Beauty

The Ordinary Vitamin C Forms: Pure Acid, Derivatives and an Oil

The Ordinary uses forms of vitamin C that range from pure L-ascorbic acid in the 23 percent suspension and powder to gentler derivatives and an oil. I explain which suits which skin, then the sunscreens that go on top every morning.

Prada Paradigme Eau de Parfum Starts With the Base and Works Up

Prada Paradigme Eau de Parfum arrived in 2025 with a reversed pyramid, a refillable bottle and a woody amber heart. Here is the Paradigme family with Luna Rossa Black, the Ocean and Carbon side of the Luna Rossa line, and six woody amber colognes from other houses to wear next to it.

Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm: Every Shade, Shimmer and SPF 45

Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm SPF 45 is the daytime version of the same shea and cupuaçu butter formula, with broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. I go through the original tints, the four shimmers and how I would pick one for a desk, a daily tint and a bag.

Kenra Blow Dry Spray and the Heat Protectants I Reach For

Kenra Blow-Dry Spray is a heat protectant the brand says cuts blow-dry time by up to 50 percent while it tames frizz. Here is how I would use it, plus the other blow-dry sprays, heat protectants and dryers I would pair with it.

Dior Lip Balm Shades: Lip Glow Colors and Other Tinted Balms

Dior lip balm shades start with Dior Addict Lip Glow, a tinted balm that reacts to the pH of your lips, from 100 Universal Clear to 020 Mahogany. I also cover the Rouge Dior balms, Lip Glow Butter and Oil, and tinted balms from other houses.

LANEIGE Lip Gloss and the Glossy Lip Treatments Around It

LANEIGE lip gloss comes as Glaze Craze tinted serums, Lip Glowy Balm and JuicePop oil tints, all somewhere between a treatment and a shine. I go through the shades, the overnight Lip Sleeping Mask and glossy lip treatments from other brands.

L'Heure Bleue 1912: Guerlain's New Eau de Parfum Explained

L'Heure Bleue 1912 is Jacques Guerlain's original perfume, and it still exists unchanged next to a new Eau de Parfum by Delphine Jelk. I explain what the new version adds and which size I would start with.

Good Dye Young Hayley Williams: Bright Semi-Permanent Color

Good Dye Young Hayley Williams started in 2016 as the semi-permanent color she and her stylist Brian O'Connor could not find as teenagers. I cover the shades, the color-safe washes and the repair masks that keep bright color looking good.

Hand Cream or Cuticle Oil First: A Ten-Second Nail Routine

Hand cream or cuticle oil first comes down to timing: oil goes on your nails at night, and hand cream goes on after every wash. I go through the oils, creams and nail treatments I would use for dry winter hands.

Best Razor Gift With Refill Blades: Billie and Smooth Legs

The best razor gift with refill blades for a friend who loves smooth legs is the Billie Razor Starter Kit with a 4 pack of refill blades. I added shave cream, body lotion and bump care so the gift covers the days after the shave too.

Milani Tubing Mascara and the Other Tubes That Rinse Off With Warm Water

Milani tubing mascara wraps each lash in a thin polymer tube that lifts, lengthens and slides off with warm water. Here are the Highly Rated formulas, tubing mascaras from other brands, and the balms, oils and serums that keep lashes comfortable at night.

Best Fenty Lip Gloss: Gloss Bomb Shades and Formulas

The best Fenty lip gloss for classic shine is the Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow or Glass Slipper. I go through the shades, then the Heat, Stix, Oil and Cream formulas and a few high-shine glosses from other brands.

The Best Self Tanner for Pale Skin Is the One You Build Slowly

The best self tanner for pale skin is usually the one that lets you go slowly, and this edit sorts the gradual and light-shade formulas, the wash-off bronzers for trying a color, and the mitts and scrubs that help it go on evenly. A self tan gives no sun protection, so sunscreen still comes first.

Which TYMO Curler Is Best: Curl Pro, Plus and CURLGO ECO

The best TYMO curler to start with is the TYMO Curl Pro if you want a hands free curl, with the PLUS for longer hair and the CURLGO ECO for travel. I also go through long barrel irons, flat irons that make waves and the creams that hold a curl.

Doctor Formulated Skincare and the Founders Behind It

Doctor formulated skincare here means brands started by doctors and scientists, like Dr. Barbara Sturm, Augustinus Bader and Dr. Dennis Gross. I also cover lines from facialists and brands rooted in a place, so you can build a routine across them.

Face Cleanser for Sensitive Skin: Gels, Milks and Balms

The best face cleanser for sensitive skin is usually a fragrance-free gel or foam, with a milky cleanser or balm for winter and makeup days. I sorted my picks by texture and flagged the four scented milky ones, so you can skip them if fragrance stings.

L'Oréal Foundation: True Match, Infallible and Serum Alternatives

A L'Oréal foundation can be a lightweight tint, a liquid that wears for a day or a powder in a compact. I sort the True Match and Infallible lineup, then serum foundations and the primers and concealers that finish a base.

The Best Face Masks for Acne Are Not All Clay

The best face masks for acne are not all clay, because breakouts need different help on different nights. Here are the clarifying and exfoliating masks for congestion, the soothing masks for red, irritated skin, and the pimple patches for single spots.

Milani Mascara and the Milan Idea Behind a Brand That Started in 2002

Milani mascara comes in tubing, fanning and anti-gravity formulas from a brand named after Milan and started in 2002. I go through the wands, the rest of the Milani eye shelf and how I would pick one.

Cold Bronzer: Cream Bronzers, Sticks and Liquids for Winter Skin

A cold bronzer is a cream, stick or liquid formula that brings warmth back to skin that looks gray by November. I sort the cream, stick and liquid bronzers I would use this season and how to wear them in the cold months.

RoC Eye Cream: The 1957 Paris Pharmacist Behind the Shelf

The RoC eye cream line began in 1957 with a young pharmacist in Paris, and it is still the place I start when I want a retinol eye product made for the eye area. Here are six eye formulas, the retinol creams, serums and sticks from the same brand, and a handful of eye creams from other makers.

Lanolin on Lips: Lanolips Balms for Truly Dry Lips

Lanolin on lips is a skin-like ingredient, and the Lanolips 101 Ointment is the tube I would hand to anyone with dry lips. I go through the Lanolips balms, treatments for cracked lips and overnight masks.

Korres, the Greek Pharmacy Brand That Began With a Syrup

Korres origin story: a pharmacist in Athens made a herbal syrup in 1996, and the brand grew into face care, body care and fragrance. I start with the Greek yoghurt face care and end with one jar to try first.

Tatcha Water Cream and the Kyoto Trip Behind It

Tatcha Water Cream is the oil-free gel moisturizer that turned a 2009 trip to Kyoto into a favorite for people who dislike heavy creams. Here is the Tatcha moisturizer family, other light gel creams that work on the same principle, and the cleansers and essences I layer underneath.