Beauty

Tower 28 Makeup and Skincare

Tower 28 was founded in April 2019 in Los Angeles by Amy Liu, a former marketing executive at Smashbox, Kate Somerville and Josie Maran, and it is named after a lifeguard tower between Santa Monica and Venice Beach. The brand is designed for sensitive skin, with products free of fragrance, essential oils and chemical SPF filters, and playful names like BeachPlease and ShineOn. This edit gathers BeachPlease blush, Swipe concealer, ShineOn lip jellies, SOS skin care and SunnyDays tinted SPF.

Fenty Beauty Skincare and Makeup

Fenty Beauty is Rihanna's first solo cosmetics brand, developed with LVMH through its Kendo incubator after a 2016 agreement and launched on September 8, 2017. What set it apart from day one was shade range: the Pro Filt'r foundation arrived with 40 shades and quickly sold out. This edit gathers Pro Filt'r and By Rihanna foundations, Gloss Bomb lip luminizers, Butta Drop body cream, hair care and the Diamond Bomb and mini sets.

Urban Decay Makeup

Urban Decay launched in 1996, in the grunge era, as an alternative to pink, red and beige makeup, and it was co-founded by Wende Zomnir with Cisco Systems co-founder Sandy Lerner in Newport Beach, California. The brand is known for its Naked palettes, its Eyeshadow Primer Potion and its All Nighter setting spray. This edit gathers Naked palettes and 24/7 liners, Face Bond foundation and blush, Vice lipsticks and Lip Toy oils and stains.

Lancôme Makeup and Skincare

Lancôme was founded in France in 1935 by perfumer Armand Petitjean and launched with five fragrances at the Brussels Universal Exposition that year. The name was inspired by the Château de Lancosme in the Indre, and the rose became the brand's symbol, from Petitjean's own Centifolia roses to today's Domaine de la Rose in Grasse. This edit gathers Absolue and Génifique skincare, Hypnôse and Lash Idôle mascaras, Teint Idole foundation and concealers, L'Absolu Rouge lipstick and La Vie Est Belle gift sets, ending on an Absolue rose perfume.

MZ SKIN Skincare: The Best Place to Start

MZ SKIN is the London skincare label from oculoplastic surgeon Dr Maryam Zamani, who wanted a clinical routine that still felt like a treat. I like a doctor's brand that remembers the ritual part, so this edit starts there.

Maison Louis Marie Fragrance: Scents Worth Knowing

Maison Louis Marie is the Los Angeles fragrance house Marie du Petit Thouars started in 2013, and it smells the way a quiet garden looks. I like it for scents that suit a mood instead of a moment, and this edit is my starting map.

Luxury Skin

Understated, expensive-quiet

French La Roche-Posay Sunscreen: Anthelios Picks

La Roche-Posay sunscreen takes its name from a French spa town, and the Anthelios line is what the brand is best known for. Here are four Anthelios formulas for the face, other sunscreens with similar textures, and body oils and mists for skin below the neck.

La Bonne Brosse: Which Brush for Which Hair Type

La Bonne Brosse makes pocket brushes in Petite, Bébé and Grande sizes, so the right one depends on your hair type. I match each brush to a hair type and say which I would buy first.

INKED by Dani Temporary Tattoos: Where to Start

INKED by Dani makes temporary tattoos from Dani Egna's hand-drawn designs, and it started with eyeliner at a college party. I love a tiny, reversible way to try a motif, and this is where I would begin.

When Did Hair Gel Come Out? The Long History of Hold

Hair gel is one of the oldest styling ideas we have, and the modern versions are far less crunchy than you might remember. Here are the strong-hold gels and wands, the slick-back sticks and edge tools, and the softer creams and mousses for when you want movement.

Sunday Self Care Routine: Skin, Hair and Wellness Steps

A Sunday reset works best as an edit, not a checklist, choosing the two or three steps that actually change how Monday feels instead of running through every category once. The trap is treating a free afternoon as permission to try everything at once, which just leaves you with a longer routine and no clearer sense of what helped. This edit moves from the shower to hair, body and face, then to an overnight step, with the instruction to pick one or two from each group rather than all of it.

Christophe Robin Haircare: Where to Start

Christophe Robin is the Paris colorist whose salon formulas turned into a haircare line. I like that it starts at the scalp and works outward, so this edit is how I would build a small routine around it.

Caudalie Skincare: Serums, Cleansers, Sunscreen and Creams

A Caudalie skincare routine can run from Premier Cru The Serum to Vinosun Suncare SPF 50, with a gel cleanser and moisturizer in between. I keep the shelf short: serums and essences, daily sunscreen, then cleansers, creams and toners.

By Rosie Jane Fragrance Sets: Where to Start

By Rosie Jane is the Los Angeles fragrance and body care line Rosie Johnston began making for herself in her kitchen. I find it personal and unfussy, and this edit is where I would start with the sets, the sprays and the body washes.

Boy Smells Candles: The Scents Worth Knowing

Boy Smells is a Los Angeles candle project turned fragrance label, with pink packaging and a habit of blending notes once sorted as masculine or feminine. I like it because you get to decide what a scent is.

Best Skincare for Oily Skin: Gentle Cleansers, Gel Creams and Sunscreens That Do Not Shine

This best skincare for oily skin edit covers gel cleansers, salicylic acid exfoliants, oil-free moisturizers, clay masks and matte sunscreens. I like a routine built on restraint, since a harsh face wash can trigger more oil.

Best Hand Creams for Dry Skin: A Fishermen's Recipe and Modern Tubes

These are the best hand creams for dry skin, from rich salves and fragrance-free tubes to scented favorites, masks and travel sizes. I started with a 1969 fishermen's recipe, because the best ones begin with a real problem.

111Skin Skincare: Is It Worth the Price?

111Skin is a London skincare label that began with a surgeon's post-operative serum. I like how seriously it takes the science and how much it still wants you to enjoy the ritual.

Vilhelm Parfumerie Perfume: Where to Start

Vilhelm Parfumerie is the New York perfume house that builds each scent like a short story, from memories, people and places. I like that every bottle arrives with a little plot, and this edit is where I would begin.

Glycolic Acid Toner Benefits: 16 Picks and How to Start Slowly

Glycolic acid toner benefits include smoother, brighter and more even skin, as long as you go slowly and wear SPF. I went through sixteen glycolic toners and pads, starting with the gentle ones.

Whitening Strips, Powders and Lights: The Bathroom Shelf Behind a Brighter Smile

The idea behind whitening strips started with a scrap of food wrap in 1997, and the at-home category has grown into strips, powders and LED kits. Here are the whitening options I would line up, the toothpastes for daily upkeep, and the water flossers that keep the rest of the routine honest.

VERSO SKINCARE: The Formulas Worth Knowing

Verso is the Swedish skincare label Lars Fredriksson started in 2013, built around vitamin A and very little else. I like a shelf that looks quiet and has a clear idea behind it.

Ultrasonic Scrubber

What actually works for Ultrasonic Scrubber: the thing that changes the result is formulation and how it is applied, not price. Texture matters more than the ingredient list for whether you will actually use it.