January's Best Beauty Buys

Simple Pleasures

A few weeks ago, we were happy to meet the newest member of the less-is-more school of beauty: Sprout Skincare. Each of the line's eight products contains no more than five ingredients, all sourced from organic or small farms. (The company is based in Brooklyn.) The face scrub (almonds, oats, and sea salt) is as effective as any we've tried, the cream (shea butter plus coconut and olive oils) is rich but not greasy, and the makeup remover (a blend of olive, jojoba, and almond oils) melts mascara on contact. Proof that a frill-free approach can be surprisingly luxurious.

($5 to $32; sproutskincare.com)