Beauty

DedCool Fragrance: A Shopper's Guide to Scent

DedCool is a genderless Los Angeles fragrance label that Carina Chaz started in college, made to be layered across skin, laundry and home. I like scent that shows up on an ordinary Tuesday, and this edit follows it from the bottle to the wash.

FUGAZZI Fragrance: Is Angel Dust Worth It?

FUGAZZI is the Amsterdam fragrance house Bram Niessink started in 2018 after mixing perfume oils at home. I like its bold, slightly mischievous way of building a scent around a memory.

amika Dry Shampoo, the Talc-Free Perk Up From a Brooklyn Brand

amika dry shampoo means Perk Up, the talc-free formula from a brand that started in Brooklyn in 2007. Here are three versions of Perk Up and the amika sprays for day-two hair, plus eight other dry shampoos to compare.

Briogeo Shampoo, From Four Products and a Goldman Sachs Desk

Briogeo shampoo started in 2013, when Nancy Twine launched four products inspired by her mother's and grandmother's recipes. Here are eight Briogeo shampoos, plus the conditioners, masks and scalp serum that pair with them.

Living Proof Shampoo, the MIT Science Behind Perfect Hair Day

Living Proof shampoo came out of a 2005 partnership between MIT scientists and hairstylists in Cambridge. Here are eight Living Proof shampoos and dry shampoos, plus the conditioners and treatments that go with them.

Amika Shampoo, Matched to Your Hair

Amika shampoo comes in color-coded formulas, from Normcore for everyday to Hydro Rush for moisture and Bust Your Brass for cool blondes. I match each shampoo to a hair type, then add the conditioners and the Soulfood mask.

Amika Leave In Conditioner, From Brooklyn With Sea Buckthorn

The amika leave in conditioner shelf runs from a hydrating spray to a split-end cream and a detangling primer. This edit has eight amika picks and eight other leave-in conditioners to compare.

Bond-Building Systems: Olaplex, K18 and the Brands That Followed

Bond building systems went from a salon secret to a mainstream shelf, led by Olaplex and K18. I go through the names that made it mainstream, then masks for deeper repair and serums.

Olaplex, Explained by Someone Who Keeps Losing Track of the Numbers

Olaplex has a numbering system that confuses almost everyone at first, so this edit sorts it out. You will find the treatments, oils and creams, the No.4 and No.5 wash-day line including Olaplex shampoo, and a few other bond builders people ask about.

The Best Hand Creams for Dry Skin

Barrier creams and pocket tubes for dry hands

The Best Blush for Mature Skin, From Melting Balms to Sheer Liquids

The best blush for mature skin is the one that melts into skin instead of sitting on top of it. These are the creams, soft powders and liquids I would reach for, and how to place them so cheeks look lifted and fresh.

Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Frizzy Hair: 6 Pairs

The best shampoo and conditioner for frizzy hair is a matched pair. Six compared by hair type and what each brand says it does for frizz.

The Best Shampoo for Colored Hair Skips the Sulfates on Purpose

The best shampoo for colored hair skips sulfates on purpose, because a strong detergent strips pigment along with the dirt. This edit sorts sulfate-free formulas by what they add on top of that gentle base, whether that is strength, shine or bond repair for hair that has been lightened more than once.

The Best Toner for Oily Skin Works Overtime Between Cleansing and Moisturizer

The best toner for oily skin works between cleansing and moisturizer, clearing out what a face wash leaves behind rather than just tightening pores for an hour. For years the fix was an alcohol heavy astringent, which strips skin so aggressively that it produces even more oil to compensate. This edit compares eight acid based formulas instead, from gentle, regular use options to stronger ones meant for active breakouts.

The Best Toner for Oily Skin

A generation grew up stripping their faces with alcohol and wondering why the shine came back harder. The best toner for oily skin regulates rather than removes, usually with a mild acid and no drying agents. These are the modern version and my personal favs

The Best Face Wash for Oily Skin Does Not Strip It

Oily skin gets sold aggression when it needs regulation. The best face wash for oily skin removes the day without triggering the rebound that makes tomorrow worse. All of these walk that line.

The Best Skincare Products for Dry Skin, in Three Easy Steps

A routine for the best skincare products for dry skin only needs three steps: a cream or balm cleanser, a hydrating serum or essence, and a rich face cream. Here is what I would put in each step and how to layer them.

Best Exfoliator for Acne Prone Skin: Scrubs, Toners and Pads

My pick for the best exfoliator for acne prone skin here is Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Exfoliating Toner, which is built around salicylic acid. I also sort scrubs, liquid exfoliants and pads, with one rule: acid at night, sunscreen every morning.

Best Eyeshadow Palette for Blue Eyes

We looked at Eyeshadow Palette for Blue Eyes on construction, materials and how it holds up. Here is what stood up.

ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara and the Rest of the Look

ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara with the ILIA liners, brow products and complexion pieces that go with it.

cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum and the Barrier Serums and Creams Beside It

The cocokind ceramide barrier serum is a five-ceramide dropper serum from a brand that prints its numbers on the box. Here is the rest of the cocokind shelf, the other barrier serums I would compare it with, and the barrier creams to seal it in.

Verb Shampoo, From an Austin Barbershop to the Ghost Line

The Verb Ghost line is the fine-hair range built around Ghost Oil, the moringa oil made weightless that first put the Austin brand on the map. I go through eight Verb shampoos by hair type, then conditioners, masks, a leave-in and an oil.

Choosing a Dior Foundation: Forever Skin, Backstage and the Tools to Apply Them

A good Dior foundation starts with knowing which of its two personalities you want, the polished Forever line or the runway-born Backstage line. This edit covers both, plus the sponges and brushes that make either one look like skin.

Best Bronzer, From Chanel's Tan to Hoola

The best bronzer depends on finish: Benefit Hoola is the shimmer-free matte powder classic, and cream bronzers suit dry skin. I compare eight powder bronzers and eight cream, balm and stick bronzers, matte to radiant.