The Dark Spot Corrector That Fades My Skin Sins
If I could go back in time and dispense some wisdom to my teenage self, I'd start by telling her to knock off tanning. Actually, that's about it. The only thing I really regret in my whole, silly life is my reckless pursuit of tanning and all the sun damage I have to show for it.
As a result, I've spent the past 10 years or so trying every dark-spot remover on the skin care market. One of the newbies on my shelf is Peace Out Microneedling Dark Spot Brightening Dots, $28.
Whenever I feel like my hyperpigmented patches need some extra attention, I slap a few of these on after applying my normal nighttime skin care routine. I wake up to spots that are way less spotty, thanks to the product's cocktail of niacinamide, tranexamic acid and licorice extract.
Although I bought these dots to minimize my sun damage, I've found they work just as well to even out my skin tone after a bad pimple. All my skin care regrets are fading by the day. — Katie McCarthy
Cover image via @peaceoutskincare
The Pinky-Nude Lipstick That Makes Me Feel Like a Star
I'm a huge fan of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," so when Revlon came out with two sets of Mrs. Maisel-inspired lipsticks earlier this summer, I was intrigued. The Take The Stage reds trio is gorg, but since I'm not typically a big red-lip person, The Marvelous Super Lustrous Collection in Stand Up Nudes, $15.99, became my instant favorite. It comes with three gorgeous shades: Rum Raisin, Pink Truffle, and my new go-to color for everyday, Blushing Mauve, which I absolutely can't stop swiping on. It's the perfect rosy neutral! It's flattering, it's feminine, and if it maybe makes me feel just a teensy bit like Midge for a moment... and that's not the worst thing ever, right? — Alyssa Hertzig
Cover image via Amazon
Kylie Skin Eye Cream Is Actually Great!
I had low expectations for Kylie Skin. No surprise, though, 'cause didn't we all? I even tweeted slight shade about the skin care line before it even launched. I admit it... I was a hater. But there actually isn't that much to hate. Kylie Skin isn't revitalizing skin care by any means — most of the lineup is more just okay than OMG fantastic — but, dare I say... the Kylie Skin Eye Cream, $20, is a standout.
It's jam-packed with a ton of ingredients to target everything you hate about your eyes: Caffeine, green tea extract and pomegranate extract to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and puffiness, vitamin C and E to reduce the appearance of dark undereye circles, and shea butter and jojoba seed oil to moisturize. This eye cream does what it promises — and notably well. My favorite thing about it is there's a slight tan-brown tint to it that really helps to get rid of under-eye darkness. It's almost like an accidental concealer — I've even tried using it to cover dark spots on other parts of my face.
I wear glasses, and I don't really expect much from my eye creams, because I literally have a black-rimmed shield sitting on my face to hide the fact I only slept three hours the night before. But this eye cream's got me. I've been using it for more than a month now, and you know what? Kylie Jenner truly delivered. — Nicholas Pilapil
Cover image via @kylieskin
The Daily Face SPF I Actually Want to Wear
After years of blowing off the sunscreen (in my teens), I now know the importance of protecting our skin from the sun's powerful rays. My tanning days are behind me — now, I'm covering myself from head to toe in protection. Being a huge fan of the outdoors, it's especially important to me to avoid premature aging, hyperpigmentation and skin cancer.
I've tried just about every facial SPF under the sun, and many leave much to be desired. I recently was introduced to Elizabeth Arden Great 8 Daily Defense Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 35, $42 and it's been my go-to ever since. I'm in an office most days from 9-5 and spend my weekends hiking, kayaking and hanging out around water so my face is always in need of some form of protection. First thing I noticed about this product was the light, almost-translucent gel texture that simply melts into my skin. The second thing I noticed was the light, refreshing fragrance — much like the brand's classic White Tea fragrance.
This product is amazing because it can be used as a makeup primer and has a mattifying effect on the skin (which my combination skin just loves!). It protects my skin from a slew of aggressors like blue light (hello computer screen!), sunlight, infrared light and pollution, while also keeping me hydrated and helping my makeup stay in place.
The tube is small enough to keep on hand, anywhere I go, but it's also lasting a long time. I've taken it on two weekend trips thus far, and experienced no signs of burning or sun damage. I am taking it to hot, sunny Dallas Texas this weekend and I know it will be a welcome addition to my makeup routine in the humid, Southwestern sun. — Hannah Savin
To see more of my makeup must-haves, follow me on Instagram: @the_beauty_whoreder
Cover image via @elizabetharden
This Is the Best (Cruelty-Free!) Brow Pencil for Blondes
Sometime last year, I decided to switch my beauty routine to cruelty-free products only. It's been simultaneously easy and hard — easy because there are a lot more cruelty-free beauty brands than I initially realized, hard because it takes trial and error to find products that are worth finishing. (I'm probably one transaction away from being on the no-fly list of Sephora's return policy.)
The hardest product to replace was my trusty brow pencil. Cool blondes know that a natural-looking, ashy blond brow pencil is a near-impossible find; most blond pencils have a strangely warm, red tinge. But Kat Von D's Signature Brow Precision Pencil in Light Brown, $21, is a winner. This cruelty-free pencil has the perfect grayish undertone and lasts all day. And the tip is a game-changer: It's shaped like a little dash, so adding hairlike strokes to brows has never been easier. — Katie McCarthy
Cover image via Imaxtree
