Beauty

Textured Hair Care, From Madam C.J. Walker to the CROWN Act

Textured hair covers everything from loose waves to tight coils, and the products for it have a long history. Here are eight curl stylers and eight leave-ins, oils and treatments I would build a routine from.

Tanning Drops, and the 1950s Lab Accident Behind Self-Tan

Tanning drops mix into your moisturizer, but the tanning ingredient inside was found by accident in a 1950s hospital lab. Here are eight self-tanners for the face, drops first, and eight bronzing drops that wash off at night.

Tan Luxe, the Glasgow Salon Idea Behind Custom Self-Tan Drops

Tan Luxe started with a Glasgow salon owner who heard the same fake tan complaints every day. Here are eight Tan-Luxe drops, lotions and mousses, and eight more self-tanners and tools I compared them with.

The T3 Hair Dryer, From the 2004 Featherweight to Aire IQ

The T3 hair dryer started in 2004 with the Featherweight, a light, quiet dryer inspired by a medical student's routine. Here are eight T3 dryers and stylers and eight more dryers and blow-dry brushes I compared them with.

SolaWave Mask Picks, From a 2020 Wand to Full-Face Red Light

The SolaWave mask came after the brand's 2020 red light wand, and it now covers the face and eyes in three-minute sessions. Here are eight SolaWave devices and serums, and eight more LED masks and tools I compared them with.

RevAir, the Reverse-Air Dryer That Started With a Dad and a Vacuum

RevAir began with a dad who used vacuum suction to make his daughters' ponytails, and it launched in 2018. Here are eight RevAir tools and air stylers, and the heat protection and silk that make a stretch last.

Purple Sol de Janeiro, and the 1959 Record Behind Cheirosa 59

Purple Sol de Janeiro means the Delícia line, the violet scented Cheirosa 59 range that arrived in 2024. Here are eight Sol de Janeiro picks, purple first, and eight violet and plum scents I would wear with them.

Press On Toenails, the Newest Chapter in a 1950s Nail Idea

Press on toenails are the new pedicure shortcut, built on fake nail ideas that go back to the 1950s. Here are eight toenail sets, with glue and without, and eight prep and aftercare picks that make them last.

Pacifica Beauty, From Kitchen-Blended Scents to Vegan Skin Care

Pacifica Beauty started with seven scents blended in a Portland kitchen and grew into a vegan skin care and makeup line. Here are eight Pacifica skin care picks and eight makeup, scent and body favorites.

OUAI Wave Spray, the Salt-Free Mist Jen Atkin Launched in 2016

OUAI wave spray arrived with the brand in 2016, a salt-free take on beach texture from hairstylist Jen Atkin. Here are eight OUAI stylers and mists, and eight more texture sprays and foams I compared them with.

Laura Mercier Setting Powder, the 1996 Powder Made for Close-Ups

Laura Mercier setting powder was one of the brand's four launch products in 1996, made to set skin without showing on camera. Here are eight Laura Mercier powders and tools, and eight more setting powders I compared them with.

Lash Paradise, the 2017 Pink Tube That Started a Dupe Debate

Lash Paradise is the L'Oréal Paris mascara that launched in 2017 and was quickly compared to a luxury pink tube. Here are eight L'Oréal Paris mascaras, Paradise first, and eight more volumizing and lengthening mascaras I compared them with.

Hair Cutting Scissors, From Bronze Blades to a Home Cut Kit

Good hair cutting scissors are sharper and finer than kitchen scissors, and the design goes back to Roman pivoted blades. Here are eight shears and kits for cutting at home, and eight clips, combs and extras that make the cut cleaner.

Giorgio Armani Foundation, From 2000's Luminous Silk to the New Formula

The Giorgio Armani foundation most people mean is Luminous Silk, launched in 2000 and reformulated for the first time in late 2025. Here are eight Armani Beauty complexion picks and eight foundations I compared them with.

Gentleman Givenchy, From Paul Léger's 1974 Original to Society

Gentleman Givenchy began in 1974 with a patchouli-rich scent by perfumer Paul Léger. Here are six Gentleman bottles and two classics to wear beside them, plus eight more men's fragrances I compared them with.

CHI Heat Protectant, and the Pizza Oven Idea Behind the Iron

CHI heat protectant comes from Farouk Systems, the Houston company that says it made the first ceramic hairstyling iron. Here are eight CHI sprays and stylers for heat days and eight other heat protectants I would compare them with.

Body Glitter, From a 1934 New Jersey Machine to Festival Season

Body glitter goes back to a New Jersey machinist who cut plastic into sparkle in the 1930s. Here are eight cosmetic glitters, from gels to sprays, and eight softer body oils and glows I compared them with.

The Best Mineral Sunscreen Picks, and the Two Filters the FDA Backs

The best mineral sunscreen relies on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, the only two filters the FDA proposed as safe and effective in 2019. Here are eight mineral sunscreens for every day and eight tinted, powder, stick and serum formats I compared them with.

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue, the Tinted Gel Cream With Mineral SPF

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue is a tinted moisturizer with mineral SPF 30, now in 20 shades. Here are eight bareMinerals complexion picks, Complexion Rescue in two shades first, and eight more mineral skin tints I compared it with.

The amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask and the Brooklyn Brand Behind It

The amika Soulfood nourishing mask is the brand's jojoba and sea buckthorn weekly mask. Here are eight amika masks and treatments, Soulfood first, and eight more hair masks I compared them with.

Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream and the Salon Story Behind It

Moroccanoil curl defining cream is an all-in-one styling cream made for wavy to curly hair, and it comes from a brand that began in a salon. Here is the curl line around it, the oils and conditioners for hydration, and other curl creams I would line up beside it.

Chanel Foundation, Shade by Shade: Les Beiges, Ultra Le Teint and More

Every Chanel foundation answers a different question, from a fresh Les Beiges glow to the long wear of Ultra Le Teint. Here are the shades I would start with, the Chanel concealers and powders that go with them, and foundations from other luxury houses.

numbuzin, Explained by Number: No.3, No.5, No.9 and Beyond

numbuzin is the Korean skincare brand that turns skin concerns into numbers, and I have sorted the line so the numbers make sense. Here are the No.3 and No.5 toners and serums, the rest of the lineup from No.1 to No.9, and Korean favorites from other brands.

Skin Barrier Repair: Creams, Serums and Gentle Cleansers I Trust

Skin barrier repair starts with understanding the brick and mortar idea behind it. Here are the ceramide creams, calming serums and toners, and gentle cleansers I would put on a stressed face.