Every February, for the past three years, I’ve attended something called the Conscious Life Expo. The best way I can describe the 24-year-old wellness conference is that it’s the woo-est of the woo, a wacky marketplace of fringe spiritual beliefs, alien conspiracy theories, and bombastic healing modalities that cohabitate under harsh fluorescent lights in the carpeted expanse of the LAX Hilton. My tradition started after I assigned a writer to go when I was editing the wellness section at the Los Angeles Times. That year I realized that the event was ground zero for new health ideas, the place where you can see rough, early iterations of what will inevitably line the shelves of Erewhon. (Early gatherings stretching back into the 1980s hosted some of the first panels on crystals for healing, and helped popularize ancient Eastern practices like acupuncture in the West.) This year, within the span of five hours on the floor, I encountered a man selling DMT plants, superfood lattes topped off with shilajit, and laundry detergent pods infused with rose quartz crystals. One station advertised a cocktail’s worth of off-market peptides, including the especially buzzy retatrutide.
Look, I’m likely not going to be integrating these things into my daily routine anytime soon. (As tempted as I am to wash my clothes with specks of rose quartz, I fear for the health of my washing machine.) I go as a humble reminder that the idea of wellness is about so much more than looking and feeling good–it’s also a way to explore and assert identity, and find community. Not only that, but attending the event is one more way to ensure I’m ahead of the curve when it comes to catching new products and ideas early for the GQ audience. Though there’s nothing from the conference that I yet feel comfortable enough to endorse, trust it’s on my mind as I vet the many modalities and molecules that come across my desk every day.
My favorite products this month are meant to complement the height of hibernation season while keeping my year’s resolutions in mind. When it’s cold out, you have more time for extra steps in your skincare routine, and a need for serious moisture on your lips and face. You might be cooking more, and looking for the right kitchen accessories to enhance your experience. Or maybe you’re making a habit of getting cozy with a cocktail at home after a long day. (I’ve discovered a new nonalcoholic amaro option I’m obsessed with.) Whatever your method of decomposing at home while the snow falls, I hope this list provides something to help you do it better.
Naomi After-Cooking Hand Scrub
I tend to cook more in the winter—a.k.a .stew szn—and with lots of onions, garlic, and potent spices. That often leaves me with hands that stink of my previous night’s work. This soap, formulated by Los Angeles chefs who have worked at Michelin-starred restaurants, contains yeast enzymes that break down food odors and gentle biodegradable exfoliants. It comes in a variety of lovely scents (including santal & iris and bergamot & pepper, which a friend of mine loves). But I prefer the unscented version, since there are already plenty of competing fragrances in my kitchen. The soap has earned enough fans to be backordered until March, but you can also check its stockists to see if a store nearby sells it. I discovered my bottle while picking up some bread at Highland Park’s Sip Snack.
Lipjao
This winter I’ve been on the quest for a not-goopy moisturizing lip balm that blends well and smells nice. My favorite I’ve tried so far is Lipjao, a formula of shea, pumpkin, mango, and avocado butters. It’s light and moisturizing, and has a sweet subtle taste to it. The oval shape also makes application especially smooth. The Ayurvedic lip balm Hurraw! has a similar shape and comes in a fantastic almond cardamom rose flavor. I’ve been using the two in tandem.
Salt & Stone Body Oil
I love a Salt & Stone deodorant. I keep the mini versions from the brand’s sampler set in my travel dopp kit and gym bag so I can refresh easily. Which is why I was excited when Salt & Stone recently released a line of body oils. During the winter months, when my skin is especially dried out and beat up from the elements, I’ll often apply a body oil post-shower to give myself an extra boost of moisture. It works well to soften my skin and prevent dry patches. This one, with the tried-and-true Bergamot & Hinoki scent profile, gets the job done and smells wonderful.
Octo Restorative Moisturizer
As the Winter Olympics come to an end, there’s no better time to highlight this fantastic-smelling face moisturizer from Octo, a company cofounded by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, a Norwegian and Brazilian ski racer who competes in slalom and giant slalom. This year he became the first-ever Winter Olympics medalist for a South American country (and a veritable internet heartthrob in his own right). You would think the face lotion his company developed would be super thick, the kind of thing you would paste on to fight dryness after a day in the snow, but it’s nice and light, meant as a formula to maintain the health of your microbiome more than anything else. That makes it a reliable everyday option. And the sandalwood in it gives it a fantastic woodsy smell.
Lapo’s Amaro
I love a good drink, but increasingly, even a single glass of wine can make me feel terrible the next day. Finding actually tasty nonalcoholic alternatives to replace my favorites is still such a challenge. I wrote about how much I love Lapo’s nonalcoholic aperitivo for its sophisticated taste and low sugar content in January. I’m pleased to share that its new Amaro—inspired by piney, eucalyptus tones you typically find in northern Italian options, tastes even better. Mix it with a lemon peel and good sparkling water (I have been using California brand Loonen), and you get a very tasty aperitif.
Medicube Age-R Booster Pro
When I came across this peculiar facial stimulation device, the former consumer tech journalist in me couldn’t help but be a bit curious. You’re meant to move this wand across your face using four different modes—air shot, booster, microcurrent, and derma shot—all of which are meant to make the most of your skincare routine and improve your skin’s elasticity. The air shot mode primes clean, dry skin for the application of products; the booster uses electroporation, which are essentially electrical pulses that create microchannels, to encourage optimal product absorption; the microcurrent stimulates the muscles in your face to tone and lift the appearance of your skin; and the derma-shot mode uses as stronger current, known as electrical muscle stimulation to support firm skin. I’ve found using this funny gadget has improved and smoothed the appearance of my face, and has some of the same short-term effects you might get after an appointment at Face Gym.
Mother Science Retinol Synergist
If you have ever thought to yourself, I would like a retinol with 45% more influence from the seminal rock band Incubus, I have great news for you. Mother Science is a skincare line founded by Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger and his wife, the violinist Ann Marie Simpson-Einziger. After Simpson-Einziger got a fungal infection while traveling abroad, she fell down a rabbit hole searching for a solution. Her research eventually led them to discover that the naturally occurring molecule malassezin could be beneficial for sunspots. That then led them to found Mother Science, a skincare line that contains malassezin, and is meant to target hyperpigmentation. After editing a story for the Los Angeles Times in 2024 about the couple and their creation of the brand, I finally got a chance to use their retinol formula this month, and have been loving its smoothing, balancing effect on my skin.
Olivea Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
You have probably heard by now that the Mediterranean diet is fantastic for longevity. And a large part of that is because of how heavily olive oil is featured in the cuisine. That's because olive oil is full of compounds called polyphenols, antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and are proven to be beneficial in a myriad of ways, including in lowering your risk of heart disease and neurodegenerative disease. Paired with other healthy habits, it might even help you live longer. Olivea sells an olive oil with an especially high phenolic content. I’ve been using it as a finishing oil and enjoying the taste. If you want to get really serious about your consumption, though, they also sell literal supplements.
Wildwood Chocolates Matcha Caramels
My addiction to matcha is well-documented. This company, based in Portland, Oregon, makes delicious matcha caramels, as well as other earthy ingredients like cardamom, fennel pollen, and rosemary. They're elevated and unique, and have compostable wrappers. I may or may not have eaten four while writing this.
