New Beauty Obsessions for October

Photo courtesy of Alexa Rae Vitug

“This silky-soft, gingery-citrus balm is hands down the most exciting, delightful cleanser I have ever tried. (Exciting? Cleanser? Is it awful that I’ve always found the subject of cleansers incredibly dull?) But I’m thrilled every time I use this one: The texture is soft and light and almost fluid, as if developed by some sort of physics genius intent on creating a new form of matter. It smells like heaven—faintly citrusy and gingery. It’s a pale yellow from the famously skin-calming turmeric, and most delightfully, it rinses right off your skin, leaving it soft, fully cleansed, moisturized, and feeling so good.”

“This was a really good, clean, inky-black mascara—but as it turns out, there was room for improvement. Kosas incorporated new antismudge technology, along with nourishing ingredients nabbed from the clean hair-care industry, and somehow made it longer-lasting, too. It’s got an amazing brush that curls your lashes as you flick upward, for glossy, soft, defined lashes.”

“This was a really good, clean, inky-black mascara—but as it turns out, there was room for improvement. Kosas incorporated new antismudge technology, along with nourishing ingredients nabbed from the clean hair-care industry, and somehow made it longer-lasting, too. It’s got an amazing brush that curls your lashes as you flick upward, for glossy, soft, defined lashes.”

“Rare is the brush that can make it through my hair to touch my head; most penetrate only the top layers of hair, a deeply unsatisfying, not-at-all-detangling experience. I held on to a brush I got in the very early ’90s (yes, the early ’90s!!!) until last year, when the last of its stiff plastic bristles finally gave out. Hard plastic worked, and some metal brushes did, too, though the latter have always felt too scrape-y. I did not imagine a wooden brush—the pins on this light, smooth, super luxe one are made of beechwood, as is the handle—would ever be strong enough for me. But not only does it go right through my hair, detangling in a single swipe, it also feels incredible—the closest thing to an actual head massage from an actual person.”

“When my husband and I started dating, we loved going on late-evening runs, and we’d buy aloe leaves at the bodega by his place in Brooklyn to massage our sore calves with afterward. The leaves were so huge that when you squeezed one, it oozed a whole palmful of cooling gel. This aloe vera gel is even juicier, far more glamorous, and much easier to smooth on (fresh aloe can get sticky). It calms, refreshes, and deeply moisturizes with a supercharged, scentless blend of aloe, purslane (a botanical Dr. Sturm almost always formulates with for its skin-soothing benefits), and antioxidants. I love the delicate, skin-freshening texture, and I use it for both face and body—it’s a serious upgrade for our late-night aloe-leg-massage tradition.”

“I started using this gorgeous oil that softens body hair to make removing it easier and less painful, and the torturous Brazilian bikini wax I go in for every couple of months was—I kid you not—a lot less torturous.

I’ll never not use this oil! The blend of smoothing jojoba and grape-seed oils conditions hair—pubic, underarm, leg hair. Use this stuff wherever to streamline waxing, shaving, or plucking. As a bonus, there’s tea tree oil in it to soothe pores and ingrowns. I love how cool the glass bottle looks (the ‘Fur’ across the bottle is so confident) and that you need only a few drops for the magic to take effect.”

“I started using this gorgeous oil that softens body hair to make removing it easier and less painful, and the torturous Brazilian bikini wax I go in for every couple of months was—I kid you not—a lot less torturous. I’ll never not use this oil! The blend of smoothing jojoba and grape-seed oils conditions hair—pubic, underarm, leg hair. Use this stuff wherever to streamline waxing, shaving, or plucking. As a bonus, there’s tea tree oil in it to soothe pores and ingrowns. I love how cool the glass bottle looks (the ‘Fur’ across the bottle is so confident) and that you need only a few drops for the magic to take effect.”

“I got an incredible facial at aesthetician Jessica Bowers’s West Village ‘skin-care speakeasy,’ and she uttered three words that have changed my blemish-prone skin: ‘Toner. Every. Day.’ I chose an essence (essences aren’t exactly toners but can be similar) that I knew I already loved—from Vintner’s Daughter: It’s a potent blend of probiotics, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, microalgae, apple cider vinegar, and over thirty skin-loving botanicals. And I committed to patting it into my skin every single day. So now, every morning, I empty half a dropper into my palm and smooth the essence onto my just-out-of-the-shower skin. It exfoliates, tones, and preps your skin for whatever other treatments you layer on after (either face oil or cream for me, depending on the day, and always mineral sunscreen as the last step). The effects have been dramatic. My skin is silkier, noticeably less eruptive, and decidedly more radiant, and it looks practically poreless. It’s definitely not new to the goop shop, but it’s given my skin a new lease on life.”

“Even if I start my day off with my hair down, at some point I twist it up with this exquisite gold pin. It’s replaced all the plastic clips and elastics I used to use (which gave me breakage and creases), and it feels like a pretty piece of jewelry in my hair. Whether I put my hair in a bun or a French twist, the elegant pin stays securely in place. My tip: Once you twist your hair up, pull a few face-framing pieces down for a sexy, lived-in updo.”

“This dryer! I use it every day—even when I’m not giving myself a full salon-esque bouncy blowout—to dry my wet hair quickly or give my roots a boost of volume. Another dryer might take twenty minutes to dry my hair, but this sleek, professional-grade dryer does it in ten (it’s made with something called oxy active technology that creates a vacuum effect for wicked-fast drying). It’s also incredibly lightweight, so it’s easy to maneuver without exerting a crazy amount of arm strength.”

“The gorgeous-for-fall metallic khaki green in this chic palette is my favorite, but I love (and frequently wear) the pearlescent beige and the sheer toffee brown, too. Each has a subtle, fine shimmer and beautiful pigments that build easily, so you can dab on just a bit to brighten up the inner corners of your eyes or work it into a full-eye look. The texture is whipped and sort of putty-like, and it smooths into a light, creamy powder that’s really easy to blend. I did a five-minute smoky eye before I went out for date night, and it was incredibly easy and looked so glamorous.”

“I love this all-in-one cleansing exfoliator for my oily skin—and it’s gentle enough for me to use every day. I pour a little bit of the fine powder into my hand and add some warm water before massaging it in. It foams up and the exfoliating enzymes and cellulose get to work. After I step out of the shower, my face is noticeably smoother, not to mention dewier (added bonus).”

“I love just about anything that’s multifunctional, and this featherweight gel primer is the perfect balance of makeup and skin care. My makeup looks better and lasts longer when I smooth the primer on first, but sometimes I use it simply on its own because it’s just that good—it’s made with hyaluronic acid and vegetable squalane, so it’s super moisturizing.”

“I love just about anything that’s multifunctional, and this featherweight gel primer is the perfect balance of makeup and skin care. My makeup looks better and lasts longer when I smooth the primer on first, but sometimes I use it simply on its own, because it’s just that good—it’s made with hyaluronic acid and vegetable squalane, so it’s super moisturizing.”

“I just started using this eye cream, and I already notice a difference. The pink tub it comes in is hard to miss, which is great if, like me, you’re a little forgetful. The cream is super silky and melts into my skin, and I swear when I wake up, I look more energetic and radiant—like I got the perfect amount of sleep (in my dreams!). It’s also brilliant in the morning as a primer before concealer and eye makeup.”

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