Beauty

MAC Blush Beyond the Film Noir Shade Everyone Asks About

MAC blush began with two Toronto founders who wanted makeup that held up under studio lights. These are the Skinfinish powders, glow creams and liquids I would reach for, plus the brown and taupe blushes that sit near the Film Noir shade.

Hair Toner at Home, and the Color Wheel Trick Behind Purple Shampoo

A hair toner cancels brass with the opposite color, purple for yellow and blue for orange. Here are sixteen, from toning drops and glosses to purple and blue shampoos for wash day.

Glass Nails, the Korean-Rooted Finish That Looks Like Wet Jelly

Glass nails are sheer, glossy and see-through, a manicure that catches light like a window. Here are the jelly polishes, builder gels and press-ons that get that wet, translucent look.

Volume Shampoo, and Why Fine Hair Needed Its Own Category

Volume shampoo works by stripping conditioning agents out of the formula rather than adding a mysterious lifting ingredient, so hair dries lighter instead of collapsing under its own weight. That distinction is why the category earns its own aisle instead of hiding inside every other shampoo bottle. This roundup looks at eight formulas built around that same trade, from drugstore staples to salon lines.

Pantene, From a Swiss Hair Tonic to My Shower Shelf

Pantene began in 1945 as a Swiss hair tonic built around Pro-Vitamin B5, and the line has grown into shampoos, conditioners and repair masks. Here are the Pantene bottles I would reach for, plus the masks and leave-ins I would pair with them.

Rosemary Shampoo Went From Kitchen Herb to Scalp Aisle Staple

Rosemary shampoo earned its current reputation through a wave of videos showing people massaging rosemary oil into a dry scalp, on the theory that it improves circulation, though the shampoo versions dilute that oil into a rinse-off formula rather than a leave-on treatment. Brands responded fast, and the aisle now holds everything from a spa-style daily wash to a stripped-down clarifying option built around the same extract. This edit sorts the formulas by format and strength rather than by the rosemary claim alone.

TIRTIR Turned One Red Cushion Into a Whole K-Beauty Wave

TIRTIR was founded in 2017 and is now shorthand for the Mask Fit Red Cushion, the compact that took off far beyond Korea. Here is the TIRTIR lineup, other cushion compacts worth comparing, and the setting sprays and powders that finish the look.

Hypochlorous Acid Spray, the Cleaning Chemistry That Moved to Skincare

A hypochlorous acid spray borrows chemistry hospitals have used for years to clean wounds, because the compound kills bacteria without the sting of alcohol or stronger antiseptics. Skincare brands picked it up once people wanted something gentler than a toner but more active than plain water. This edit sorts the daily mists from the spot-treatment sprays and lays out the one real limit of the category, which is that the acid degrades with light and time.

Bio-Oil, a Chemist's 1987 Formula, and What to Put Around It Now

Bio-Oil is the little bottle a chemist launched in 1987, and it has stayed on bathroom shelves for decades. This edit covers the oil, gel and lotion from the brand itself, the body oils I like beside it, and the firming and smoothing creams for the days you want a different finish.

Why Curls Get Thirsty, and the Leave In Conditioner for Curly Hair I Reach For

Curls run dry because of their shape, and a good leave in conditioner for curly hair is the step that answers it. Here are the leave-ins and creams I trust, the stylers to layer over them, and the gels and towels that finish the job.

e.l.f. Blush: Putty, Liquid and Stick Shades to Try

An elf blush is the easiest way to try a new texture, and the putty, liquid and stick formulas each behave differently. Here is how I would pick between elf putty blush, Camo liquid and Soft Glam sticks, plus the cream-to-powder cousins that share their finish.

Rosemary Hair Oil and the Study Behind the Trend

Rosemary hair oil went from a folk remedy to a bathroom-shelf habit, helped along by a 2015 study and a lot of TikTok. Here are the rosemary oils, serums and scalp sprays, plus the rosemary shampoos and conditioners to use alongside them.

Charlotte Tilbury Blush: The Powders, Wands and Sticks to Know

Charlotte Tilbury blush comes in powders, palettes, liquid wands and hydrating sticks, all built around a makeup artist's idea of a flush. Here is how I would pick between them, plus a few nude pink cousins from other brands.

Soft Blue Eyeshadow for Fall

Soft blue eyeshadow is the easiest way to wear color this fall, from dusty denim to deep navy. Here are the blue shadows, navy liners and colored mascaras I would use for a look that feels fresh, not costume.

Bioré UV Aqua Rich and Other Light Face Sunscreens

Biore UV Aqua Rich is a lightweight facial moisturizer sunscreen with hyaluronic acid and SPF 50, from a line Kao launched in 2011. Here are the watery face sunscreens I would compare with it, the SPF I wear under makeup, and the cleansers that take it all off at night.

The Ordinary Lip Balm and Other Simple Lip Balms to Keep Around

The Ordinary lip balm does one thing well: it keeps lips, elbows and cuticles soft with squalane and amino acids. These are the plain, dependable balms, peptide treatments and multi-use sticks that belong in every bag this winter.

Oakcha Perfume, Explained: Extrait Strength From a New York Brand

Oakcha perfume is a New York-based line where every bottle is an extrait de parfum, and the brand releases new drops every month. Here are the bestsellers, more bottles from the range, and the vanilla, amber and sandalwood scents from other houses that sit in the same neighborhood.

Stronger With You Absolutely and Other Rum, Vanilla and Tonka Colognes

Stronger With You Absolutely is the boozy, cedar-heavy parfum in the Emporio Armani family that started in 2017. Here is how it sits next to its siblings, plus the rum, bourbon and vanilla colognes I would put beside it.

A Face Mask for Every Kind of Night

Face mask picks in two groups, hydrating and overnight masks and clay and exfoliating masks, here is where we would start

Tom Ford Black Orchid, the Bottle That Started Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Black Orchid was the first fragrance in Tom Ford Beauty, and it is still the bottle people mean when they say dark, dressy perfume. This edit walks through its three versions, the rest of the Tom Ford line I would sniff next, and eight evening perfumes from other houses.

Elemis: A 1989 London Idea, Marine Cream, and the Rest of the Shelf

Elemis was founded in London in 1989 with a plain aim: skincare as close to nature as possible. This edit walks through the Pro-Collagen line, the Superfood creams and oils, and the resurfacing and body products I would put on the same shelf.

Bounce Back: medicube Collagen Jelly Cream and Its Closest Relatives

The medicube collagen jelly cream became one of the most talked-about K-beauty moisturizers of the last few years, and the bouncy texture explains it. Here are the gel creams that feel similar, the serums and masks that pile on peptides, and the overnight masks for sleeping in.

The Spa Headband and the Home Spa Night It Started

The spa headband went from a plain terry band to the thing you see in every skincare video. Here are eight to try, plus hair towels, face cloths and masks for a proper spa night at home.

Saltair, Iskra Lawrence and a Body Wash That Says Every Body Is Welcome

Saltair began in West Hollywood in January 2022, started by model Iskra Lawrence with a simple promise printed right on the bottle. Here is the Saltair shower and lotion lineup, the other body washes I would put next to it, and the serums and creams that finish the routine.