The beauty edit

The Kit’s beauty director Katherine Lalancette sees a slew of new products every day. Here she shares her latest obsessions

Skin-softening sanitizer

Is it just me or does every store’s sanitizer smell like straight tequila? Thankfully, this pretty bottle does not conjure memories of dive bars or morning regret. Rather, it’s laced with cedar, orange, lavender and rosemary, so your palms feel very chic, like someone who’s never done a body shot in their life. More importantly, it kills germs and bacteria while also pampering your skin with plant-based emollients. Paume moisturizing anti-bacterial hand gel, $50 mypaume.ca

Gentle, yet powerful pore strips

The last time I used a pore strip, I was probably staying over at a friend’s house, watching Clueless on VHS and dunking kettle chips in cream cheese. Emblazoned with starry-eyed smiley faces, this strip from buzzy brand Starface took me right back to my teens, only instead of leaving my nose redder than Cher’s Alaia dress, it ever so gently removed my blackheads. (It’s infused with witch hazel and aloe to calm inflammation.) Starface lift off pore strips, $12 (for 8), starface. world

Hair-transforming spray

Shine sprays and I have a complicated relationship. I desperately want shine, need shine, but shine sprays are often no good to me, weighing me down with their heavy baggage. But this time, it’s different. I found the one that makes good on its shiny promise and doesn’t leave me feeling all greasy and deflated. I spritz it on and immediately, my raggedy lengths look silky, my natural texture is more defined and my ends feel haircut-fresh.

Redken Shine Flash spray, $22, amazon.ca

Extra-dewy foundation

I know I really like a foundation when I find myself saving it for “special occasions.” Most days, I’ll just skip the step or spread a formula that wasn’t a love match but remained a good friend. This newcomer is way too good for the friend zone. It’s stacked with hyaluronic acid and vitamins C and E, a fail-safe cure for winter dryness. But the finish is what I’m most taken with: super fresh and a little wet. Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Foundation, $50, elizabetharden.com

Glow-boosting toner

The other day in a group chat, one of my girlfriends asked what product had made the most difference in everyone’s skin. My answer was an exfoliating toner. Nothing makes my skin smoother, clearer or more radiant. Canadian makeup brand Nudestix recently debuted a skin care range that’s smart, streamlined and to my utter delight, includes a toner that sloughs off dead cells and boosts radiance. Nudestix Nudeskin glow toner, $34, nudestix.ca