CRUSH: A Multitasker’s Dream Product

The cost of combating winter dryness sucks money from a bank account faster than you can say “chapped.” But once in awhile, a product comes along that multitasks so well that it’s worth its weight in gold. Josie Maran’s Argan Oil ($48) might be one of those products. The organic oil comes from a tree indigenous to Morocco:

Behold: The Argan Tree.

The oil contains essential fatty acids (the same stuff that makes salmon, avocado, walnuts and olive oil so great for your skin) and squalene, a potent moisturizer known for not leaving a greasy residue.

Miracle? Maybe.

Josie Maran’s Argan Oil, available at Sephora.com, arrives in a two-ounce glass bottle that feels as luxurious as the product itself (according to the company, a plastic container could harm the delicate composition of the product). Enlist a few of our favorite ideas for the oil:

- To ramp up your winter skincare routine by mix a few drops with your regular moisturizer

- To avoid hangnails, rub the oil into your cuticles.

- For a potent overnight treatment: Distribute a dime-sized amount through the ends of hair before you go to bed.

- To combat common skin maladies: use the oil on eczema, psoriasis, and to speed the healing of acne discoloration and stretch marks.

HOW TO: Save Money Not Style

With only a few weeks until Christmas and the nation’s economic forecast looking gloomier all the time, it’s tough to find creative items that allow us to stretch our dollars while not compromising our taste for sassy and unique gifts.

Luckily, the ladies of Salty relish a challenge. One of the best resources for unique gifts at affordable prices is etsy.com, an online marketplace that gives artisans a place to sell their wares. Often the pieces are handmade, one-of-a-kind, and spectacularly affordable. Some of our favorite choices:

Treeswithknees’ "Think Twice" leather wallet ($28):

It’s the perfect reminder for your credit-card slinging best friend to put down the plastic before it melts.

The Necklush ($45-65); who ever knew that staying warm could look so cool?

The Escape Ring ($8) ridiculously cheap and fun; at this price, you can buy one for each of your fabulous friends.

Etsy offers customers several options to browse for more amazing finds. We recommend checking out etsy’s “Shop Local” page for wares from your hometown. (A search for "Syracuse NY" showed 39 recently updated vendors!) Also make sure to check out the “Pounce” feature , which allows you to browse shops that have just been listed and see what other etsy customers are buying.

LANDMARK LOOKS: Salty Launch Party