We acquired a new daily habit in January–perhaps the easiest-ever to implement because it feels so good: cleansing with a plush new jelly face wash that exfoliates like a dream. And the results–glowier, softer, healthier-looking skin–are already noticeable on our faces.
SHOP NOW
And this month, we’re also buzzing about Gucci Westman’s nude lip palette, a bikini-line trimmer that’s both chic and easy to use, a body scrub evocatively called Pure Love, and more.
“Who doesn’t want a spritz of libertine energy before facing the world? (And by ‘the world,’ I mean a lost-weekend date night, a staid morning meeting full of PowerPoints, and anything in between.) The alchemy of this exquisite scent–made by the founders of Fresh, who created a world of fragrances I never could resist–swirls pomelo, hibiscus, and cedarwood into absolute magic. It’s airy and romantic, with a sophisticated, sexy French-girl thing going on underneath. It’s so good, you find yourself lifting your wrists to your nose multiple times a day, and it lasts beautifully (all day or all night, something almost impossible to achieve with citrusy fragrances). That it’s free of the hormone disruptors, irritants, and potential carcinogens common in conventional fragrances proves, once and for all, that the beauty industry doesn’t need to expose us to those chemicals in order to make something utterly original, luxurious, and charming. Spritz it on with abandon–libertine-style–and like me, you will have found your new signature scent.”
SHOP NOW
“It’s made with cane sugar, rice powder, and Himalayan and Epsom salts in an ultramoisturizing base of foaming butters (!), but the scent of this exquisite new hydrating, exfoliating, sense-awakening body scrub is my favorite thing. Night-blooming jasmine, roses, orange blossom, the tiniest bit of geranium, and sandalwood fill the shower with citrusy, flowery steam as the scrub foams up on your skin; the oils moisturize so powerfully that the effects (and the subtle, gorgeous scent) last long after you rinse the scrub off. In other words, you step out of the shower having already put on body cream and perfume, smelling and feeling like, as UMA aptly puts it, Pure Love. And while you must get it for yourself first and foremost, note that the stunning signature UMA box makes an instant, no-wrapping-needed gift.”
SHOP NOW
“Perplexed by the odd short-sleeve Henley T-shirts worn by practically every Beatle (plus Yoko) day after day in Get Back, I also fixated on John Lennon’s unwashed hair, by turns alluring and unsettling. When he finally washed it the day before their rooftop show, I understood: Without a little hair cream (good ones didn’t really exist until Kiehl’s Silk Groom in the ’90s), his hair had that I-just-washed puffiness and ungrooviness that no one wants. I wanted to go back in time and smooth a little of this brilliant new cream into his ends. It’s a new (clean) secret weapon for frizz, flyaways, cowlicks, and hair adjustment in general. It works as a fantastic comb-in or leave-in conditioner but also (and here is its true brilliance and most powerful utility) as a fixer, a zhuzher, a perfector for hair that’s already styled and even day- or days-old. Is there a poufy piece at the back of your head? A single curl that insists on turning the wrong way? Suffering the just-washed-my-hair ungrooviness? Smooth a little between your hands and zhuzh, zhuzh, zhuzh.”
SHOP NOW
“The two crucial-to-my-sanity things I do before starting the day: Meditate (GP gave the team Transcendental Meditation classes a few years back, and my life is way better when I actually practice) and cocoon my lips in this magical balm. Flaky, uncomfortable lips are my own idiosyncratic hell (anyone else with me?), and this fantastically moisturizing salve made with hyaluronic acid and prickly pear oil is cushiony, supple, lasts-all-day nourishment. It deposits a perfect subtle sheen–a too-shiny vibe is a bit intentional for me–that somehow makes my whole face look more alive. A teensy dab is transformative and enough to keep my lips doused in moisture, even in the face of cutting winter wind. And the sleek little tube is perfect for taking absolutely anywhere.”
SHOP NOW
“I want to look like, dress like, marry, and be Pharrell Williams all at once. Even before I clock whatever impossibly cool getup and tangle of necklaces he’s got going, I’m practically blinded by the glowing, sculpted, how-can-he-be-forty-eight-years-old skin. So of course I had to try his new refillable Humanrace skin care. I’m most obsessed with this rice powder cleanser because of the way it makes my skin look: clear, fresh, and brilliantly youthful. I’m die-hard when it comes to exfoliating–regularly doing it is in no insignificant way responsible for calming my breakout-prone skin–and this genius combination of silky rice powder, kaolin clay, and fruit acids buffs my skin into its best shape ever. In a steamy shower every night, I shake out the powder, work it into a gorgeous lather between my wet palms, and give myself a thirty-second face massage to sweep away the day. (If you’re standing at the sink, just add a few drops of water to activate the powder.) The result: a Pharrell-esque glow that almost everyone in my immediate orbit has exclaimed over.”
SHOP NOW
SHOP NOW
“My hair is only as good as my leave-in treatment–and this new serum-milk from Augustinus Bader transforms my tangles into lustrous, manageable, dreamy amazingness. It’s made with Dr. Bader’s patented hair-restoring complex (the result of over thirty years of research) along with a potent cocktail of antioxidant fruit extracts. It’s refreshingly scentless, works its magic on all hair types, and melts in luxuriously without a trace. I smooth a nice glob through my damp hair immediately after washing, then braid it up for the best softly effed-up texture–and wake up with silky, shiny ends that I can’t stop running my fingers through and fluffing. This is my excellent-hair-day secret for the new year.”
SHOP NOW
“This rich, thick, whipped, baby-pink gel cream might be the most powerful moisturizer I’ve tried. Since I’ve started using it, my dry, irritated, splotchy winter skin has been softer, dewier, and suppler. It’s packed with powerful plant active ingredients and antioxidants like chebula, calendula, and wild pansy extract that deeply nourish, hydrate, and soothe. I smooth it on every morning, and the skin-softening moisturizing effects last all day.”
SHOP NOW
“My secret for full-of-life hair that looks (and smells) amazing is this fine, Japanese-persimmon-infused powder. The fluffy brush it comes with is brilliant for lightly dabbing it on your roots only where you need it. It absorbs oil like nothing else and leaves my hair voluminous, silky soft, shiny, and fresh-feeling. I even like to use it on clean hair for sexy volume and lift. If you love any of Crown Affair’s other products (I happen to love the whole line), you’ll recognize the beautiful, fresh, light signature scent of bergamot, yuzu, and lemongrass, which will keep you reaching for this every single day.”
SHOP NOW
“I’m obsessed with pretty much everything Gucci Westman creates, but this gorgeous palette in Les Nudes has gone to the top of my favorites list. It contains four creamy lip pigments in the most beautiful neutral shades: Warm Rose, Peony, Cafe Creme, and Mulled Wine. I love all of them individually (Peony is my favorite), but the real fun is mixing them together into a custom shade–it feels so luxurious, like you are your own makeup artist. All are made with skin-care ingredients like jojoba and avocado oils that leave my lips feeling hydrated, nourished, soft, and plump every time I smooth them on.”
SHOP NOW
“I used to apply tons of foundation to cover up acne scars and bumps; makeup was a means to mask rather than accentuate, highlight, and celebrate. Since joining goop, I’ve happily reformed, focusing more on skin care and less on covering up, so the makeup part is actually fun. Just a few swipes of this shimmery taupe shadow brightens my eyes and my whole look–it blends seamlessly and gives me a just-took-a-dip-in-the-pool glow (yes, even in the dead of winter).”
SHOP NOW
“I’m a sucker for all things Furtuna Skin. I mean, the biphase face oil? My skin drinks it up, and it smells amazing. I’m also a sucker for a collab, and this one, with Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott, is so chic–and here just in time for Valentine’s Day. You get my favorite face oil, along with the brand’s exquisite micellar essence, face and eye serum, and pale-blue replenishing balm, all in deluxe minis. They all come packed in a fuzzy, plush, hot-pink bag designed by Scott. It’s got so much style, and it’s fun–it will definitely be doubling as my new glam clutch.”
SHOP NOW
“If I don’t have a cream or serum for it, I’ll neglect it. So I was excited when I heard skin whisperer Dr. Barbara Sturm had created a cream specifically for the neck and decolletage. I smooth this skin-coddling cream on every night and can feel my skin thanking me. It leaves my skin glowy and moisturized, and I can’t resist the brand’s signature sleek white jar.”
SHOP NOW
“Shaving could never be described as effortless; I’ve always feared slipping in the shower as I bend my body in ways it simply isn’t meant to while balancing on one leg in a slippery tiled corner. Now we can all step out of the shower: This cordless, shave-cream-optional trimmer gives me a perfect streamlined shave without the nerve-wracking setup. Its three-blade system has three different settings for any length of body hair–from my legs to the peach fuzz on my face–and leaves me beautifully (and effortlessly) smooth. And I love the chic bright-green silky bag it comes in, with a USB charging cable and base. It’s the easiest shaving has ever been–my old razors now just feel, well, old.”
SHOP NOW
“Although I’m not blessed with the thick, long hair I obsess over on Instagram, I’m inspired to stop dyeing my hair, use only clean products, and really focus on growing it out. What’s made the biggest difference so far: this simple five- to eight-minute preshower mask that delivers vitamins and moisture from roots to tips. My hair just feels so soft and hydrated and closer to its most natural state. The soft, powdery scent lingers in my hair–strangers have actually stopped me in the street to compliment me on it–and the longer I use the mask, the better my hair becomes.”
SHOP NOW
“Stepping out of JFK into the twenty-three-degree NYC weather after a flight from Miami was a physical shock–above my mask, my forehead wrinkled and my brows furrowed, and it felt like every bit of moisture drained from my skin. Since then, I’ve been using this specifically-designed-for-winter face oil every night before bed. (Annee de Mamiel is an acupuncturist and herbalist, and she mixes each formula to match our skin’s seasonal needs.) It moisturizes intensely and doubles as a restorative essential oil treatment, soothing my mind. Before massaging the oil over my face, I warm it in my hands, cup them over my nose and mouth, breathe in and out for three counts, and then smooth the oil in–it’s easily the most peaceful, nourishing, de-stressing element of my winter routine.”
SHOP NOW
Leave a Reply