Beauty

Barely There Perfume: Light Skin Scents That Smell Fresh

Barely There perfume is a fresh skin scent that smells like you just stepped out of a fancy shower. I picked light, breezy fragrances over heavy florals, like Light Blue and Cheirosa 62.

Anua PDRN, the Salmon DNA Serum Everyone Asks About

Anua salmon DNA means PDRN, short for polydeoxyribonucleotide, which the brand sells as a serum, cream, toner and mist. I pick eight Anua products, then eight PDRN, peptide and glass-skin serums to compare.

California Hair Products: California Naturals From Playa's Founder

California hair products from California Naturals are clean shampoos, conditioners and treatments from Shelby Wild, the founder of Playa. I build a shower around the brand, then add body care, curl care and gentle washes from other brands.

Bed Head by TIGI, the Styling Line and the Texture Sprays and Clays Beside It

TIGI Bed Head started as a wax stick and grew into a full styling line of sprays, waxes and creams. I sort them, then add texture sprays and clays from other brands for undone hair.

The Caribbean Beauty Edit

A Caribbean beauty edit follows one day in order, from the plane to the beach to dinner, with sun, salt water and heat in mind. I cover mists and moisturizers for the flight, sunscreen and waterproof mascara for the beach, and glow for sunset.

Hard Candy Setting Spray, From Baby-Blue Sky Polish to Lock Sprays

Which Hard Candy setting spray is best depends on the finish: Look On Lock and Grip On Lock each promise a 16 hour hold without alcohol or fragrance. I compare eight Hard Candy and NYX sprays, then eight more, after the baby-blue polish that started the brand.

Touchland Made the Hand Sanitizer Something You Leave on the Desk On Purpose

Touchland hand sanitizer comes in Power Mist and Gentle Mist versions, and the scents are the reason people leave one on the desk. I go through the favorites, the body and hair fragrance mists and the hand creams to use afterward.

TheraFace Mask Glo: Therabody's LED Mask and What to Pair With It

The TheraFace Mask Glo is Therabody's 12-minute LED mask, and it sits in a growing shelf of light masks, face tools and serums. Here is how I would read each one, and what to press in after the light.

Better Not Younger Hair Products: Care for Thinning Hair

Better Not Younger hair products are built around the idea that hair changes with age, from scalp serums to a root-lifting spray. I go through eight serums, shampoos and styling picks for thinning hair.

Best Lip Oil: Oils, Balms and Sheer Color I Keep Buying

The best lip oil glides on, adds shine and comfort, and leaves just enough color that you do not check a mirror every ten minutes. I go through the oils, balms and sheer tints I keep buying, plus overnight lip masks.

SOME BY MI Explained: the Miracle Line and Cica Picks

If you keep seeing some by mi in skincare routines, it is the Korean line built around the AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle toner and its cica, snail and retinol relatives. Here is the brand shelf, plus the exfoliating pads, toners and soothing cica picks I would put next to it.

Best Facial Oils for Winter: Face Oils, Oil Serums and Balms

The best facial oils for winter are pure oils, lighter oil serums and rich face balms that protect dry skin when the heating comes on. I go through each type, from Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula to The Ordinary rose hip oil, and how to add oil to a routine.

Brow Growth Gel and Serum Picks for Growing Out Your Brows

Brow growth gel works best when it does two jobs, like GrandeBROW 2-In-1 Tinted Brow Gel + Brow Enhancing Serum with its tinted mini fibers. I pair the serums with gels, brushes, tweezers and razors to get through a grow out.

Color Wow Dream Coat: The Frizz Spray That Refused to Stay a Secret

Wow Dream Coat launched in 2017 and became one of the most talked-about frizz sprays around. Here is the original and its two variations, the rest of the COLOR WOW shelf worth knowing, and the smoothing sprays and creams from other brands that do a similar job.

The Blackhead Remover Routine That Skips the Squeezing

The blackhead remover that works best for oily skin pairs a quick fix like pore strips with slower care like a BHA exfoliant and weekly clay. I sort the strips and tools, the BHA exfoliants and cleansers, and the clay masks for an oily nose.

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.

Face Razor Guide: Dermaplaning Tools and What to Put on After

What to dermaplane with: a metal facial razor, a sonic dermaplaning tool or a refillable dermaplane razor. I also cover the calming serums and barrier creams to put on right after, and how to use a face razor safely.

The Best Contour Stick Replaced the Powder Kit for a Reason

A contouring stick swaps a powder palette and a set of brushes for one product you swipe on and blend. I go through the micro-precision pick, the two-in-one stick, the hydrating formula and why sticks took over.

Rice Toner, Explained: Milky Rinse Water and Modern Bottles

A rice toner is a milky, soft-feeling step that sits between cleansing and serum, and the idea is older than you might think. Here are the bottles I reach for first, the rice serums, creams and cleansers from the same family, and the hydrating toners to try next.

Does TheraBreath Work: Why I Keep a Dentist's Rinses by the Sink

Does TheraBreath work: I keep its mouthwashes by the sink, day and night, because the brand began with a dentist and a clinic. Here are the rinses, the pastes, gum and lozenges for the bag, and a two-minute night routine.

Best Nail Lacquer: Polishes Sorted by How You Live

The best nail lacquer is the one that suits your week, and classic lacquers are thinner, easier to fix and more forgiving than gel-look formulas. I sort Chanel, Essie, OPI and Sally Hansen options by how you live.

Daily Lotion With Ceramides: CeraVe AM Lotion SPF 30

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 is a daily lotion with ceramides and sunscreen for daytime. I go through eight CeraVe daytime lotions with SPF, then eight more face moisturizers with built-in SPF.

Hangnail Cutter: Nippers for Hangnails, Oil for the Rest

A hangnail cutter is a nipper made for hangnails and loose dead skin, not the living cuticle. I cover the nippers, then the files, pushers and clippers for the edges, and the oils and balms that do the daily work.

Best Mandelic Acid Deodorant: Sixteen Picks, Sticks to Serums

Nécessaire Olibanum is an aluminum-free, extra-strength mandelic acid deodorant, one of sixteen picks in this edit. I sort them by whether you want to stop odor or stop sweat, from woody sticks to serums and a mist.