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First-class
cosmetics that fly off the shelves.
A
Cut Above
By Tara Mattarazzo
Beauty products come. Beauty products go. But some are so exceptional
that they develop an almost religious following. Diehards won’t
dare leave home without them, and if the usual suppliers are out of stock,
neither sleet nor rain nor gloom of night can keep these devout brand
loyalists from their expected staples. Here, some of the coveted cosmetics
we’d hike through an ice storm to uncover.
Every company under the sun claims that its makeup brushes are superior. But all too often, those same brushes irritate skin, distribute powder unevenly, or shed after only a few uses. Enter Cat Cosmetics’s Kabuki Brush—a portable, top-quality duster that truly lives up to the hype. Unlike brushes with rough bristles, it contains supersoft, furlike hairs that are perfect for applying blush, bronzer, or powder. And because they’re so fluffy and densely packed, they create a flawless, virtually airbrushed finish. What’s more, the brush comes with a vegan leather case to ensure that your investment lasts.
Mascara can boost skinny lashes temporarily, and extensions can improve your batting average for a price. But luckily, there’s more affordable, longer-term solution for fringe-deficient gals: Talika Lipocils Eyelash Treatment. Packed with plant extracts, the nonirritating gel protects, strengthens, and thickens wimpy lashes while promoting the formation of new fringe. Just apply the treatment to the lashes and roots twice a day, and in a few weeks, you’ll see a welcome change—longer, denser spikes than before (for us, it even seemed to sprout rows of new lashes we didn’t know we had). An added boon: When we applied the gel to our overplucked brows, our arches grew in at record speeds.
When it comes to skin, what lies beneath can indeed be a thriller—a smoother, younger-looking complexion than the dull, flaky surface we’ve been sporting for years. But unearthing those radiant underlayers can be a challenge. All too often, over-the-counter solutions are ineffective, while professional treatments may require weeks of downtime. Enter Avon’s best-selling peel, a two-step solution that diminishes pores and fine lines after only a few uses. Packed with glycolic acid and papaya and pineapple extracts, it's a cinch to use: Just swipe on the textured compress, leave it to set for five minutes, then follow with the neutralizer pad. Although you may experience some initial redness, the results—a clearer, suppler, more glowing complexion—are well worth it. What’s more, Avon has just made its dream solution even easier to apply: The Anew Clinical Advanced Retexturizing Peel ($25; avon.com) boils it down to a single step.
It may not be the easiest product to categorize. (A finishing powder? A highlighting dust? An illuminating shimmer?) But no matter what you call them, Guerlain’s otherworldly orbs are a cosmetic classic. Encased in luxe packaging inspired by Marie Antoinette’s jewelry box, Meteorites impart a flawless finish in a single sweep, minimizing shine without the usual dulling effects. Yet, unlike many glistening powders, the radiance is subtle, soft, and skin-enhancing (as if the fluorescent office bulbs suddenly dimmed to warm candlelight). The brand’s limited-edition spheres, such as this summer’s ethereal White Pearls, are more like collector’s items than traditional makeup. But our favorite Meteorites are part of Guerlain’s permanent collection: Pink Fresh, a pale rosy mix that leaves skin looking like dewy porcelain, and Mystic, a mother-of-pearl blend that gives new meaning to the phrase “lit from within.”
Whether your hair’s thick, thin, curly, or straight, if it’s in need of serious TLC, Kérastase has a wonder treatment that will deliver. The brand’s über-popular Masquintense comes in two versions, fine and coarse, both of which nourish and revive dry strands. And even if your mane’s in more dire straits (i.e., split or totally fried), the little tub of treatment offers instant smoothing action without weighing tresses down. The mask also boasts a luxurious scent, thick creamy texture, and cool pearlescent sheen (which may explain why strands look superlustrous post-shower). For dry hair, use Masquintense once a week; for damaged tresses, use it daily, taking periodic clarifying-shampoo breaks; and if your strands are past the point of no return, do a 30-minute heat treatment. The end result? Bye bye, haystack; hello, spun silk.
Wanna see a real crime of beauty? Tell a Glossimer-holic that her favorite shade is out of stock, step back (way back) from the cosmetics counter, and witness an otherwise unflappable customer go off like a loaded gun. Why all the fuss? Well, when it comes to lip gloss, Chanel’s signature sheens create a shimmery finish second to none. The formula is enriched with vitamins C and E to keep lips moist, but astoundingly, it never gets clumpy, sticky, or does a disappearing act. And then there are the colors themselves: Classics like Blizzard (a sparkling mauve), Spark (a glistening berry), and Pin Up (a golden peach) are dangerously addictive and, yes, guilty of inciting more than a few in-store meltdowns.
No matter how many times our manicurists scold us, roughly a quarter of women in their twenties still bite their nails, and even more use them as files, bottle openers, even Swiss army knives. The aftermath, of course, is none too pretty—weak, brittle tips that break and split without warning. And even if you’re not guilty of those bad habits, some women are simply born with thin, slow-growing nails. Fortunately, though, there’s Nail Envy, a miracle treatment that transforms even the wimpiest tips into healthy talons. Unlike other strengtheners, the product doesn’t chip or peel. Plus, it comes in five different formulations. In all cases, the rehabilitation process is simple: Just apply a coat a day, and watch fragile nails grow long and strong.
Scan any list of beauty faux pas, and you’ll find visible lipliner right at the top. But when properly chosen, coordinated, and applied, the product can solve an array of other cosmetic crimes. Want proof? Invest in a Clinique Quickliner, and watch feathering, smearing, and lack of definition become things of the past. The product is soft, creamy, and self-sharpening, but there is one catch: You must select a shade that matches your lip color, or you’ll run the risk of emerging with “ring around the mouth.” Some of our favorite hues for day include Honeystick, a fleshy nude; Lipblush, a neutral pink; and Bamboo, a brownish berry. But when we want to vamp it up, we rely on Rich Red—a cool crimson that keeps our boldest lipsticks looking flawless for hours.
Tracking down a powder that absorbs oil and imparts a natural finish is tricky enough. But finding one that’s also purse-friendly? Good luck, ladies. Thankfully, Becca’s ultrafine pressed powder delivers on all fronts, offering convincing cover in ten luminous shades and a wonderfully portable package. The Australian brand's formula contains modified rice starch so it’s weightless and non-cakey, and the casing is equally impressive—a sleek, industrial-style compact made in (where else?) Italy. What’s more, the compact comes with its own fabric pouch so you can toss it in any handbag, no matter how pricey, with confidence.
Depending on the application, shade, and formula, face powders can either (A) control oil, reduce shine, and minimize pores; or (B) leave you looking a little too Rococo-fabulous. That’s why beauty addicts seeking a sheer veil of cover rely on T. Le Clerc’s legendary powders. Created in 1881 and now available in 22 shades, the finely milled dust absorbs into the skin for a long-lasting look that’s natural, never chalky, and especially helpful in combating oily T-zones. Tilleul, a corrective shade, reduces the appearance of rosacea and broken capillaries, while Banane, a yellow illuminator, brightens light to medium skin.
If you were blessed at birth with straight hair, a quick blow-dry may be all you need to get a sleek-looking mane. For the rest of us, achieving a smooth look means beating our strands into submission—a grueling process that, at best, yields mediocre results and, at worse, results in a head full of fryage. Although there’s no instant fix, the Chi is our favorite weapon in the battle against unmanageable curls and unrelenting frizz. The lightweight iron features temperature control so you can determine the setting, the blades heat up quickly so there’s barely any wait time, and most important, the Chi straightens in a single pass, meaning less elbow grease, reduced damage, and at least 15 more minutes of sleep every morning.
Any woman plagued by undereye circles, puffy bags, or both knows how hard it can be to find a concealer that covers without caking, glides without traveling, and addresses our eye-area issues without emphasizing them. Enter Cle de Peau Stick Concealer—an expensive but undeniably effective product that strikes all the right balances. The cream-to-powder formula, which can be applied as is or with a brush, covers imperfections around the eyes (as well as blemishes and scars), minimizes fine lines, and ultimately takes years off.
For the past 25 years, Giorgio Armani has not only transformed the face of fashion—his Luminous Silk foundation has literally transformed faces. Made with the company’s exclusive Micro-fil technology, the weightless, oil-free formula virtually melts into skin for a flawless, long-lasting finish. And since Luminous Silk comes in 14 picture-perfect shades, Armani has made it easy for every woman to find the foundation of her dreams.
Ask any fair-haired diva (who admits to hitting the bottle, that is), and she’ll tell you that blonde ambition comes with a downside—namely, the brassiness that emerges just a few weeks post-dyeing. Rather than live with the dingy aftereffects until their next touch-up, smart blondes rely on Clairol Shimmer Lights to brighten, refresh, and correct their color. The concept is simple: The shampoo’s violet base neutralizes the yellow (just picture a color wheel). The result? Platinum princess and golden girls stay true to their, um, roots.
More than a hundred dollars may sound steep for a hairbrush, but to hordes of beauty aficionadas, that’s a small price to pay for their Mason Pearsons. Rapunzels with tresses of all sorts rave that the luxe brush’s eight rings of fine boar bristles and nylon tufts keep their strands healthy, shiny, and tangle-free, and supply soothing scalp massages. The exceptionally devoted, like Sarah Jessica Parker, have theirs encrusted with Swarovski crystals.
Bronzers that don't make their wearers look deep-fried are few and far between, but Guerlain’s classic Terracotta powder strikes just the right balance between radiant and realistic. Suitable for all skin types, the silky, long-wearing formula controls oil, safeguards skin against free radicals, and comes in four luminous shades.
The little black dress of beauty, Chanel’s luxurious lipsticks are as timeless as Coco herself. The Hydrabase formula features vitamin E and chamomile for feather-free, fadeproof moisture. Some of the shades we’re happy to splurge on include Pink Sugar, Sirocco, Moire, and Vamp—our longtime favorite.
A haven of hydration in a jar, this deep conditioner calls on palm-nut oil to strengthen, rehabilitate, and nourish parched strands. The treatment, which comes with its own comb, leaves hair astonishingly soft and shiny, without the unwelcome weighted-down effect.
It’s graced magazine covers, filled medicine cabinets, stocked makeup artists’ kits—and this legendary mascara still hasn’t lost its luster. The celebrated pink-and-green tube contains the same smooth, clump-free formula and high-definition brush we’ve come to love, at a fraction of the cost of other leading lash boosters.
Smashbox
Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36; sephora.com)
Like an injectable (without the discomfort
or hefty price tag), this hardworking primer-mattifier fills in fine lines,
creating a smooth, flawless base for foundation. A longtime makeup artists’
secret weapon, it contains a unique combination of vitamins and antioxidants
that help to reduce the breakdown of collagen.
With its cheeky moniker and universally satisfying shade, this hugely popular translucent blush gives new meaning to the word afterglow. Those seeking a more intense flush should experiment with the brand’s Multiple Orgasms—a new blush-and–lip gloss kit that enables women to double their pleasure.
Made of gunmetal steel, this clever crimper is the lash curler of choice for makeup artists, fringe fanatics, and beauty control freaks. The petite pad allows for unparalleled precision when curling hard-to-reach sections, while its diminutive size makes it perfectly portable.
This long-venerated, luxurious moisturizer is a godsend for anyone who suffers from redness, broken capillaries, sensitivity, or dryness. The formula, which contains extracts of rose petal, marshmallow, St. John’s Wort, and avocado, soothes and repairs irritated skin and provides heavy-duty cold-weather protection.
Velvety, long-wearing, and a cinch to apply, this powder foundation is ideal for anyone seeking complexion perfection. Because the powder is ground into microscopic particles, it provides full matte coverage minus caking or clumping, while allowing skin to breathe.
Bumble
and Bumble Sumo Tech ($25; drugstore.com)
Whether you want a classic chignon or a
punky she-hawk, this strong, waxy paste is a must-have mane manipulator.
A dime-size amount is all it takes to make strands malleable, and it delivers
its hold without the stickiness or Teflon-like residue of other pomades.
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