A Few Worthy Beauty Buys
My favorite recent purchases in the beauty department
Oprah does her “Favorite Things” list at the end of every year but me? I’m doing mine in March. To be clear, this week’s newsletter really only focuses on my favorite things in one category: Beauty.
Skincare-wise, I’m sensitive. I love a good product or a great device but I also have dry and breakout-prone skin, so I’m careful about adding anything new to my routine (if you look at me the wrong way, I will break out, so I constantly worry about products making me do the same). Fortunately, nothing on this list makes me break out. That, in and of itself, makes these products worthy buys, IMO.
And then there are my nails, which for years were really brittle and would not grow. Eventually, I realized hydration was kind of the key there—more on that below.
I’ve also included some hair products because, weirdly, my hair is also kind of sensitive (if something does not get sudsy, for instance, I find that it just kind of sticks in my hair—so I am always on the hunt for really sudsy shampoos and hair care products).
So here’s this: a list of the absolute best stuff in the beauty category that I’ve purchased in recent months—the things I actually use, that actually work.
I picked up a bottle of Jason’s Tea Tree Nail Saver at Whole Foods after I slammed my right thumb in our freezer door a few months ago. The resulting injury occurred at the base of my thumb nail, caused a really large bruise, and split the nail. I started applying this once or twice a day (you paint it on like polish and I like to rub it into my nails and cuticles) and the difference I saw in the overall health and growth of all my nails was kind of astounding. I really have no high hopes for granola-like products (I pin my hopes on $500 devices that I use for six months and then forget about for eternity) but this is a good one.
I’ve been a devoted user of Goop’s Himalayan Salt Scrub Shampoo for many years. I will be devastated if they ever discontinue this product because I use it once a week and I truly feel it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for my hair. It gets very sudsy and makes your hair feel so clean. It also has little granules to scrub your scalp and feels very spa-like when used in the shower. It is simply the best and I pray to all things Gwyneth Paltrow I never have to say goodbye to it.
I waited years to buy the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer but finally caved when I got a gift card for Christmas. It is so expensive but if you blow-dry your hair at all, and plan to for the next few years, it’s a worthy buy. It isn’t as harsh as most drugstore dryers (my last dryer seemed poised to spontaneously combust, judging by the burnt hair smell it constantly emitted) and it dries the hair much faster than a standard dryer. The one thing I hate is the length of the cord, which makes it really difficult to pack.
Sorry to inform but I am one of those ridiculous people who posts photos of themselves wearing their red-light masks to Instagram. After using mine almost daily for a month, I can say they work. Here’s the thing: I bought mine because I am very fair, and so any time I get a blemish or sun damage, I am left with a mark that stays on my skin for years. I was hoping the red light would diminish that discoloration. It has a little, but the real draw for me was the difference it has made on my under-eye area. My dark circles are considerably lighter and less noticeable and that alone makes this one worth the cost for me.
The real “secret” behind the giant tub of that Aztec Secret clay mask you always see on the bottom shelf of the skincare aisle at your local natural foods market? It works. I have used this stuff for more than a decade. Tom hates it because I mix it with apple cider vinegar (you can also just use water but ACV supposedly has additional benefits and frankly, when it comes to skincare, I want it to either stink or hurt—that way I know it’s doing something). It’s very inexpensive and one tub will last you at least a year. As it dries, it hardens, and it sort of pulses on your skin as a result. This is great for breakouts or just a deep cleanse.
Other stuff that works but that you can’t buy online? Lasers. I am a slut for a good laser treatment and I’ve tried them all: Fraxel, Sublative, Pico, IPL, Radiofrequency Microneedling. I did three rounds of RF Microneedling over the past year that have been transformative for me and I have a Moxie scheduled for April. All lasers do something different but truly, if you want to plump your skin, or target scarring or discoloration, there’s really nothing better.
A few other things I’m into this week:
Here’s what to know about the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, which has sent shockwaves through the tech industry and beyond (everyone from Roku to Roblox had cash and securities at SVB, so this is a very big deal).
This is the best take on the Scandavol/Vanderpump Rules saga I’ve read. This is a close second.
This entire interaction is ideal:
Ps. If you’re in Atlanta, come see me at the Atlanta Home Show this week. I’ll be there two times each day of the show, Friday-Saturday, but I’m curating a booth for Goodwill of North Georgia that you can shop every single day, whether I’m there or not (and all proceeds will go to Goodwill, of course!).
And I’ll leave you with this….