Beauty
Beauty
Hair Mascara for Flyaways, Baby Hairs and Grown-Out Roots
Hair mascara today usually means a tiny wand that smooths flyaways and baby hairs, though the name goes back to the streaky colored tubes of the 1990s. These are the wands and sticks I would keep in a bag, the balms and gels for a sleek pulled-back look, and the root touch-ups for between color appointments.
Hair Cream for Frizz, Curls and Air-Dry Days
Hair cream is the quiet fix for frizz, flat curls and hair that dries into a puff, and the right one depends on your texture. These are the smoothing creams I would use on straight and wavy hair, the curl creams for definition, and the leave-ins and air-dry creams that do the job without heat.
The Best Mascara for Sensitive Eyes Keeps Things Simple
The best mascara for sensitive eyes is simple, gentle to remove and replaced often, and a tubing formula is often the easiest on irritated lids. These are the everyday mascaras I would patch test first, the tubing mascaras that slide off with warm water, and the gentle removers that finish the job.
Oil for Hair Growth, and the Scalp Routine Around It
Oil for hair growth is one of the most searched hair ideas, and the honest answer is that oils and serums support a healthy scalp while the proven treatment is still minoxidil. These are the pre-wash scalp oils I would try, the scalp serums and tonics for thicker-looking hair, and the massagers that make the routine feel good.
Powder Sunscreen Makes Reapplying Over Makeup Easy
Powder sunscreen is the easiest way to reapply SPF over makeup, as long as you treat it as a top-up rather than your only protection. These are the brush-on SPF powders I would carry, the tinted moisturizers and mineral foundation for a base layer, and the sticks and mist for other kinds of touch-ups.
Shampoo That Doesn't Weigh Hair Down: Best Picks for Wavy Hair
A shampoo that doesn't weigh hair down cleans the scalp without leaving waves flat, and a weekly clarifying wash keeps them bouncy. I went through lightweight and volumizing shampoos, light conditioners and styling that brings the wave back.
Temporary Hair Color That Washes Out Before Monday
Temporary hair color is for the weeks you want a change without the commitment, or just need your roots covered until the next appointment. Here are the root sprays and powders, the color depositing masks and glosses, and the purple toners that keep blonde bright, all of it made to fade with washing.
Cleansing Oil Is the Fastest Way to Get Sunscreen and Mascara Off
Cleansing oil melts sunscreen, foundation and waterproof mascara in about a minute and rinses off milky, without leaving skin tight. Here are the oils I trust, the gentle second cleansers that finish the job, and the hydrating toners and essences to press in after.
The Best Tanning Lotion Builds Color Over a Few Days
The best tanning lotion builds color slowly, over a few days and without any sun, so streaks never get a chance. Here are the gradual tanners, the instant bronzers that wash off, and the body sunscreens to wear over all of it.
Translucent Powder and the Flash Photo Test
Translucent powder sets makeup and cuts shine without adding color, as long as you use a little and press it in. Here are the loose powders for setting, the pressed ones for touch-ups, and the puffs and brushes that make the difference, plus a quick flash photo test before any big night.
The Best Vitamins for Hair Growth Are a Six-Month Commitment
The best vitamins for hair growth take about six months to judge, because hair only grows around half an inch a month. Here are the supplements and gummies, the scalp serums, and the thickening shampoos and conditioners that make the hair you have look fuller while you wait.
Peptide Serum Is the Low-Drama Step Most Routines Are Missing
A peptide serum is the low drama step most routines are missing, gentle enough to sit next to almost anything and built for slow, steady results. Here are the serums, the moisturizers with peptides for fewer steps, and the lip and eye treatments that suit the thinnest skin.
Makeup Brushes for Face, Cheeks and Eyes, Minus the Drawer Clutter
Most makeup bags hold too many brushes and not enough of the right ones. Here are the face brushes for foundation and powder, the cheek brushes for blush, bronzer and contour, and the small eye and brow brushes that do the precise work, the short list that covers almost everything.
Under Eye Cream for Puffy Mornings, Dark Circles and Fine Lines
A good under eye cream will not erase dark circles overnight, but used night and morning it keeps the area smooth, hydrated and ready for concealer. Here are the eye creams, the cooling gels, serums and patches for puffy mornings, and the brighteners for the days nothing helps.
Milky Essence vs Milky Toner: Which One Your Skin Wants
A milky essence is a cloudy, ceramide-rich hydrator that sits between a watery toner and a moisturizer, like rhode's Glazing Milk. I sort the milky toners, essences and mists worth knowing and how to tell which one your skin wants.
Lotion for Dry Skin, and the Snow-White Cream That Started It
From Nivea's 1911 cream to today's peptide lotions and whipped butters, here is a lotion for dry skin edit sorted by texture, from light and fast to thick and rich.
Skinfix Barrier+ Cream: Rich Barrier Creams and Balms Like It
Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream is a rich, refillable barrier moisturizer with ceramides for skin that feels tight once the heating comes on. I put it next to other rich barrier creams, lighter gel creams for daytime and balms for dry patches.
The Lip Pencil Is the Easiest Lipstick You Will Own
A lip pencil does the job of a liner and a lipstick in one, and it fits in the smallest pocket. These are the crayons, matte pencils and creamy pencils I would use to color the whole lip, not only the edges.
Clinique Lipstick, From Black Honey to Pop
Clinique lipstick is best known for Black Honey, the sheer berry that has been in handbags since the 70s. Here is the full Clinique lip lineup with the sheer berry lipsticks from other brands that share its easy, flattering color.
Body Shimmer for Party Season
Body shimmer is the finishing touch for party season, a soft glow on shoulders, collarbones and legs. Here are the shimmer oils, glow lotions and highlighter sticks I would reach for, from a sheer golden sheen to a touch of pearl.
La Vie Est Belle: Three Perfumers, One Praline Heart, a Golden Rose
La vie est belle has been on dressing tables since 2012, and its iris and praline heart still sets the tone for sweet perfume. Here is every La vie est belle bottle in the edit, the Idôle bottles beside them, and the gourmand scents that share the sugar.
Sabrina Carpenter Perfume Started With Sweet Tooth and a Chocolate-Bar Bottle
Sabrina Carpenter perfume began in September 2022 with Sweet Tooth, a marshmallow-and-chocolate scent that landed as a Fragrance of the Year finalist. Here are her five bottles, the caramel and candy scents from other houses, and body mists for the same sweet lane.
Air, Not Heat: What a Dyson Airwrap Asks of the Rest of Your Routine
A Dyson Airwrap curls and smooths with moving air instead of a hot plate, which changes what you need around it. Here are the stylers themselves, the heat protectants and smoothers I use before them, and the brushes and combs that finish the job.
Wavy Hair: Mousse vs Sea Salt Spray
Wavy hair sits in the middle of the curl chart, which is exactly why it is so easy to over-style. Here are the creams and mousses that define waves, the texture sprays that add grip, and the clips, towels and scrunchies that protect the shape.