February 7, 2020

Why Beauty Pie replaced all my other subscriptions, I gave "raw" skincare a whirl, my thoughts about a scalp massager and the best cotton squares ever (because they are all not created equal).

This is the best beauty subscription out there

I’ve tried more than my fair share of beauty subscriptions, and with the exception of Olfactif (which is devoted to fragrance) they’ve all left me a bit disappointed. Although there’s usually one winner in each monthly delivery, the rest of the products were either just “eh” or just not for me, which started to seem like a waste of money. I wrote about Beauty Pie when it first launched three years ago, and I finally joined (after hearing rave reviews from a friend) last week—and it’s so, so good.

Created by Marcia Kilgore, the mastermind behind blockbuster brands like Bliss, Soap & Glory and FitFlops, Beauty Pie takes a totally new approach that brings prestige products to the masses at beyond-affordable price points. Kilgore makes this possible by going straight to the labs and manufacturers, cutting out the retail middlemen and sticking to simple (yet somehow chic) packaging. The result: Products that would cost $100 in stores can be yours for about $10.

The basic subscription is $10 a month, which gives you a spending limit based on the products’ “typical” prices. For my first order, I had to sample the fragrances (I actually really like three of them), a candle (with a typical price of $60 and member price of $15, these are worth the subscription fee alone!) and the Super Retinol Anti-Aging Hand Treatment (Typical price: $50. I paid $7.48!)

There’s so much to choose from, including skincare with all the buzziest ingredients, haircare, makeup, beauty tools and more—it’s really quite amazing. There are also loads of “clean” products if that’s your thing. I’ve already started a wishlist with the products I want to try next month, and new ones are added all the time.

So if you like the idea of a beauty subscription that lets you control what shows up on your doorstep, go sign up for Beauty Pie like right now. You’ll be so happy you did!

“Raw” skincare is a thing, so I gave it a try

It’s no secret that I’m a total beauty geek, which is why I pitched a story about chlorophyll to my editor at The Spotlyte. Seeing this ingredient pop up in more and more products got me wondering how the compound that literally fuels the plant kingdom could benefit human skin—and you can check out my story here. As part of my research, I got to try Hear Me Raw’s The Brightener with Chlorophyll+, and it opened my eyes to a whole new type of skincare.

Raw skincare essentially takes “clean” skincare to the next level by harnessing the power of “living” ingredients, but there’s definitely more science behind it than simply making a green juice and slathering it on your face. In the case of Hear Me Raw’s phytobioactive mask (which also doubles as a cleanser), you get a mega-dose of energizing chlorophyll along with 15 other natural, unadulterated ingredients like exfoliating lactic and phytic acids and a powerful antioxidant punch courtesy of matcha green tea, spirulina, lemon peel, Swiss cress sprout extract and bakuchiol.

With plenty of mask experience under my belt, I was surprised by the fluid, jelly-like texture upon opening the sustainable glass jar and its refillable pod. My first takeaway was the undeniable tingle—which is basically proof that it’s working. When I rinsed it off 10 minutes later, I liked the cool sensation it left behind—but I LOVED how smooth and soft my skin felt, as well as how fresh, radiant and healthy it looked!

I tried it as a cleanser a few days later, and beyond being a somewhat slippery, suds-free experience I got a hint of that familiar tingle. Although it didn’t feel like a deep-cleansing experience, I was shocked when there was absolutely zero left-over dirt or makeup on my cotton pad when I used micellar water afterwards. Again, my skin felt fresh and invigorated and ready for the rest of my skincare routine.

If you had told me six months ago that I’d be dedicated to a “clean” skincare routine, I probably would have said that would never happen. If you had told me that I’d be using RAW skincare I probably would have said you’re crazy. No, I still don’t like green juice, but my face apparently does—and if you want to get a little raw, try The Detoxifier with Charcoal+, too!

I tried a scalp massager and here’s what happened

For the first time in a really long time, I actually have no complaints in the hair health or growth departments. It’s been almost four years since my platinum strands basically broke off a few inches from the root, which was followed by going back to my natural color for intense rehabilitation. Fast forward to today, and I’m back to my standard highlighted blonde, and my hair is the longest it’s been in quite a while (hair supplements do work!).

I’m much more diligent about being gentle on my hair now, which means minimal heat styling, weekly deep-conditioning treatments and using an Aquis wrap instead of a standard towel to dry my hair after showering. And let’s not forget copious amounts of dry shampoo to stretch time between shampoos. This habit has yet to be problematic in terms of MY hair health (although studies have shown a connection between product build-up on the scalp and optimal growth). More than anything, too much dry shampoo just feels yucky after a while and sometimes a double-shampoo doesn’t deliver the deep clean my hair and scalp need.

You’ve probably read a bit about the benefits of scalp massage, which include improved circulation, exfoliation (yes, really!) and removal of aforementioned product build-up—so naturally I had to try it. As a first-timer, I wasn’t about to spend $20+ on a tool that might only get used once, so I got a $2 cheapie on Amazon—and then things got interesting.

My first attempt was a disaster. After working my shampoo into a rich lather, I slipped the tool on my middle finger and started massaging in a circular motion. Let’s just say this resulted in a massive tangled mess. Feeling utterly defeated, I doused my head in conditioner to comb out the knots—and gave the tool dirty looks every time I showered for the next week.

I finally worked up the nerve to try it again, but this time I used it more like a comb which went a lot more smoothly. While certainly not as soothing and relaxing as a spa massage, my scalp definitely felt energized and my hair was cleaner than ever when I blow-dried afterwards. I’ve used the scalp massager a few times since, reserving it mainly for when I’ve gone a bit too far between washing and I feel like my hair needs the extra cleansing effort.

Am I obsessed with massaging my scalp? No. Will I keep the tool? Yes. Should you try scalp massage? Maybe…

Found: The best cotton squares ever

I don’t expect anyone to get as excited as I do about cotton pads, but that’s not going to stop me from sharing a superior way to swipe on toners or take off makeup. Made by the Japanese company Muji (which is kind of a cross between Ikea, Target and Brandless), no trip to NYC is complete without a pop-in but shopping online is decidedly more convenient (and dangerous).

These plush, unbleached , super-soft pillows put cotton balls to shame, and they are so big that they help you get any skincare task completed more efficiently. They also come in a bag of 135 squares, so you don’t have to worry about running out any time soon.

The best part? They only cost $6.00, and you can stock up on office supplies, PJs, homegoods and a lot more while you’re at it. Once you go Muji, you won’t go back—just don’t hate me for getting you hooked.