Best In 2016: The Project Vanity Top 10 Body and Hair Care Finds

Our body and hair require just as much care as our face. Choosing the right products for our needs - especially ones that MUST be used everyday - can make our daily grooming more effective and pleasant. And so we continue our Best In 2016 series with some of our favorite body and hair care discoveries this year!

Jo Malone Basil & Neroli Body Creme / Available in Jo Malone stores

Did you know it's been 20 years since Jo Malone created a scent with Basil in it? Fans of the cult classic Basil & Mandarin would love the new Basil & Neroli scent. When we want a real treat that would make our skin smell amazing for hours, we pick up this body creme. It makes our skin feel velvety to the touch too!

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion (P649.75 for 354 ml) / Available in department stores and supermarkets

If you've got extra sensitive skin and prefer a scentless body lotion, this Aveeno one does wonders for dryness and flare-ups. The brand has been around for a while but it was only this year that it officially arrived in the PH! We also love the Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Body Wash (P459.75 for for 354 ml) - this and the lotion is the perfect combo for when our skin is acting up.

Origins Mind Over Maté Invigorating Cleansing Body Mask (P1,850) / Available in Origins stores

We love face masking, so when we heard that we can mask ALL OVER our body too, we were immediately onboard! This body wash slash sugar scrub slash mask makes our skin feel bright and nice, plus the fabulous orange scent makes our day just, better. There are three other variants with equally gorgeous scents too.

Olay Whitening Body Wash in Rose & Milky White (P99/200ml and P179/400ml) / Available at supermarkets and Zalora

This is our HG daily body wash. It smells fantastic, moisturizes our skin (we can even skip body lotion sometimes), and evens out the skin tone without the need to exfoliate as often. We love how it suds up in a rich lather and washes off cleanly, even though it has moisturizing properties like an in-shower moisturizer. This is definitely something worth stocking up!

Olay Skin Whitening Bar with Rose & Milk (P34/60 grams and P46/90 grams). Our other big body care find is the Kojie San Soap - it lightens dark areas of the skin SO effectively! We stockpiled that stuff earlier this year (we would've included it in this list, except it came out many years ago). It's really good, but when we started using the Olay Whitening Bar randomly, we found that it also works just as well as Kojie San! Surprise, surprise. What it does better than KS is that it doesn't dry out the skin. It's also a bit cheaper, too.

Head & Shoulders Shampoo Tri-Action Formula (P122.57 /170ml and P200.13/330ml) Available in supermarkets

This reformulated version was ten years in the making. Fans of Head & Shoulders Shampoo (like me!) would notice that the new one is much less drying and more effective at dealing with flakes! As we like to say - H&S is not a glamorous brand, but it remains the best at keeping our scalp healthy and balanced, without causing breakouts along the hairline and chin.

Himawari Oil-In-Shampoo Volume & Repair (P695 for 500ml) / Available in Beauty Bar

If you have super fine, damaged hair, then you'll probably love this new Himawari variant! It fluffs up even the flattest mane while moisturizing it at the same time - quite a challenge since most moisturizing shampoos weigh down hair, and volumizing ones dry up strands. Try the matching Conditioner too! Both smells fantastic (floral with some fruitiness) and the scent stays for hours.

Snoe Recipes 5-in-1 Cleansing Syrup (P349) / Available in Snoe stores and kiosks

This was our default handwash most of the year. All four variants are extravagantly sweet, so if you want your hands (and body) smelling like candy, this is for you! It's also a pretty effective brush cleanser, as it happens, since it's good at breaking down oily and cakey substances.

Silka Moisturizing Milk Lotion with Avocado Oil and SPF23 (P45/50ml,  P77.25 /150ml , and P137/ 200ml) / Available in supermarkets

This is another hidden gem in the supermarket. The new Silka lotion offers deep hydration while having a fairly light texture that is fully absorbed by the skin. It has a clean, fruity scent and - get this - SPF23! It's a great everyday lotion. It also comes in a small 50ml bottle which makes it ideal for those who love to travel!

Bare Body Wash (P475 for 500ml) / Available in Beauty Bar

With scents like Peppermint, Green Tea, Lemongrass, and Bergamot & Geranium, Singaporean brand Bare has won its place in our shower rack. We love its unique concept of creating a custom scent by mixing the different variants together! If you're into green, spa-like scents, then you have to try out Bare.

And that is that! We hope you enjoyed our list. Stay tuned for the next ones as we post them throughout the week before the new year. Now, it's your turn. Which 2016 body and hair care products made your year? Sound off in the comments!