Did anyone else feel like December was somehow both seven months long but also a mere second? The holidays are always hectic, but this year in particular, I feel like I've lived about 18 lives in December's 31 days. Perhaps it was because I started out the month traveling nearly 5,000 miles to Hawaii, spent the middle nursing a fractured toe, and ended it surrounded by several inches of snow while gobbling down holiday chocolates. No matter, the festive season was both magical and a trial in itself, and this month, I found myself largely drawn—and maybe unsurprisingly—to items that embodied all the cozy comfort I crave as the year winds down, along with a few pieces that brought some much-needed sparkle into these winter days. While many think of winter as the darkest time of year, it's actually when the days start to get a little lighter—we winter children know that the December solstice marks the shortest day of the year, with every day afterwards getting just the slightest bit longer and taking us towards the onset of spring. Consider this list one editor's selection of items that brought a little extra shimmer to December.

Personally, I don't think it's concealer that makes you look more alive—for me, it's a good blush that will trick the world into thinking you got a solid eight hours. I've loved Saie's Dew Blush for years, but haven't been using it as much as of late—that is, until I tried the new (to me) "Dreamy" hue, in the berry color of all my rouge dreams.

$26, shop now

In December, I traveled to Hawaii........

© Observer