Beauty
Beauty
Best Nail Lacquer: Polishes Sorted by How You Live
The best nail lacquer is the one that suits your week, and classic lacquers are thinner, easier to fix and more forgiving than gel-look formulas. I sort Chanel, Essie, OPI and Sally Hansen options by how you live.
Hangnail Cutter: Nippers for Hangnails, Oil for the Rest
A hangnail cutter is a nipper made for hangnails and loose dead skin, not the living cuticle. I cover the nippers, then the files, pushers and clippers for the edges, and the oils and balms that do the daily work.
Brow Gel That Holds Brows in Place: Clear Lifting Gels and Waxes
A brow gel that holds brows in place is usually a clear wax or gel that brushes the hairs up and keeps them there. I go through lifting gels, tinted brow gels and the pencils, pomades and serums that finish the look.
Wide Tooth Comb: The Oldest Detangling Tool on Your Shelf
A wide tooth comb is the gentlest detangler for wet or dry hair, and the design goes back nearly 6,000 years. I picked combs from Crown Affair, La Bonne Brosse and Oribe, plus sprays and brushes that help.
History of the Guerlain Perfume House: Its Most Famous Fragrances
The history of the Guerlain perfume house starts in Paris in 1828, with L'Heure Bleue, created in 1912, among its most famous scents. I go through its fragrances, powders, lips and the bee collection.
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Cleansing Oil: A Softer Shower
The La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil turns a hot winter shower into something dry skin can live with. Pair it with the body washes, rich creams and body oils that keep legs and arms from going tight and itchy by bedtime.
Best Hair Gloss Spray: Shine Sprays, Oils and In-Shower Glosses
The best hair gloss spray leaves a glossy, light coat that does not weigh hair down. I go through shine sprays, glossing oils and serums, in-shower glosses and shine masks, then how to choose.
Drip Nails Went From Kylie's Lip Kit to Everyone's Tips
Drip nails echo the Kylie Lip Kit logo, and Allure counts them among the nail art trends that erupted in 2019. I trace the look from Kylie's neon pink drips to the press-ons, jelly gels and top coats that get you there.
Make Up For Ever
Make Up For Ever was founded in Paris in 1984 by Dany Sanz, a former Fine Arts student, to meet the needs of makeup artists. The brand is known for professional-grade, highly pigmented products, from Artist color pencils and Aqua Resist waterproof liners to the HD Skin foundations it created for film and TV cameras. This edit gathers Aqua Resist liners, HD Skin foundations and concealers, Artist lip pencils and Super Boost glosses, and Color Crayons, primers and Mist and Fix.
SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum and the Growth Factor Story
The SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum is the two-chamber growth factor and peptide serum from the brand that built that category. Here are eight SkinMedica picks and eight peptide serums for firmness to compare.
Odele, the Minneapolis Hair Care Brand Named for Sharing
Odele is a Minneapolis clean hair care brand launched in 2020, and this edit lays out eight of its shampoos, conditioners and stylers. Four shampoo and conditioner pairs from other brands sit beside them for comparison.
I'm From Mugwort Essence, a One-Plant Essence From Ganghwa
I'm From Mugwort Essence is a single-plant Korean step made around mugwort grown on Ganghwa Island. Here are eight I'm From mugwort, rice and honey picks, and eight hydrating Korean-style essences and toners I compared them with.
Coach Wild Rose, a Meadow Rose From a Leather House
Coach wild rose is the 2022 floral that pairs redcurrant and bergamot with rose and jasmine sambac. Here are eight Coach and close-cousin women's scents, and eight rose eau de parfums from other houses to compare.
Guerlain Lipstick: Refills, Color Stories, and a Case to Keep
Guerlain lipstick moves from Rouge G satin refills in soft neutrals to KissKiss colors and velvet reds. I sort the shades by the moments I would wear them and the case details I would check.
Body Tape, From a Gaping Sweater to the Grammys Gown
Body tape quietly holds up a lot of dresses, and the right roll depends on the neckline and your skin. These are eight breast and body tapes plus eight nipple covers, fashion tapes and adhesive bras to compare.
CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion, the Night Version
The CeraVe facial moisturizing lotion most people mean today is the PM formula with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and three ceramides. Here are eight CeraVe lotions, creams and gels, plus eight gel creams and night creams from other brands.
Orly, the Brand That Gave Us the French Manicure
Orly started as a Los Angeles beauty supply shop in 1975 and is tied to the French manicure. Here are eight ORLY polishes, base coats and top coats, plus eight nail strengtheners and cuticle care picks to go with them.
Wella Hair Color at Home, Plus the Glosses and Color-Safe Shampoos to Keep It Fresh
Wella hair color began with a man who made wig tulle in 1880. Here are the Wella Color Charm shades, toner and gloss, the glosses that refresh color between appointments and the shampoos that protect it.
Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Two Weights of HA
The Good Molecules hyaluronic acid serum is the plain, lightweight hydration step that started in a retailer's own lab. Here are eight Good Molecules skincare steps and eight other hyaluronic acid serums to compare.
L'Oréal Revitalift, the Facelift in a Jar That Started in 1995
L'Oréal Revitalift arrived in September 1995 and has kept growing into serums, creams and eye care. Here is the line, how I would use it, and other retinol and hyaluronic serums from different brands.
Laifen, the High-Speed Dryer Brand Built Around Its Own Motor
Laifen is the high-speed hair dryer brand that built its own 110,000 rpm motor, and this edit lines up five of its dryers with three rivals. The second half is the heat protectants, hot brushes and one salon dryer I would pair with them.
Gucci Bamboo, the Scent Named for a 1947 Bag
Gucci bamboo is a woody floral named for the house's bamboo-handle bag, and it does not smell like bamboo. These are eight Gucci women's fragrances, Bamboo included, and eight lily, ylang and sandalwood scents to compare.
Non Toxic Nail Polish, and What the Labels Really Mean
Non toxic nail polish is a marketing phrase, so I read the claims closely. Here are eight polishes from eight brands that use free-from labels, plus eight base coats, top coats, removers and cuticle picks to go with them.
The Clean Floral Trend: Citrus, Rose and Soft Musks
This edit brings together bright citrus and patchouli scents, fresh fruity florals, airy aldehydic blends and easy-to-carry mists and rollers. I organize the picks by scent family, with notes and wear tests to help you find a fragrance that settles well on your skin.