March 30, 2018

Glossier's new cream eyeshadow, two new Kiehl's masks to try and Rene Furterer's scalp-purifying shampoo.

Glossier’s latest definitely doesn’t disappoint

The beauty world goes just little crazy whenever Glossier drops a new product, whether skincare, makeup or fragrance. I’ll admit I get caught up in the frenzy myself and it’s hard to resist (at least) checking out the product online, although there’s usually a post-viewing purchase as well. So when the Lidstar cream shadows bowed a few weeks ago (not-so-coincidentally after they were used on a bevy of celebrities for the Oscars—brilliant PR move, BTW), I found myself promptly adding to cart.

I currently own Glossier’s Stretch Concealer (awesome) and Generation G lip stain in “Crush,” and I blew through a bottle of the Perfecting Skin Tint in record time, so I had no doubt I’d be into Lidstar. This cream shadow comes in a tube with a doe-foot applicator, which means no brushes are required (yay!). It falls somewhere between an eye gloss and full-on shadow, but the color is totally buildable so you can decide how intense you want to go.

I strayed from my every-day comfort zone with the “Fawn” and “Cub” shades, which are darker-than-I'm-used-to taupe/violet/gold and rose gold (respectively)—and low and behold, they are totally and beautifully wearable any time of day. Just a light swipe adds the perfect bit of polish along with a coat of mascara, and I’ve also dialed up an evening look or two by topping my more dramatic eyeshadow with one of these shimmery washes.

I highly suggest taking advantage of the Lidstar Duo option, because who wants to pick just one when you can save six bucks and get two? Trust me, deciding which shades to get is the hardest part about this amazing new addition to all of our makeup arsenals!

Two new Kiehl’s masks to try

Is there such a thing as having too many masks? I think not. Over the past few days alone, I used my Laneige Water Sleeping Mask to rehydrate my skin after traveling, and Pixi Beauty’s Peel and Polish exfoliating mask to smooth my dry, flaky skin after a weekend in New York. Since my supply of these two products is dwindling, I’m keeping an eye out for replacements, and the latest offerings from Kiehl’s are on my shopping list.

First up is the Ginger Leaf & Hibiscus Firming Mask, which is designed to give dull, tired skin a boost. Its ingredient blend goes to work on fine lines and wrinkles as it hydrates, and the best part is that it’s an overnight mask, so you can slather it on before bed and not worry about having to wash it off. (Don’t worry, it absorbs rather quickly so it won’t rub off on your pillow.) You can even use it in place of your night cream up to five nights a week—or more.

In even bigger news, Kiehl’s has launched their first-ever sheet mask, the Instant Renewal Concentrate Mask. Ideal for when you have 10 extra minutes to treat your skin (and yourself), this two-piece biocellulose hydra-gel mask is infused with copaiba resin, pracaxi and andiroba oils from the Amazon for intense hydration and visibly smoother skin in a flash. It won’t clog pores and can be used by all skin types—and since they come in a pack of four you won’t have to think about restocking for a while. I’d love to use this before a night out to plump up my skin and enhance its radiance so I can put my best face forward.

With no less than six products in my dedicated mask drawer (and more in my office waiting to be tested), I obviously believe in the benefits that treatments masks can provide. Beyond my regular skincare routine, targeted masks help me address specific skin concerns as they arise, and for me, the more the merrier!

When you need a gift and you have no idea what to get

How many times have you found yourself in need of a present—whether for a birthday, thank-you or just because—and a ho-hum candle or impersonal gift card just won’t do? We’ve all been there, and it can really require a lot of thought (and stress). Here’s an idea when you want something that’s both super-easy and super-personalized, and it’s called BoxFox.

The Birthday box

The Bridesmaid box

The New Family box

Sure you can choose one of the pre-curated boxes that includes themes such as thank-you, birthday, heal, pamper, nightstand, new mom, new baby, gourmand, travel and more (ranging from $28 to $200), but you can also create a customized box that’s sure to include items your recipient (gal or guy) is sure to love. First you choose your actual box, and then you select items ranging from candles and sweets to bath treats, skincare and so much more. There are also teas, cute tech items, barware, jewelry and accessories like scarves—so no box is alike. The items range from $2 to $72, so you can set a budget and easily stick to it, and you can even choose from a variety of occasion-specific cards as a finishing touch (and they’ll hand-write your message so it REALLY feels personal).

With BoxFox, your gift-giving possibilities are virtually endless—and you may never shop for gifts the same way again. (And the items are so fun and cute you might even want to curate a box for yourself while you’re at it.)

Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp

Until recently, the scalp conversation was pretty much limited to dandruff (and even then, this wasn’t something that was talked about all that often). But this unique spot is in the midst of a Renaissance of sorts, especially now that we’re making the connection between our scalp and the state of our hair. Obviously this makes complete sense since this is where hair growth takes place, and an out-of-balance scalp can lead to thinning, hair loss and lackluster locks.

Amongst the newest additions to this growing beauty segment is René Furterer’s Curbicia Purifying Clay Shampoo—and while it may look like a treatment mask at first glance, it’s not. Designed for oily scalps, this one-step deep-cleansing shampoo and scalp mask helps purify the scalp and help minimize oil production over time—which means you just might be able to go longer between washing. It contains rhassoul mineral clay to absorb oil on the spot, curbicia extract to keep oil glands in check and a blend of refreshing essential oils that purify the hair and scalp while giving volume and shine a boost. All you have to do is massage it into your roots, leave it on for two to five minutes, add water to create lather and rinse once or twice a week for light, bouncy, less-greasy tresses.