Every night since this seasons’ chilly weather hit, I’ve gotten into bed in my little New York City apartment and happily turned to face my night stand. I’ve stocked it well with items to help me beat the negative effects of winter that hit both my skin and my psyche pretty intensely.

First I light a candle. I have a number of different scents to which I’m drawn, and although I generally gravitate towards both smokey, musky, rich amber, as well as bright citrus scents, my olefactory system sometimes surprises me and I find a new scent, or combination of scents that draw me in.

I’m not usually a fan of ylang ylang, but when the very sweet and knowledgable owner of O& N Collective told me she thought I’d like this big, sexy candle encased in black glass from Neom Organics, I thought I’d give it a try. To my surprise, both my boyfriend and I love the gentle scent of Ylang Ylang, Frankincense and Patchouli it leaves lingering, and I love watching the lights dance on the wicks in the atypical dark glass container.

It wasn’t until last year that I came to like the smell of lavender. I don’t know why I never liked it, but I always felt like such an outcast.  I don’t think I ever really appreciated  it until I experienced first-hand the calming and centering effects of the lovely little purple flower. Maybe it wasn’t until this past year that I needed help being calm and centered…. ha!

This delightful all natural brand called Moska makes a delicious lavender and bergamot body oil that I now look forward to inhaling deeply as I rub it into my dry-as-a-bone skin. I read that inhaling essential oils deeply three times is the fastest way to alter your mood. I absolutely find this to be the case, as I cup my hands around my face and inhale over and over until my wintertime blues melt away and I feel my shoulders relax down my back.

Also from Moksa is one of my favorite creams around: Organic Key Lime Body Butter. I don’t just like the texture, and I don’t just like the scent; it’s the pairing of the two that makes me a little bit drunk with happiness. It’s moisturizing, but it has a good deal of arrowroot powder in it, making it a consistency like no other. It’s my go-to when I don’t want to be too greasy, yet I know I need some serious moisture, and I need to lock it in as long as I can. Sometimes I oil up and then use the cream on top of the oil, which creates such a fantastic swirl of scents I hate to go to sleep and miss out on enjoying them!

Moving on, you’ll see two products that I not only have on my nightstand, but in my makeup on-set bag, as well. They’re from a super adorable and very dedicated to all-natural company called Zoe Organics. You have to watch their video – it made me tear up the first time I watched it because Zoe is just so darn sweet. The refresh oil is great first thing in the morning, particularly if I’m having trouble putting my feet on the ground, and I love to share it with the photoshoot crew when we’re all dragging after lunch. A few dabs on the wrist or the neck will do wonders for my mood.

I’ve found their Everything Balm to be the best thing ever when I desperately need to hydrate the tops of my hands but leave my palms and fingertips dry to work on my laptop or smartphone. All of the moisture, without any of the smeary mess! Plus the soft scent of essential oils is a great relaxer.

Finally, you see there a teeny little singing bowl peeking out behind the products on the right. I really love singing bowls, big and small, and I discovered just how much I love them when I sampled what seemed like hundreds when I was in India. You can make your singing bowl ring in a number of ways, whether using a mallet on the side, or your finger along the top edge. Depending upon the types of metals, and their shape and thickness, they sound dramatically different. I love the way they alter the vibration in the room and inside of me.  You may be rolling your eyes and calling me a kooky new age hippy but I don’t care one bit – you have to try it for yourself and then we can exchange a knowing smile as we settle into a more relaxed state of being.

A big thank you to Michelle, the owner and creator of O&N Collective for introducing me to these great skincare and home products and more. You should check out her online store and order yourself some treats.

Oh! I also really love the soaps from Moksa (but I don’t keep them on my nightstand, obviously). They’re hydrating and smell incredible.