June 19, 2020
An eye cream you'll want to "C," products that will give you a hand and a better way to deal with allergies.
Call off the hunt for the perfect eye cream
I’ve been in the beauty biz for more than 20 years (eek!) and although I’ve loved just about every second of it, one of my favorite parts of the job is interviewing (and learning from) experts who are at the top of their respective fields. I love geeking out with world-renowned dermatologists and plastic surgeons, talking shop with celebrity aestheticians and makeup artists and, of course, interviewing actual celebrities who dip their toes into the beauty waters.
But cosmetic chemists just might be my favorite experts to work with because they’re the real brains behind the lotions and potions we turn to every day (and sadly, like parfumeurs, rarely get the credit they deserve). A few months back I interviewed cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson for the first time, and beyond being on virtually every beauty editor’s speed-dial, he’s also the founder of BeautyStat, a burgeoning skincare brand that everyone in the beauty-know is super-excited about.
Ron emailed me a few weeks ago to share the news that BeautyStat was launching its first eye cream and asked if I’d like to try it—but I had to keep mum about the Universal C Eye Perfector until it officially debuted last week. Along with all the product information, Ron also sent along a spreadsheet illustrating how his eye cream compares to its competitors, and let’s just say you don’t even have to bother shopping around.
Serving up major antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, this gentle, hydrating, fragrance-free formula has been clinically proven brighten, firm and smooth delicate eye-area skin. You get 5% pure vitamin C (in the form of L-ascorbic acid—one of the most extensively studied and proven-effective skincare ingredients out there), hyaluronic acid for instant skin plumping, CBD for serious soothing and EGCG (the most potent antioxidant compound found in green tea).
As for the cream itself, it has the ever-so-slightest tint that helps even everything out a bit, and the texture is sublime. It glides on smoothly without pulling or tugging and melts right into the skin with barely any rubbing required. Rather than interfering with makeup application, it also works double-duty as a primer (which will be awesome when I actually start wearing eye makeup again). Finally, it’s free of fragrance, preservatives, dyes, parabens and phthalates, so it’s the perfect addition to my “clean” skincare routine.
So instead of reaching out to me for eye cream recommendations when you’re ready for a new one (you know who you are), bookmark the link above—or better yet, just buy this now so you have it. I bet you’ll like it more than the product you’re currently using, and be sure to get the Universal C Skin Refiner as well because it’s that good, too.
These new products are sure to give you a helping hand
So nail salons opened back up down here about three weeks ago—but I have yet to step foot in one. Other than a few DIY manicures since this whole rigmarole began, I’ve pretty much been polish-free, preferring to keep my nails short and neatly filed. But I can definitely say my hands are drier than usual thanks to copious amounts of hand sanitizer, cleaning products and the never-ending dishwashing that comes along with cooking more than ever before. (See, all the more reason not to waste my time with nail polish.)
Since I’m always up on the latest when it comes to new and noteworthy products, I have my eye on two that I’m confident could give my hands the bit of extra help they need. First is Augustinus Bader’s supercharged Hand Treatment—and if you have any idea about the cult following this brand’s face creams, body cream and collab with Victoria Beckham have garnered in a relatively short time, you can understand why I’m coveting this moisturizer for my mitts.
On the nail front, I’m thisclose to ordering JINsoon’s HyperRepair Nourishing and Strengthening Base Coat. Recommended for use on its own (rather than as a true base coat beneath other polish), this double-patented formula’s ingredient list reads more like a skincare product than a nail treatment. With an AHA blend of glycolic, malic and lactic acids; vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin B5; and a proprietary strengthening ingredient called Hexanol—this protective and corrective clear polish is 10-free, cruelty-free and vegan as well.
I don’t know about you, but this one-two punch seems like a no-brainer for smooth, soft hands and strong, healthy nails without a trip to the salon or time-consuming upkeep—and who doesn’t want that? (I know I do!)
Are your allergies out of control right now?
It seems like there’s practically nothing that can’t be “subscribed to” and automatically delivered these days—and I couldn’t be more grateful for never having to worry about running out of tampons, razors and mac-and-cheese for my son. On the medication and supplement front, I’m always stocked with my probiotics and CBD—and now with Curist, I never have to wonder if it’s time to replenish my stash of allergy medicine again.
Unfortunately my “seasonal” allergies are present year-round—and I had been taking Claritin daily for longer than I’d care to admit with less relief than I would have liked. Then I was introduced to Curist, and it turns out I wasn’t covering all of my symptom bases. After taking a very simple quiz about my unique symptoms, current medication and when my allergies flare up, I learned that a nasal spray was the missing piece—and just a few days after my “Allergy Trio” arrived I was literally able to get a breath of relief.
The concept behind Curist is pretty straightforward… Deliver generic versions of popular medications (such as Claritin, Zyrtec and Flonase) at regular intervals so you never miss a dose—and hopefully never have to struggle with allergies again. The kits make it even easier to manage your symptoms, and the recommendations based on your quiz results offer peace of mind that you’re using the best treatment (or combination of treatments) to keep your allergies under control.
In other great news, Curist recently introduced their own version of Tylenol so they have your pain and fever relief covered, too. I highly recommend adding this to your subscription as well because you never know when there might be another run on acetaminophen (although I sure hope those days are well behind us).