December 23, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC By the time the clock strikes noon during the winter months, it can feel like every ounce of moisture has been sucked straight out of your face. Thanks to the combination of cold air outside and the blasting heat in your car/house/office, parched skin is pretty much a given. While most skin pros will tell you that the easiest fix for this sitch is simply to slather on some moisturizer or oil as soon as that dryness sets in, that isn’t exactly the most helpful advice when you’ve got a full face of makeup on that you don’t want to risk ruining. But, says celebrity facialist Angela Caglia, there’s an easy solution on how to hydrate skin with makeup on: the pat-pat method. According to her, it’s A-okay to put moisturizer on over your foundation—as long as you’re doing it the right way. “Pat an oil based moisturizer on top, which will protect your skin,” she says, noting that the same goes for an oil. “It doesn’t effect makeup—it will just make it softer and make lines less pronounced.” She suggests keeping the products in your purse and using them for a quick hydrating touchup for when your skin is begging for a bit more moisture. If you’re worried about this reverse layering clogging your pores (and causing breakouts), Caglia says it shouldn’t be a problem. “If you’re wearing clean makeup that won’t clog your pores [on its own], putting a moisturizer on
Tag: Facials
Drunk Elephant raised our expectations of what clean skin care can do and we’re never going back
December 23, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Tiffany Masterson has always been an entrepreneur. As a Houston stay-at-home mom, she had a knack for the side hustle: She was a representative for the direct sales cosmetics company Arbonne, developed a healthy pantry renovation company called Holy Pantries, and sold an independent company’s bar soap that, used alone, was heralded as a save-all for skin. Then, of course, she founded Drunk Elephant, which grew to be a brand worth $845 million dollars in just seven years before being acquired by Shiseido in October 2019. Dazzled by the reviews and accolades from beauty editors, dermatologists, and consumers, it’s easy to miss that the “clean beauty” category didn’t exist outside of a choice few (e.g. Ren, Skinfix, First Aid Beauty) when Masterson, who was crowned one of our 2020 Changemakers, began creating her candy-capped empire. Yet, as the decade chugged along, her point of view on skin care—what’s in your products is only as important as what’s not—became the standard for clean beauty that the entire industry would come to know as gospel. It also catapulted the demand for clean, clinical products at large, which today has grown to be a massive section of the beauty industry. In fact, market researchers at The NPD Group have indicated that roughly half of all prestige skin-care lines make claims about their clinical ingredients (such as retinol, hyaluronic acid, or vitamin C). Of these clinical brands, those touting “clean ingredients” are rising by upwards of 100
The 10 skin-care rules dermatologists live by will seriously change your skin
December 22, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC In 2019, skin-care was as important a part of our cultural conversation as the Hot Priest and whether or not Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were in love. Here at Well+Good, we talked about it a lot—with dermatologists, facialists, product formulators, and even Dr. Pimple Popper herself. We’ve spent the better part of this year collecting skin-care tips and advice on everything from how to treat acne scars to how to keep your skin moisturized all day long and used the intel to publish hundreds of skin-care stories over the last 365. Considering how many good skin-care tips we’ve gotten this year (seriously—there have been thousands of them) it was nearly impossible to narrow things down to just the top 10. But we dipped into the archives to round up the best of the best pieces of advice we got this year, many of which changed our editors’ own routines for the better. Scroll through and check out the best skin-care tips of 2019 in order to make 2020 your most radiant—and healthy-skinned—year yet. A good skin-care routine starts with a cleanser Cleanser may not seem like the most exciting element of a skin regimen, but it is one of the most important. In addition to getting rid of the dirt, oil, and debris that can clog pores, it helps turn your complexion into a clean slate so that the rest of your products can do their jobs properly. Once you’ve found something that
I’m a dermatologist, and this powerful skin-care serum is like microdermabrasion in a bottle
December 20, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Retinol and alpha hydroxy-acids have traditionally been the Taylor Swift and Kanye West of the skin-care world: They don’t exactly play nice when they’re together. Both ingredients are known for their intense skin resurfacing properties—retinol by way of cell turnover, AHAs as an exfoliant—and when combined, it can cause skin irritation that’s as cringe-worthy as the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards (#TBT). To avoid any sort of “Look What You Made Me Do”-level drama, derms usually recommend separating the ingredients in your routine, either by alternating days or using one in the morning and one at night. That said, the team at Skin Better Science, a line of expert and research-backed skin-care products, figured out how to get both gold-standard ingredients into one bottle with minimal irritation. The result? The brand’s AlphaRet Overnight Cream ($120), or as we like to call it, “microdermabrasion in a bottle.” The super-science-y formula contains lactic acid, glycolic acid (which are both AHAs), and retinoids, which all promote exfoliation and cell turnover, plus squalane, niacinamide, ceramides, and fatty acids to moisturize the skin barrier and defend against irritation. “It delivers glycolic acid with a stabilized form of retinol to enhance exfoliation, cell turnover, and collagen production, which translates to a brighter complexion and improved skin texture,” says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, of Zeichner Dermatology. Thanks to this potent formula, fine lines—and other textural issues—don’t stand much of a chance. In addition to its two hero ingredients, the cream
This Greek super ingredient is your next go-to to help with nausea and other stomach problems
December 16, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC For the last 10 years, it seems the term “superfood” was on everyone’s tongue (and in everyone’s smoothie). But those superfoods? Fruit with deep blue or vibrant red hues, greens with a hearty, leafy texture, or seeds only found deep in some remote village in Peru. Yet there’s one the world has seemingly missed, although its existence has benefitted and been harvested by Greeks for more than 2,500 years, and first mentioned even centuries before by ancient Greek physicians Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Galenos. Mastiha is a sap that drips from the pistacia (or mastic) tree and hails from one part of the Greek island Chios, in the northern Aegean Sea near Turkey. The sap (pronounced: mas-tee-ha and also known as mastic) hardens in the shape of semi-translucent waxy tears that somewhat resemble tiny pieces of rock candy, and it has been used for centuries to aid in digestion, stomach issues, skin problems, and more. The resin is traditionally chewed as a gum to freshen breath, as well. “Chios mastiha has a long history of being used as the first natural chewing gum, and that alone is interesting,” says Artemis Kohas, founder of mastihashop in New York, who also notes that it was used as a spice for dishes and a natural remedy for ailments. “Add in that the resin comes from one island on the planet, must be hand-cultivated (making it fair trade), is [currently] run by a cooperative, and has many recognitions
CoverGirl is launching clean makeup, including a $10 “skin milk” foundation we can’t put down
December 16, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC As more and more makeup products straddle both the makeup and skin-care categories, it’s becoming easier to add pigment while nourishing your skin in one fell swoop. Now, with CoverGirl’s Clean Fresh line, the trend is coming to a drugstore near you. Launching today, CoverGirl—one of the most iconic makeup brands in the United States—introduces a four-product collection of easy-to-use, clean makeup essentials that function as the “jeans and T-shirt”of your makeup bag. As with all CoverGirl products, Clean Fresh is cruelty-free, plus the line is vegan and formulated without parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, sulfates, fragrance, or mineral oil to give consumers cleaner options for their skin. CoverGirl’s four-product Clean Fresh collection functions as the “jeans and T-shirt”of your makeup bag. In the line are the Skin Milk ($10), a super sheer foundation spiked with aloe vera and coconut milk (real talk: I can’t put it down); the Cooling Glow Stick ($9), which functions as a highlighter or shimmery bronzer depending on the shade you go with; the Lip Oil ($11), a non-sticky lip treatment with pigment; and the Cream Blush ($9), a high-pigment punch to your cheeks (though can work on your lids and lips if you want) that contains hyaluronic acid for moisture. The foundation comes in 14 shades, but according to the brand it matches 99 percent of all skin tones and undertones because of its shade adaptability—aka since the formula is so sheer, it melts into your skin so that
This lymphatic drainage-boosting face roller doubles as a piece of art
December 15, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC In between a full-time grad program, an internship, and hours of weekly freelance work, my skin has not been thriving. The end result of zero time for self care has resulted in quite visible signs of stress, and so dark circles and dullness have gotten quite comfortable on my face—which doesn’t leave me holly or jolly this holiday season. This is why the only present that I want this year is a stunning face massage tool that’s fit for an empress. I want (need, really) to be pampered, and this Kindred Black Huizache Wood and Obsidian Face Massage Tool ($95) looks like something Cleopatra herself would have kept on her vanity. You may be thinking, “What’s the fuss? Rollers are everywhere.” I hear you, but this roller is different. Yes, lymphatic drainage is the beauty industry’s hot ticket treatment these days, and I could pick up a jade roller or a gua sha stone from just about any store I walk into. But this massage tool is a piece of art. Kindred Black’s facial massager has a hand-carved handle made from gorgeous huizache wood, which makes it look like an ancient beauty relic unearthed from an archeological dig. Then there’s the black obsidian stone that not only looks lavish, but is a crystal known for deep healing powers on the psyche. Sourced from Mexico and hand-crafted in a workshop “near the Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacán,” according to the brand, the roller lets
The serum so hydrating, you’ll ditch your moisturizer (even in the dead of winter)
December 14, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC I don’t ask for much. When the holidays come around and my family asks what I want, nothing ever comes to mind. “Barry’s Bootcamp classes?” I inevitably shrug. But this year, I’m taking a stand. To whomever is looking to buy me a gift: I really, really want—nay, need!—the Monastery Flora Botanical Cream Serum ($118). I’ve written about my love of multitasking beauty products plenty of times, because I am a relatively low-maintenance kind of gal. The faster I can get ready, the better. So when I discovered a serum that could also serve as a moisturizer—knocking out yet another step of my streamlined skin-care routine—I immediately put it on my wish list. It’s literally a cream and a serum, which would whittle my regimen to a commendable three steps. Three! As we all know, a serum is meant to bring real changes to skin: It’s the product filled with the active ingredients such as vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide, and the list goes on and on. The Monastery Cream Serum contains a skin-care cocktail of multiple weights of hyaluronic acid (that plumps both the skin’s surface and deeper layers of the epidermis), fruit and floral extracts to calm and nourish skin, and ellagic and ximenynic acids to brighten. Thanks to the creamy texture, the serum hybrid can also stand in as a moisturizer, helping to build the barrier of skin while also giving it multiple active ingredients. When you swipe it onto your
This is how quickly skin dries out on a plane compared to on land
December 13, 2019 at 09:30PM by CWC I’ve never taken before-and-after selfies to document my transformation on a plane ride, but I’m sure the results wouldn’t be cute. Airborne conditions don’t exactly set you up to feel (or look) like your best self, and celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau names dry airplane skin as one of many sky-high plights. “It’s well known that airplane cabins have extremely low humidity [less than 20 percent], which leads to skin dehydration and dryness,” says Rouleau. “That’s because dry air will always seek moisture wherever it can get it, and that means it’s going to take it directly from deep within your skin. If you have a dry skin type, your skin will become drier. And it can even make oily skin oilier because when the skin has no water, it attempts to compensate for the dehydration by producing more oil—which is the last thing that oily skin needs.” Basically, cabin air does zero favors for any type of skin. In fact, New York City-based dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD says dryness is just the start. A plane’s atmosphere can cause a domino effect of skin woes. “Inflammation can promote acne breakouts by blocking your pores. Your skin is at risk for UV light damage on the plane, as you are much closer to the sun at 10,000 feet and UVA light can penetrate right through window glass,” he adds. (So make sure to slather on the sunscreen before your flight.) There’s no need to fret too much,
Bring damaged hair back to life overnight with this antioxidant-spiked hair serum
December 13, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC My hair has always been pretty long. It wavers between long-as-hell and it’s-short-to-me-but-still-actually-very-long in length, which means that “chopping it” is actually just getting a trim. (Long-haired peeps, you know what I mean.) Right now, my hair is one of the longest lengths it’s ever been, and I’ve found that my low-maintenance routine of shampoo and conditioner and maybe a deep-conditioning treatment now and then hasn’t been working that great. Whether you blame it on my scalp’s oil production or the dry-air season that we’re in, the fact is that I need a product that will help get my hair out of a serious rut—a redo of my ‘do, if you will. Enter: the Kerastase Nutritive 8-Hour Magic Serum ($55). Putting “magic” on a bottle is a bold claim, but they’re not wrong. The second I tried this sleeping serum, which is meant to penetrate your strands as you snooze, I could already tell I was in love. The scent itself does it for me, which is an enticing blend of floral notes. But then I pumped some product into my hand, put it on my dry, unwashed hair, focusing on the ends, and tossed it all into a silk scrunchie bun before I went to bed. The next morning, I let my hair loose to find that I had silky, super-shiny hair that looked like it just had a professional blowout. The serum, a first of its kind, works on each strand with