April 6, 2018

A hair serum that costs as much as C E Ferulic, a tinted primer with skincare benefits that works well on its own and quite possibly the easiest self-tanner ever.

Would you pay $165 for a leave-in hair treatment?

Believe me, I know what it’s like to have major hair issues—and it can be really debilitating (seriously). Whether your hair is thinning, breaking or simply not growing, just looking in the mirror can be a source of stress. At this point you’d probably try anything, including a super-expensive treatment if it could get your tresses back on track.

Amazing Moisture's More Hair Naturally 9 Advanced Stem Cell Therapy for Thinning Hair isn’t your run-of-the-mill leave-in treatment. Formulated with stem cell extracts of ginseng, argan and bamboo along with a laundry list of botanicals like sunflower, sweet almond, wild cherry bark, coconut, pine needle, jojoba, quinoa, kale, rice, carrot and meadowfoam, the company promises visual improvement in volume, vitality, shine and strength.

This treatment works hand-in-hand with Amazing Moisture's More Hair Naturally Triple Stem Cell Shampoo ($65), which is another step in this comprehensive system. Perhaps one reason for the hefty price tag is what you won’t find in the formula—namely water (which can comprise up to 90 percent of other products). Unlike other shampoos, this one features an aloe vera base plus advanced ingredients that stimulate the scalp’s own stem cells, minimize the effects of the hormonal byproducts that contribute to hair loss and work to maximize the hairs’ growth phase. The other complementary products in this collection include the Intensive Scalp Treatment ($130), The Accelerator scalp exfoliator ($60) and More Naturally Conditioner ($25). You can also get Basic and Advanced Starter Kits for $290 and $930 respectively.

So if you’re one to believe that you can’t put a price on thick, healthy, beautiful hair (or money is no object), you may want to give these products a try.

This primer is so good, you can skip the foundation

Primer is a must for anyone who wants to maximize the staying power of their makeup—and in many cases these products can minimize the appearance of fine lines and other imperfections as well. Save for a few exceptions (such as Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonder Glow), you probably wouldn’t want to leave the house without topping your primer off with actual foundation since although they can leave your skin prepped for products that follow, they don’t usually optimize the appearance of your skin on their own. But I found another exception to this rule, and it’s Strivectin’s new Anti-Wrinkle Line BlurFector Instant Wrinkle Blurring Primer.

The first time I tried it, I loved how it seemed to instantly fill in any little nooks and crannies around my eyes and smooth my skin’s texture. It left a soft, satiny feel and managed to create the illusion of more even skin tone—and this was before I reached for the foundation. I took a few seconds to get up close and personal with my skin and decided I didn’t even need additional complexion correction (I was only heading to work out, after all), so I just added a bit of mascara and blush and called it.

I checked on it again after my Pilates class, and my face still looked smooth and even—and it was nice not having to worry about makeup getting on my top when I changed after I got home. Upon doing a bit of further research, I discovered this primer also contains NIA-114, a form of niacinamide/vitamin B3 that works to strengthen the skin’s barrier over time, so I officially added this product to the daily rotation. And, BTW, I’ve used it with foundation as well and it definitely helps keep color stay put, so you’ll be happy if you use it as directed, too.

Make the most of your Clarisonic

The Clarisonic skincare brush has truly been a game-changer, and I can barely remember a time when I used my actual hands to wash my face. Yet as much as this tool has advanced the art of cleansing, you’re doing yourself (and your skin) an injustice if you’re only using one type of brush head. Because our skins’ needs can change from day to day and season to season, why not customize your cleansing experience to optimize your complexion? With these limited-edition Clarisonic brush-head bundles, you can!

If your skin could use a radiance boost, check out the Glow Getter Brush Set. With two Radiance Brush Heads that comfortably cleanse while addressing dullness, one Revitalizing Brush Head for fine lines and the Gentle Radiance Foaming Milk for hydration and brightening, it may be just what you need to get the glowing complexion you’re after.

When enlarged pores and blemishes pose a problem, the Fearlessly Flawless Set kicks your Clarisonic routine up a notch. Featuring two Deep Pore Brush Heads (with two types of bristles to help exfoliate and purge your pores), one Acne Brush Head for extra-gentle cleansing while in the midst of a breakout and the Pore and Blemish Cleanser for a much-needed dose of salicylic acid, this add-on will help get your skin in the clear.

And since some of us have to deal with all of the aforementioned skin concerns, the Essentials Set gives you a bit of everything. With one Deep Pore Brush Head, one Acne Brush Head,one Radiance Brush Head and one Sensitive Brush Head, you can change up your cleansing approach as needed.

But don’t waste any time before getting one of these sets… They’re limited edition, and won’t be around forever!

Are you ready for self-tanning season?

It’s officially spring (whether it feels like it or not), which means self-tanning season isn’t far behind. The main thing to remember when going for your first glow of 2018 is that you want to build color over a period of time—rather than leaving work on Friday pale as a ghost and returning Monday morning looking like a bronzed goddess. St. Tropez has a brand-new product designed to do just this, and best of all, it might be the easiest was to get your glow on—ever.

Exclusive to Ulta (for now), the Gradual Tan Pre Shower Mousse is about as fool-proof as a self-tanner can get. All you have to do is spread it over dry skin using the tint to ensure you get even coverage, and allow it to sit for just one minute before you step into the shower and do your thing as usual. Your subtle color will begin to develop over the next eight hours, and you can repeat the process as much as you’d like until you achieve your desired level of bronziness. Easy enough right?

And since many of us stress about less-than-perfect self-tanning results, perhaps you’d like to get a sneak peek at the color you can achieve with St. Tropez’s various offerings in order to help you decide on the perfect product. If so, check out the Tan Mirror App. All you have to do is upload a selfie, select how much prep time you have and “try on” the recommended products to see which result you like best (with no enhancement or exaggeration). It’s actually a lot of fun to play with!

If this still doesn’t give you enough peace of mind, remember I developed Bronze Buffer, and sponge that instantly wipes away self-tanner mistakes after color has developed—so you might want to have a few on hand just in case as self-tanning season approaches!