for the red indicator light to turn on so you know it’s ready to roll. The machine comes complete with some starter laminating sleeves, into which you can insert any flat project you wish to laminate, including holiday games, craft cocktail recipes, ornaments, kid artwork, photos or holiday cards. Feed into the laminator sealed edge first and before you know it, your project will be laminated.

amazon.com

RADEBERGER PILSNER BEER

When you are ready to pour a brewsky, look no further than this historic Pilsner. Founded in 1872, Radeberger is a German beer that was the first to ever brew exclusively in the Pilsner style so you can imagine the phenomenal taste. It literally means “fit for a king,” and has been the select choice for German royalty and dignitaries for the last 100 years. It pairs beautifully with cheeses, meats and appetizers, as it is crisp and refreshing. Since discovering this beer, my husband and I cannot stop drinking it and we’ve declared it our new favorite!

$8.99 for a 6-pack, $15.99 for 12 pack of slim cans, radeberger.com

WONDER DRINK PREBIOTIC KOMBUCHA

The holidays can do a number out our gut. Being half Japanese, I’ve long consumed kombucha before I even knew of any health benefits. Now the new Wonder Drink Prebiotic Kombucha adds even more reasons to drink it with a USDA Certified Organic prebiotic fiber that nourishes and feeds the probiotic bacteria that naturally exists in our bodies and makes for good gut health. Especially this time of year when we can be so harsh with our holiday eating, drinking kombucha such as this can really assist in restorative balance. Each can has only 10 grams of sugar and is vegan and gluten free too. (For clarification about the differences between prebiotics and probiotics, visit wonderdrink.com.)

$3.99 per can, 3 flavors; $5 Amazon Coupon Code; amazon.com

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