February 14, 2020

Barbie gets with the times, your dial fragrance may depend on the stars, I finally got a ZIIP(!) and a "clean" haircare line that delivers.

Barbie (finally) gets real

Times have certainly changed, and Barbie has come a long way, baby. The miniature plastic mannequin who f*cked up body image for several generations of girls and literally sold them an unattainable beauty ideal has finally gotten the memo about inclusivity.

It was a really big deal when “Career-Girl Barbie” came out in 1963, “Astronaut Barbie” launched in 1965 (I couldn’t help myself there) and “President Candidate Barbie” hit the campaign trail in 1992 (she obviously didn’t win).

We’ve seen Barbies with different skin tones, hair textures and body types in the years since, but two new “models” in the Fashionista like are causing a lot of chatter. Meet “Vitiligo Barbie” (who’s goes by “Barbie Fashionistas #135” on store shelves) and “Alopecia Barbie” (who has yet to reveal which product she uses to get those bold, beautiful brows).

This is a huge step in raising awareness about these skin and hair disorders and hopefully they don’t have to wait forever to get an appointment with “Dermatologist Barbie” like the rest of us do.

A totally new way to find your signature scent

I’m about as Sagittarius as they come, and I definitely read, acknowledge and ponder my horoscope—although I would never make a major life decision based on astrological musings. We all know traditional horoscopes are based on our date of birth. But I’m intrigued by the idea that our actual time and place of birth (which are used to create what’s called a birth or natal chart) may offer more insight into our relationship with the universe based on the position of the sun at the precise moment we come into the world. 

Perhaps it was a stroke of luck (or predestined by the alignment of myriad astral bodies) that I came to learn about The Harmonist, a luxury fragrance collection that helps guide you to your signature scent based on your to-the-minute Earth arrival time instead of just the date on the calendar.

Here’s how it works… Simply enter whether you’re male or female (I’m assuming the quiz will be updated with a “non-binary” or “other” option sooner rather than later), followed by your birthday, birth time and whether daylight was observed. Then, you input where you were born—and brace yourself for a deep-dive into your “element.”

For the record, my element is Yin Fire, and this fascinating report includes celebrities who share this element along with details about your personality and relationship tendencies. You get even more details about the elements to seek if you want to enhance socializing, creativity, prosperity, seduction and wisdom—and the fragrance suggestions (one Yin and one Yang) that will help you optimize your potential and smell amazing while you’re at it.

I received the “Harmonizing Fire” candle to try before I even gave The Harmonist my birth info, and in an eerie coincidence (or, again, astrologically predetermined result), this turned out to be the fragrance that was suggested for me. Although my personality report wasn’t 100% on-point, I absolutely LOVE this warm, spicy scent—and the blend of Jamaican pimento berries (Jamaica is one of my favorite places to get away from it all), Bulgarian rose (rose is one of the few floral notes I’ll actually wear) patchouli (sorry, I’m a hippie at heart) and vanilla (another fragrance note I gravitate toward in small doses) is SO ME. It’s almost uncanny… Or maybe it isn’t uncanny at all. 

Regardless of the fragrance you’re guided to—or the one you ultimately select based on personal preference—these perfumes and candles are gorgeous both in terms of scent and aesthetic. Sleek, Zen and stunningly simple, they’re a treat for all the senses—and with Valentine’s Day coming up, you can also use the quiz to find the ideal match for your S.O.!

Meet ZIIP, my skin’s new best friend

I love a good skincare tool, whether high tech or manual (such as a massaging gua sha stone or dermaroller). I try to treat my face to one of these anti-aging add-ons every day, but I have a brand-new, shiny toy that has been monopolizing my bonus skincare time since it arrived last week.

It’s called ZIIP, and if you haven’t heard of it, you’re going to want one after you read this. If you have heard of it and don't have one, you’ll want one even more—and if you do have one, you’re probably as obsessed with it as I am.

Say hello to my little friend…

But let me back up for second… In all of my years as a beauty editor and writer, one of my most memorable treatment experiences was an electro-stimulation facial performed by Dr. Nicholas Perricone. (A close second was a facial with Jo Malone—during which she told me I should be on Accutane—but that’s another story.) It’s hard to explain what it feels like when an electrical current is directed through your face, but the results can be described up as nothing less than astonishing. Although temporary, you literally look like you got a facelift.

The ZIIP is basically the only device out there that lets you give yourself an electrical facial at home, and the technology does more than just mitigate the pull of gravity. The combination of nanocurrents and microcurrents stimulate cellular communication and jumpstart the skin’s healing process to prompt the production of collagen and elastin. This aspect of the ZIIP’s action can take several weeks or more to become visible—BUT whatever the device is “saying” to my cells leaves me looking incredibly refreshed and rejuvenated immediately after every time I use it (which has been almost every day). Perhaps it’s all the growth factors, snail-venom peptides, bio-placenta (yup) and 24-karat gold in the oil-free Golden Gel that you apply before treatment to create conductivity—or maybe it’s the fact that your face muscles get a workout. (Honestly, I don’t care.)

The not-so-secret sauce.

What’s really cool is that you use the ZIIP app to select from several “treatments” designed to prep and brighten your skin, lift and enhance radiance, depuff and define contours, calm irritation, sculpt and energize, rejuvenate the eyes, minimize pores, treat unwanted pigment, and even improve acne. Each treatment has a different combination of currents and “roadmap”—but you don’t have to do anything except follow the video tutorial in the app. Once you select your treatment your phone syncs with your ZIIP and you’re ready to go.

You’re probably wondering what it feels like, and the sensation is different depending on the treatment you choose. I’ve tried most of them, and some come along with a sensation of warmth or prickling, some cause major involuntary muscle contractions and some don’t feel like anything at all. But rest assured none of them are painful.

This morning I layered the Primer, VitalEyes, Instant Gratification and Quick Fix treatments (based on the “schedule” I received via email) and though this may sound like a lot of work, it only took about 15 minutes. And this was definitely time well-spent because my skin looks so amazing that I don’t even want to put on a stitch of makeup. (And I really don’t have to.)

To call the ZIIP a game-changer would be a major understatement because it’s more along the lines of a life-changer. If my skin looks this incredible after a week, I can’t wait to see what happens from here!

ZIIP Golden Gel
EWG/Skin Deep® Score: 5 (via the “Build Your Own Report” tool)
Silicone-free and paraben-free

Clean products for cleaner-than-ever hair

Natural and organic haircare has always been a challenge for me, simply because I’m so used to a particular experience (i.e. a shampoo that suds) as well a certain outcome (meaning smooth, shiny hair that isn’t oily without hours of washing). There have been a few “hits” but many more “misses,” but fortunately, clean haircare has finally caught up with its skincare sibling.

Act+Acre is just one brand that has caught my attention, and this is more than a paraben-, phthalate- and sulfate-free range… These products’ formulation process goes a step further with a cold-pressed method of ingredient extraction, which means high pressure and cold water (rather than heat) are used to preserve the integrity of nutrients—and use 90% less energy in the process.

Since I’m still a bit skeptical when it comes to clean haircare, it’s easier to keep an open mind when I can try before buy full-sized products. Act+Acre’s new Mini Essentials travel kit is calling my name thanks to 3-ounce bottles of their Cold Processed Hair Cleanse and Conditioner (plus a bamboo pillowcase that you’ll definitely want to bring on your next trip since you never know what a hotel’s bedding is going to be like).

While poking around the site a few other products piqued my interest. There’s the Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, which I’d like my husband to try since I don’t even want to know what’s in his Head & Shoulders, and the Intelligent Hair Towel made of organic bamboo lyocell that cuts drying time in half so you can save even more energy. If only there was a way to direct it into my own body, then we’d really be onto something…

Act + Acre Cold Processed Hair Cleanse
EWG/Skin Deep® Score: 4

Act + Acre Cold Pressed Hair Conditioner
EWG/Skin Deep® Score: 5