Beauty
Beauty
Powder Puff Picks, and the Coty Box Covered in Them
A powder puff presses powder into skin instead of dusting it on top, which is why it lasts longer and looks smoother. Here are sixteen, from velour puffs and sponges to the loose powders worth pressing in.
Eye Liner, From Lead-Laced Egyptian Kohl to the Felt Tip
The right eye liner depends on the line you want, from a smudgy kohl to a sharp wing. Here are sixteen, from creamy pencils and kajals to felt tips, liquids and a gel pot.
Lash Tint at Home, and Why the Real Thing Stays at the Salon
A lash tint darkens lashes for weeks, but in the US it is a salon service, so this edit is about what gets close at home. Here are sixteen brown and soft-black mascaras, tubing formulas and one curler for a tinted, lifted look.
Clear Mascara, and the Kitchen Fire That Started Maybelline
A clear mascara shapes lashes and brows without any color, and a serum underneath does the slow work. Here are sixteen, from classic clear tubes and glossy lash gels to serums and primers.
Rare Beauty Lip Oil: Soft Pinch Shades and Tinted Oils to Pair
The rare beauty lip oil started as a lip version of the Soft Pinch blush, and the shade names are half the charm. Here are the Soft Pinch shades I would pick, the rest of the Rare Beauty lip lineup, and tinted oils from other brands.
Benefit Lip Tint, From Benetint to Plushtint
The benefit lip tint story starts with a rose-colored stain made in 1976 and now runs from sheer Benetint to dewy Splashtint and matte Plushtint. Here are the shades I would reach for, plus tints from other brands that work on cheeks too.
The Kylie Jenner Lip Kit: Matte Shades, Other Kits, and Liner Pairs to Try
The kylie jenner lip kit began as a liquid lipstick and a matching liner, and it is still the pairing I explain first to anyone learning lip liner. Here are the matte shades, the other Kylie kits and liners, and the liner and lipstick pairs from other brands.
Vaseline Lip Balm: Lip Therapy Tins, and Glossy Balms That Go Further
Vaseline lip balm has been the drawer default for as long as I can remember, and Lip Therapy is the tin most people mean. Here is how I sort the tins and tubes, the glossy salves to try next, and the tinted balms that add a little color.
Ole Henriksen Lip Balm: The Pout Preserve Shades and Lip Treatments to Pair
The ole henriksen lip balm most people mean is Pout Preserve, a tinted peptide treatment that comes in scented shades. Here is how I would pick a shade, which peptide treatments sit next to it, and the scrubs I would use to prep.
NARS Powermatte Lipstick: Shades, Pencils and Matte Lipsticks to Compare
The NARS Powermatte Lipstick is a slim cream-to-matte bullet with bold color and up to ten hours of wear. Here are the shades I would pick, the Powermatte pencils and liners that go with it, and matte lipsticks from other brands.
cocokind Lip Balm: Every Blur Balm Shade, Plus Tinted Balms to Compare
The cocokind lip balm that gets all the attention is the Ceramide Lip Blur Balm, a glossy balm with ceramides and peptides. Here are the shades and flavors I would look at, the blurred balms from other brands, and everyday tinted balms to compare.
Tatcha Lip Mask Guide, Plus Overnight Masks to Compare
The Tatcha lip mask is the jelly-textured Kissu that started a whole shelf of lip care built on Japanese beauty rituals. Here is how I use it, the rest of the Tatcha lip lineup, and the overnight masks from other brands I would compare it with.
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Liner: The Lip Cheat Shades I Reach For
The Charlotte Tilbury lip liner called Lip Cheat is the pencil that started the brand's lip story. I sort the shades by undertone, cover the Pillow Talk and Super Nudes options, and add liners from other brands for comparison.
Pillow Talk Lipstick in Every Finish, and Pink Nudes Like It
Pillow Talk lipstick is the nude pink Charlotte Tilbury calls everyone's perfect shade, and it now comes in matte, satin, balm and blur. Here is how I would choose a finish, what to pair it with, and pink nudes from other brands that sit close by.
Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick: Matte Revolution and Beyond
A Charlotte Tilbury lipstick starts with the Matte Revolution shades, so I walk through the ones I would pick first. Then come the satin and balm formulas from the same brand, and matte and satin lipsticks from other houses that play in the same range.
LANEIGE Lip Gloss and the Glossy Lip Treatments Around It
Every LANEIGE lip gloss I like sits somewhere between a treatment and a shine. Here are the glossy serums, balms and tints from the brand, and glossy lip treatments from other brands that play in the same space.
SPF Lip Balm for Every Day, Tinted, Clear or Glossy
An spf lip balm is the easiest sun habit to build, because it takes about five seconds and lives in your pocket. Here are clear everyday sticks, tinted balms and SPF glosses I would reach for, with the reapply notes each brand gives.
MAC Frost Lipstick and the Shimmer Lip Shades Around It
The MAC Frost Lipstick is the pearly, frosted lip that 1990s makeup bags were built around. Here are the Frost shades I would start with, MAC lip color with a softer shine, and metallic lip products from other brands.
KIKO Lip Gloss: 3D Hydra Shades and Lip Oils I Would Pick
KIKO lip gloss usually means the 3D Hydra Lipgloss, a moisturizing gloss enriched with passion fruit oil. Here are the shades I would pick, the KIKO lip oils that follow, and glosses from other brands to compare.
NYX Lip Gloss: Butter Gloss, Duck Plump and Jelly Job Picks
A nyx lip gloss can mean a soft Butter Gloss, a plumping Duck Plump or a glassy Jelly Job, and each does something different. Here is how I sort them, with glosses from other brands to compare.
NYX Fat Lip Oil: Every Fat Oil Lip Drip Shade I Reach For
The nyx fat lip oil people ask for is Fat Oil Lip Drip, a tinted, high-shine oil made for up to 12 hours of hydration. Here are the shades I would start with, the Slick Click stick and creamier Lip Drip names that follow, and lip oils from other brands.
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Lip Balm and Other Barrier Balms for Dry Lips
The La Roche-Posay Cicaplast lip balm brings a pharmacy brand's barrier repair thinking to dry lips. Here is how I read it beside other barrier balms, peptide and squalane balms, and the simple balms I reach for daily.
Aquaphor Lip Balm and the Thick Repair Balms to Pair With It
An Aquaphor lip balm is the plain, protective ointment so many people grew up with, now in sticks, tubes and sunscreen versions. Here is how I sort the Aquaphor range, the thicker repair balms beside it, and the overnight masks for the worst days.
LAWLESS Lip Gloss: Forget The Filler Shades, Balms and Peptide Rivals
The LAWLESS lip gloss most people mean is Forget The Filler, a plumping gloss that launched in one shade and now comes in a whole pink wardrobe. Here are the shades I would reach for, the balms, lipsticks and liners around it, and peptide glosses from other brands.