For The Indulger Who Calls The Bathroom Her "Sanctuary"
Try: Uma Pure Calm Wellness Bath Oil, $80
Some see skin care more as a ritual of self love than a "having to get ready for work" situation — and those people are going to freak out when they get their hands on Uma, a skin care range of botanically driven face and body-oils that can turn any self care Sunday into a session befitting of Cleopatra. The brand's secret: a stash of potent and incredible smelling botanicals grown on a third-generation family farm in India. Sure, the farm has produced essential oils and skin care ingredients for some of the world's biggest beauty brands (think: L'Oreal, Lauder and such). But choice crops are reserved for the family's indie brand, formulated in the ayurvedic tradition and paired with quality carrier oils that put Uma formulations in a league of their own and worth the price. Indulgent doesn't even begin to explain it.
For the Seeker of Celebrity Skin
Try: Beis x Shani Darden Wander & Glow Kit, $138
In Hollywood, it doesn't get more insider than a facial by Shani Darden, the esthetician responsible for the marquee complexions of Jessica Alba and Chrissy Teigen (and with whom a treatment in her impossibly chic Beverly Hills skin studio is one of the hottest tickets in town). The icon teamed up with client and Beis founder Shay Mitchell to offer a taste of the Shani Darden experience in the form of four of her eponymous skin care products (including the famous Retinol Reform), housed in a custom vegan leather Beis bag that could easily be toted to brunch.
For Handwashing Sessions That Smell Like Spa Time
Try: Bathing Culture Mind and Body Wash Refillable Glass, $35
Count 2020 as the year when hand hygiene finally got its due. With handwashing happening at a stepped up rate, soap selection has become key: If the right scent can transform the increasingly frequent chore into a moment of zen, then why not splurge for a hand soap that feels like a vacation, even just for a moment? This one makes hands smell like a NorCal redwood forest right after the rain and is made with soy-derived glycerine, organic coconut, olive and sunflower oils, aloe and shea butter. (No wonder it's sold out five times since March.)
For the Skin-Positive Gen Z-er
Try: Topicals Duo, $56
Show us temperamental skin and we'll show you countless products clinically positioned to to aggressively fight it. But one look at TikTok proves that Gen Z knows another way, wherein the path to a glowy complexion is forged with natural formulations meant to nurture the symptoms of acne, rosacea, eczema and hyperpigmentation. Enter Topicals, a skin care brand started by two Gen Zers that's formulated to gently care for flare-ups without perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards along the way (we're looking at you, glass skin and so-called perfect complexions). Its first two products: a botanically-driven, whipped calming mask and brightening serum that happens to double as a moisturizer and makeup primer for oily skin types.
For a Complexion Like Angelina's
Try: Dermbasics RR Perfection Cream, $59
Judging from the simple packaging or Dermbasics brand name alone, one would never guess that this is the skin care range favored by A-listers like Angelina Jolie. But after using the low-key products, we can see why. Created by dermatologist Rhonda Rand (who counts Jolie as a patient), this line of cleansers, serums, moisturizers and exfoliators is as efficacious as it is a delight to use. One of Jolie's favorite products (and incidentally, ours, too) is this oil, fragrance, and paraben-free BB cream, which provides mineral SPF 50 and counts vitamin C, biotin, green tea polyphenols and hydrating ceramides among its top ingredients. It leaves zero white cast and a demi-matte finish on skin, but feels like silk to the touch, making it the perfect no-makeup makeup for blue light-emitting Zoom calls and outdoor wear.
