Raging Against The Radiator Guide
February 2026
Our lips are dry, our hair is dry, and our skin is definitely dry. Unfortunately for us, we live in one of those old NYC apartments that have radiators that sound like someone is banging pots in our room, and even more unfortunately for us, it is placed right next to our bed, personally attacking our skin and destroying our moisture barrier every time we sleep. Oh, but don’t you worry, due to this annoying little problem, we have been fine-tuning our skincare routine to find products that actually combat the dry winter air. Our nightstand currently looks like a very chic apothecary crossed with a lip balm shrine. Winter in New York is already rude enough without indoor desert conditions, so we’ve accepted our fate and pivoted to strategy: if the air insists on being aggressively dry, we will simply become aggressively hydrated. So if it is a war our radiator wants, we are at least going to show up prepared.
Mami Wata Barrier Strengthening Mist
Eadem
We have been really into a face mist recently, such a quick and efficient way to get a little refresh throughout the day and Eadem really knows how to set the standard with their barrier strengthening formula!
Instant Angel Facial Moisturizer
Dieux
It is so hard to find a good moisturizer these days, but Dieux never disappoints. Keeping their lipid rich facial cream as close as possible the rest of the winter.
Software Update Retinal Body Serum
Soft Services
We all know and love retinal for our face and now we can use it on our body too with Soft Services new retinal body serum!
RŌZ
When your hair feels extra dry and brittle from the cold winter air, the last thing you want to do is use heat products on it too. Absolutely obsessed with this hair serum that leaves our air dried styles looking cleaner and more put together than ever.
Seed
In a sea of prebiotic and probiotic gummies loaded with sugar and making us prone to breakouts, Seed is a breath of fresh air. We have never tried something that has worked to and makes our insides very happy.
La Roche-Posay
A balm for the days where we just can’t seem to get our eczema under control, a product that truly understands what our skin needs when nothing else seems to be working.
Versed
One of our favorite brands on the market right now. Every product seems like the answer we have been searching for. We are reaching for the cream as soon as we wake up, especially when we feel like we were slow cooked overnight.
Osea Malibu
We are so over those heavily scented moisturizers we’ve been repping since highschool, this is the year of smart skincare for the rest of our bodies too!
Dr. Idriss
Unhappy skin can mean patchy red skin, but thankfully Dr. Idriss has a new product for those who deal with frequent flushing and angry red patches.
Odele
If you have the type of hair that is chronically fizzy in the summer, dangerously dry in the winter, both, or anything in between, this Moisture Mask is a bad hair day’s worst nightmare.
Skinfix
Vitamin C serums are a renewed skin care trend this season and for good reason. Why we ever stopped using it is a mystery to us, but Skinfix’s serum has brought us back to the light with this serum.
Caudalíe
For the people who want to be tan so bad but every non-irritating self tanning drop still breaks the out, Caudelie’s sun drops are the answer. A subtle summer glow without the build-up.
Clarins
Toner is personally our most skipped skincare step, but a toner and a lotion in one? Sign us up. The perfect post shower or mid-day pick-me-up when you need a break from all the heavy creams and intense serums.
Clarins
Whenever we need to let our eyes breath after days of fake lashes we have been gravitating towards this mascara. It gives that long lash look and it washes off so easy so you avoid any extra eye irritation or rashiness that can come with extensive eye product use.
Skin Gym
While we still love a good cold plunge or putting our face in cold water, this ice roller has become our new best friend. No longer do we need to fill up a whole bowl or pay for a pricy membership to get the benefits of icing our skin.
Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads
Elemis
Facial pads were never something we thought we needed in our lives until we met these. We find ourselves craving the clean feeling we get after using them, and they are the perfect addition to our post-makeup removal routine.
byAVA
We have spent some serious money on lymphatic drainage massages over the years, and when we found a product that helps us do it at home? We became obsessed immediately. Post-shower or post-workout, this tool has become a necessity in our lives.
Night Renewer Glycolic Acid Cream
Maelove
Ever wish you could go to bed and wake up feeling like you just got a facial? While we are here to tell you it’s possible. We swear that after putting on this Night Renewer cream before bed, we wake up with significantly reduced acne and a glow that lasts all day long.
The Skinny Confidential
Good quality sleep is just as important for our skin as anything else. Mouth tape has really changed the game, but we have been searching for a long time for one that is both comfortable and effective. We have finally found it!
Odele
There’s a serious gap in the market for effective skin care products for people who suffer from eczema across their bodies, not just their face. Especially one that actually smells good. This product is a true gold mine, and we can’t recommend it highly enough.
Glow Recipe
In a world of thousands of lip balms and products, we are rarely impressed by anything new we try these days. Glow Recipe shocked us with not only how vibrant the colors are but also with how effective it is. Well done, Glow Recipe, well done.
U Beauty
The name “Super Hydrator” definitely caught our eye during product testing, and we are happy to report it lives up to its name. A luxe edition to our skin care routine, but one we may just have to keep splurging on, it’s so good.
Dr. Diamond’s Metacine
We have been hearing lots of rumblings about plasma for skincare lately, and we got a bit curious. Is it pricey? Yes, but we can definitely see how it could save so much money in the long run by improving our skin so much that we are already spending less on makeup and skincare because of it.
The Ordinary
Whoever said you will have your worst breakouts as a teenager obviously never lived in an old apartment building with a radiator. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is react, and the best way to target the acne that does find its way to your face is with this Salicylic Acid solution.