Beauty

Gloss Over Lipstick: The Layering Trick for Fall

Clear lip gloss over lipstick adds shine without changing the color much, so it works over any lipstick you own. I sort satin lipsticks, clear top-coat glosses and plumping glosses and show how to layer without the mess.

Skin Barrier Repair: Creams, Serums and Gentle Cleansers I Trust

Gentle barrier-support skin care products here include ceramide creams, calming serums and toners, and cleansers that do not strip. I start with the brick and mortar idea behind skin barrier repair, then go through each type.

Pore Strips, Honestly: What They Lift, What They Leave

Pore strips work in one narrow way: they lift the top of what sits in a pore, and they have been a bathroom habit since 1997. I cover the Bioré originals, other brands' shapes and what to do once the strip is off.

Londontown Nail Polish, a Grandmother's Garden Remedy Turned Nail Line

Londontown nail polish is made in the USA by a New York-based brand. I go through the Lakur color, the sheer veils and the Kur care line that grew from a family remedy of flower oils.

The Crème Shop, the LA K-Beauty Shop That Opened in 1988

The Crème Shop opened in Los Angeles in 1988 and later became the Hello Kitty sheet mask brand. Here are eight Crème Shop skin care picks and eight lip balms and oils, four of them from the brand, that I compared side by side.

CC Color Correcting Cream: Correctors, Tints and Brushes

CC color correcting cream grew out of BB cream and focuses on evening out color, and Clinique's Moisture Surge CC Cream comes with SPF 30. I also go through tinted sunscreens, skin tints and the brushes I use to blend a light base.

Lanolin Lip Balm and Why Very Dry Lips Like It

Lanolin is good for lips that crack as soon as the weather turns, which is why a lanolin lip balm is the old-fashioned fix.

The Kylie Jenner Lip Kit: Matte Shades, Other Kits, and Liner Pairs to Try

Kylie Jenner lip kit shades start with the Matte Lip Kit in bare, one wish, dolce k and candy k. I also go through velvet and glossy kits, loose liners and how I would pick one.

Lip Gloss With SPF: Tinted Balms, Glosses and Clear Sticks

Lip gloss with SPF comes as high shine tinted balms like the caliray Lipguard SPF 31, or tinted sunscreen balms like Ultra Violette Sheen Screen SPF 50. I also sort clear everyday sticks and sparkly options so you can keep one in your pocket.

Low Porosity Hair: Why Water Beads Up and What Actually Gets In

Water beading on your hair is a classic sign of low porosity hair, and the fix is lighter products, not more of them. I sorted clarifying shampoos, water-based leave-ins and light oils for it.

Best Long Lasting Bullet Lipstick: Why Liquid Often Wins

The best long lasting bullet lipstick is often a liquid in disguise, and long wear comes with a texture trade-off. I compare Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink, NYX Lip Lingerie XXL, CHANEL's bullet and MAC's transfer-resistant liquid.

Natasha Denona Makeup Artist: From Backstage to Hy-Glam

Natasha Denona is a makeup artist who learned the craft backstage as a dancer, then launched her own line in 2016. I trace her story, then walk through her 52-shade Hy-Glam foundation and the base routine built around it.

In-Shower Hair Gloss: At-Home Treatments and Shine Serums

An in shower hair gloss is a rinse-off treatment you use once a week in place of conditioner, and it leaves hair shinier the same day. I start with the OUAI, Oribe and Kérastase glosses, then the serums and sprays for after you style.

The Best Exfoliator for Your Skin, and the Scrub That Went to Court

The best exfoliator is the gentlest one that gets the job done, matched to your skin: BHA for oily, AHA for dry or dull, PHA for sensitive. I go through sixteen, from BHA toners and peel pads to rice powders and enzyme polishes, plus the scrub that won in court.

I'm From Rice Toner and the Brand That Answers Where Its Plants Grow

I'm From rice toner is a milky, two-layer toner built around Korean rice, and the brand behind it names the place each plant comes from. Here is the rice line, the mugwort and honey products, and a few other milky toners to compare.

Color Wow Hair Products: The Gray-Root Powder That Led to Dream Coat

Color Wow hair products, from Dream Coat sprays and volumizers to every Root Cover Up shade, plus the shampoos and stylers around them. I started with the founder's own story and picked the bottles I would put on a shelf first.

Rhode Eye Patches: The Rest of a Glazed Routine

Rhode eye patches lead this edit through rhode skincare and lip care, other eye patches, and under-eye treatments. I sort the options by texture and when I would reach for each one, with a few small checks before I wear them.

Makeup by Mario: The Shoebox Kit That Became a Brand

Makeup by Mario's shoebox-kit origins show in SurrealSkin complexion, lip pencils, Master Mattes and SoftSculpt contour. I packed it like a small fall kit, brushes included.

The Ultimate Affordable Skincare Wardrobe: Every Essential, Every Step

A complete affordable skincare wardrobe: cleansers, toners, essences, serums, retinoids, exfoliants, eye treatments, moisturizers, masks, SPF, lip care, neck care and tools from COSRX, ANUA, The Ordinary, CeraVe, LANEIGE and more.

Five Minutes to Flawless: The Luxury Skincare Essentials Edit

A streamlined five-minute luxury skincare routine: morning cleanser, serum, moisturizer and SPF, plus a three-step evening routine, from La Mer, Augustinus Bader, Dr. Barbara Sturm, Tatcha, Dior and more.

Where to Put Liquid Blush, Plus Sticks and Powders for a Lift

Where to put liquid blush: dot it high on the cheekbone and blend, so the color sits high and lifted. I also cover sticks to tap along the cheekbone and powders with a brush.

Under Eye Patches For Puffiness

The best under eye patches for puffiness fit securely and stay in place for as long as your routine allows. I treat them as a temporary step, not a replacement for sleep or hydration.

Hair Perfume Is Fine Fragrance Rebuilt to Survive Your Hair

Hair perfume exists because fragrance sits in hair far longer than it does on skin, so a light mist there can outlast the same spray on a wrist by hours. For years the only option was dabbing on actual perfume and hoping it survived a blowout, and now brands build formulas specifically for the strand instead

Trendy Nail Polish Colors: Why Red and Burgundy Last Longest

Trendy nail polish colors feel fresh for a short window, but red and burgundy earn longer wear. I pick reds and burgundies, plus brown, black and gray, with Dashing Diva polishes.