Beauty
Beauty
Glycolic Acid Body Wash for Skin That Feels Bumpy and Dull
A glycolic acid body wash is the easy way to start on rough, bumpy arms and dull legs, because the acid works while you shower. These are the AHA washes I would start with, the leave-on lotions and sticks that go further, and the scrubs and bars for the weekly polish.
A Harlem Market Stall, a Jar of Shea and the SheaMoisture Leave-In Conditioner Shelf
A SheaMoisture leave-in conditioner is where I start when hair feels dry, thirsty and a little stubborn. This edit walks through the brand's leave-ins, its curl creams and stylers, and the leave-in conditioners from other brands I would set beside them.
Hair Mascara for Flyaways, Baby Hairs and Grown-Out Roots
Hair mascara today usually means a tiny wand that smooths flyaways and baby hairs, though the name goes back to the streaky colored tubes of the 1990s. These are the wands and sticks I would keep in a bag, the balms and gels for a sleek pulled-back look, and the root touch-ups for between color appointments.
The Best Shampoo and Conditioner Pairs, Sorted by Hair Type
Buying a shampoo without its matching conditioner is how most people end up with hair that feels squeaky and looks flat. The best shampoo and conditioner sets are formulated as one system, with the cleanser doing less and the conditioner doing more. These pair up cleanly.
Chrome Nail Polish, From a Last-Minute Met Gala Fix to Everyday Mirror
Chrome nail polish went from a pro-only powder trick to something you can wear at the kitchen table. Here are the polishes, powders and press-ons that carry the mirror finish, from glazed pearl to deep emerald.
NARS Powermatte Lipstick: Shades, Pencils and Matte Lipsticks to Compare
The NARS Powermatte Lipstick is a slim cream-to-matte bullet with bold color and up to ten hours of wear. Here are the shades I would pick, the Powermatte pencils and liners that go with it, and matte lipsticks from other brands.
A Hyaluronic Acid Lip Balm With a Strange Backstory
The hyaluronic acid lip balm you keep in your bag traces back to a 1934 lab paper about cattle eyes. Here are the balms, tints and lip treatments that put it to use.
LolaVie: How One Detangling Spray Became a Whole Hair Shelf
LolaVie began in September 2021 with one product, the Glossing Detangler, and grew into a full hair-care line. Here is the range, the detangling sprays and leave-ins from other brands, and the glosses and shine treatments for hair that needs to catch the light.
The Best Shampoo for Men, From a 1994 Chicago Barber Chair
The best shampoo for men depends on your scalp, not the scent on the bottle. Here are eight everyday men's shampoos and eight that handle thinning, dandruff and faster 2-in-1 routines.
MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick and the Matte Nudes Like It
The MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick is the deep beige matte that turned a nude-brown lip into a signature. These are the matte nudes that sit in the same family, the satin versions for dry days and the liners that pull it all together.
Tarte Blush, From the Original Cheek Stain to Today
Tarte blush started in 1999 with a cheek stain and a founder who left a psychology PhD to make it. Here are the Amazonian clay powders, macaron duos and juicy sticks I reach for, plus the soft powders and creams that sit beside them.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution and the Art of Looking Less Tired
The ordinary caffeine solution is the small bottle people reach for when their eyes look tired, and it sits at the center of this edit. Here are The Ordinary's serums, caffeine eye creams and gels from other brands, and the under-eye patches for mornings that started too early.
Long Lasting Perfume That's Still There After Dinner
Long lasting perfume comes down to two things: a higher concentration and a base of woods, amber, musk or vanilla that clings to skin. These are the parfums and intense eaux de parfum I would reach for, the warm base notes that stay, and the body care that helps any scent hold on.
Olive Young at Sephora Brings Seoul’s Shelves Stateside
Olive Young, Korea’s largest health and beauty retailer, has long been a pilgrimage stop for anyone visiting Seoul. Olive Young at Sephora now brings a set of Korean brands selected by Olive Young to American shelves, including several that have barely been seen here before. This edit highlights the standouts, from mung bean pore care to thirty-second masks and collagen eye patches.
Color Safe Shampoo Picks, Plus the Masks and Glosses That Keep Dye Bright
A color safe shampoo cleans gently so salon color stays bright between appointments. Here are the shampoos, the conditioners and masks, and the glosses and leave-ins made for colored hair.
Body Butter Got the Skincare Treatment
Body butter used to be a thick, sweet-smelling afterthought sold next to the bath bombs. The skinification of body care has turned it into a place for real actives, better textures and fragrance people actually want to wear.
Lip Liner, the Long-Wear and the Soft
Lip liner in two kinds, long-wear pencils that stay put and creamy ones that blur.
Mielle Rosemary Mint Oil, Monique Rodriguez and the Scalp-Care Habit It Started
Mielle rosemary mint oil went from a Chicago-founded brand's bestseller to a social media favorite. Here is the Mielle rosemary mint line, scalp oils and treatments from other brands, and the massagers and brushes that make scalp care a ritual.
DIY Lash Extensions Without the Salon Appointment
DIY lash extensions are clusters you place under your own lashes at home, and with a little practice they look close to a salon set. Here are the kits I would start with, the glues and self-stick lashes that make it easier, and the mascaras for days you skip them.
Impressions Vanity and the Case for Good Light Before Good Makeup
Impressions Vanity was founded in 2014 around one idea: makeup looks better in better light. Here are the brand's lighted mirrors, the lit and magnifying mirrors from other brands, and the organizers and brush holders that keep a vanity table clear.
Air, Not Heat: What a Dyson Airwrap Asks of the Rest of Your Routine
A Dyson Airwrap curls and smooths with moving air instead of a hot plate, which changes what you need around it. Here are the stylers themselves, the heat protectants and smoothers I use before them, and the brushes and combs that finish the job.
Pillow Talk Lipstick in Every Finish, and Pink Nudes Like It
Pillow Talk lipstick is the nude pink Charlotte Tilbury calls everyone's perfect shade, and it now comes in matte, satin, balm and blur. Here is how I would choose a finish, what to pair it with, and pink nudes from other brands that sit close by.
Live Tinted and the Red Lipstick Trick That Started Deepica's Brand
Live Tinted began with Deepica Mutyala and one viral video about hiding dark circles, and it grew into a full makeup and skin shelf formulated with deeper skin tones in mind. This edit covers the sticks and wands, the Hueguard sunscreens and concealer, and the lip, cheek and brow products.
The Ordinary Products That Made Ingredient Labels Cool
When Deciem launched The Ordinary in 2016, it named every product after its active ingredient and percentage, which sounded like a lab supply catalog at the time. It turned out people liked knowing exactly what was in the bottle, and this edit walks through the formulas that made that idea stick.