November 1, 2019

Glossier's versatile serum helps you go for the glow, a game-changing K-Beauty hair treatment, under-$10 Amazon beauty buys and revisiting a past powder cleanser favorite.

Go for the glow like never before

I’m a big believer in beauty karma, and as it would happen my order for Glossier’s brand-new Futuredew glow-enhancing serum arrived the very day I finished Eau Thermale Avene’s AMAZING Tinted Mineral Sunscreen Fluid SPF 50+ (which garners skin compliments on a daily basis). See, I’ve come to rely on tinted sunscreen as a replacement for all other complexion-coverage when working out or running errands—but with several non-tinted sunscreens waiting in the wings, I’ve been wondering how I’m going to actually make my skin look better without traditional makeup. I’m happy to report that this conundrum has been solved.

Futuredew recently launched with a major bang (as all Glossier products do), and I’m thrilled to report that it definitely bridges the gap between your skincare and makeup. I’ve been applying it after traditional sheer (untinted) sunscreen, and the subtle tint definitely evens things out while imparting an undeniable radiance—without feeling greasy or heavy on my skin. I’d probably love it even more if I was five years younger, but it definitely gets the job done without having to deal with makeup-makeup for an otherwise regular day.

If you keep up on the latest in terms of buzzy beauty launches, you likely know that Glossier always breaks the mold in some way or another, and this formula adheres to their ethos. Its oil-based serum formulation optimizes how your skin reflects light—which basically mimics the radiance of youthful skin. Even more, if you don’t want to go all-in you can use it as a subtle highlighter to emphasize your cheekbones minus the sparkle. Talk about a multitasker!

All in all, I’m very pleased with this serum, which definitely takes my “everyday skin” to the next level with minimal effort. But I’m also thinking that adding in a drop or two of Glossier’s Perfecting Skin Tint (which I finished about a year ago) might make it even better for those of us who need a bit more coverage. Excuse me while I order another bottle…

I’m going to say it: This is the best hair treatment I’ve ever tried

Hair masks and treatments are a permanent fixture in my shower (although I don’t always use them as often as I should). I’m not all that particular as long as my over-processed hair gets the moisture and nourishment it needs, and I’ve learned to schedule my deep-conditioning treatments accordingly since they tend to leave my hair a bit greasy afterwards.

When Moremo’s Water Treatment Miracle 10 showed up at my door, I wasn’t exactly sure what to make of it. I couldn’t fathom how a liquid-based hair conditioner could deliver the smoothing, softening results of a rich cream—and in just 10 seconds. But now that I’ve tried it (and used it every time I’ve washed my hair since), I’m just going to say it. THIS IS THE BEST HAIR TREATMENT I’VE EVER USED.

Further proof that K-Beauty products are truly on the cutting-edge in terms of ingredients, formulations and results, I still can’t believe that this product isn’t a dream. After shampooing, you use the tapered tip to apply the liquid to damaged hair—I focus on my ends and then massage it in all over. It quickly morphs from a liquid to a frothy foam, and then you rinse after 10 seconds. Seriously, by the time you’ve spread it over your entire head you’re done—and you feel the difference in your hair immediately after rinsing. And the scent is divine, which is an amazing thing because it totally sticks around until the next day.

So, what’s in it? Well, there are a lot of botanical extracts that even I have never heard of. I looked up the scientific names listed on the packaging and discovered that the main ingredients are prickly pear, jute, desert rose, sea buckthorn and several algae extracts—along with three types of natural keratin and 17 amino acids.

Ingredients aside, it makes my hair feel like silk even after blow-drying and flat-ironing, with absolutely no extra weight or grease. I can still go three days (maybe four) without washing and enjoy smooth, soft strands despite the copious amounts of dry shampoo I use to give my hair a bit of extra volume and texture. Most of all, this miracle worker helps side-step the inconvenience associated with traditional deep-conditioning masks, especially figuring out how to kill five or more minutes as it works in the shower—or dealing with stepping out and getting back in to rinse if a specific product requires more time.

If you haven’t already gotten the message, Moremo’s Water Treatment is a TOTAL game-changer. And if you don’t get it, I’m happy to snatch up all the existing inventory so I’m set for life.

5 under-$10 Amazon beauty buys

I’m all about cheap thrills, and Amazon is a veritable treasure chest of inexpensive items that will totally step up your beauty and personal-care game as soon as tomorrow. Prime it up, people!

Swisspers
I’m rather particular about my cotton pads, and generic drugstore versions don’t do it for me. I’ve been loyal to Swisspers for as long as I can remember, simply because they have a slightly textured side that helps remove any makeup your cleanser missed—and they don’t fall apart after the first few swipes. And you can get 240 of them for less than 9 bucks!

The Spatty
Nothing bothers me more than wasting product—especially when it’s something I love (and something that’s on the more expensive side). These teeny-tiny spatula helps you get every last drop of serum, face cream, foundation or just about anything else for that matter.

Salux Bath Towel
I wouldn’t imagine showering without this Japanese exfoliating towel. Toss the pouf in favor of this machine-washable cloth and you can have smooth skin from head to toe. It’s rather long, which makes it easy to get your back, and I’ve found it helps prevent ingrown hairs on the backs of my thighs between waxes.

Scrunchies
With this super-sized package of scrunchies, you get every virtually every color under the sun—and enough for you to share with your VCGO-girl daughter and all of her little VSCO-girl friends. Plus, you never have to worry about losing one, because you have dozens more.

Marvis Classic Strong Mint Toothpaste
OK, this toothpaste is actually 34 cents over budget, but it’s totally worth the extra pocket change. The way I look at it, we brush our teeth at least twice a day, so why not make it a treat instead of a mundane task? This powerful mint freshens breath like no other—and looks super-chic next to your sink.

Revisiting an old cleansing favorite

I’ve come to rely on a cleansing powder as step two in my evening face-washing routine, and I recently found myself in need of a new one when I finished my DHC Face Wash Powder. I debated buying Tatcha’s Rice Polish since this is by far the best one I’ve ever used, but I wasn’t in the mood to plunk down $65—and then I remembered how much I loved Babor’s Enzyme Cleanser many moons ago.

Ideal for gentle exfoliation thanks to enzymes that literally dissolve dead skin cells, I was able to find it on Amazon (and made sure it was authentic—because this is a potential issue when shopping third-party sellers), and it was in my medicine cabinet the very next day. I was so anxious to try it I started my evening skincare routine immediately after dinner, and I had high hopes that it would transport me back to my 20s. Alas, I was still almost 43, married and a mom to an 11-year-old after using it, but at least I had smooth, soft skin. Yes, it totally got the job done but I have a sneaking suspicion that the formula has changed in the long stretch of time since it was last part of my rotation. It’s a bit chunkier than I remember, but I’m willing to deal with it since the bottle offers a good amount of product at a decent price. However, I can’t stop thinking about the Tatcha, since I find it offers a more pleasant user experience. But then again, this is just one of my three cleansing steps every night, so I can definitely live with it—until I run out, that is.