Before YouTube and Instagram, the biggest beauty influencer in everyone’s lives was Mom. Mine was no exception. I would sit in awe as she took a flame to her eye pencil, created full roller sets without a mirror, and collected lipsticks in an array of shades that I would sample and swatch on our apartment walls while she napped (Sorry, Mom!). Without her, I likely wouldn’t be so in love with the power of transformation that cosmetics offer or the power to repair mistakes with a proper skincare and hair care products (and I’ve made a lot mistakes). But throughout my career, I’d like to think I’ve helped my mom learn a trick or two that she’s helped to pass along to others, sharing her favorites and helping to build community through beauty. So in honor of her big day, I’ve rounded up some of the best advice we’ve shared with each other. Happy Mother’s Day, and if you can, give your mom a hug for me!
May 2016
I receive a slew of samples, and when I find something I like, I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
Regardless of your type, hydration is key for healthy skin. I re-learned this lesson recently after handling a wacky winter and an unsettled spring with my skin completely going out of whack. We’re talking a tight forehead, oily cheeks, and dry skin around my nose. Even a humidifier didn’t do much to help my moisturizer do its job!
Sure, it’s technically #FlashbackFriday, but Bath & Body Works is opting for a new hashtag to revive some of its signature scents from the ’90s.
The brand announced on Thursday that it would revive 8 of its signature scents from its archives as part of its ongoing #FlashbackFragrance campaign, which started last year when the company brought back 6 of its original aromas. Though the scents are under lock and key until they hit shelves on May 27th, by process of elimination we likely won’t see Pearberry, Plumeria, Wild Honeysuckle, Juniper Breeze, or Cherry Blossom. But there’s still hope for some others like Sun-Ripened Raspberry and Seaspray from your middle schools days.
Most of my tween years were spent in a cloud of Sweet Pea, Cherry Blossom, and Juniper Breeze, with the popular crowd choosing to slather on the scent in the form of hand sanitizer that they sported clipped to their backpacks like Fendi’s bag bugs. Luckily, they were all too happy to share until our classrooms smelled more like Bath & Body Works itself, and the windows had to be thrown open so everyone could breathe. As awkward as that stage in life was, the saccharine smells bonded all the girls in our sense of self as mature young women–think the classic Disney movie line, “I’m 13, Mom. I’m not a baby anymore.” We had no idea what was ahead for us, but the future smelled sweet. So I think I’ll need to snap up a bottle or two of sanitizer if only for nostalgia’s sake.
Update: According to Pop Sugar, we can now choose between Sun-Ripened Raspberry will hit shelves first on May 27th to whet the appetites of nostalgic fragrance fanatics. Meanhile Country Apple, Cucumber Melon, Freesia, Brown Sugar & Fig, Mango Mandarin, Cotton Blossom, and Peony will arrive just a few weeks later on June 6th. Plus all of the #FlashbackFragrances will be available to spritz as a scent and slather on in the form of shower gel, body cream, and lotion if you really want to re-live your school days. But be sure to snap
Sure, I love my share of chicken fingers, but this is going a little too far.
KFC is moving from the food court to the beauty counter with the first-of-its-kind edible nail polish. Nope, I’m not kidding. It’s the latest marketing campaign for the chicken chain in Hong Kong, which features an Original Recipe and Hot & Spicy glitter polishes in a nude and red, respectively. According to Ad Week, the brand teamed up with McCormick, who provides the secret mix of 11 secret herbs and spices for the franchise to infuse into the formula so it tastes like chicken (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).
All you have to do is paint on a coat or two (Maybe you just add on as many layers of flavor as you want?), allow it to fully dry, and then nab a nibble. While this spells trouble for nail biters, I don’t think many in the U.S. are apt to test-drive the lunchable lacquer, but the marketers were impressed by how it turned out from the pretty packaging to the final taste test. “I tried it myself in the office when they were doing testing,” Anna Mugglestone, marketing and communications director for Ogilvy & Mather Group in Hong Kong (the agency running the campaign) told The New York Times. “It tastes like chicken. It’s crazy. I don’t know how they do it.” I don’t know either, but I’m honestly afraid to find out.
But the campaign is all in good fun to remind younger generations of chicken fans of “the great taste and good times the brand stands for,” even going so far as to ask fans on Facebook which flavor they’d prefer. While it’s not being mass produced yet, this is not the first time fast food has been infused into beauty buys. KFC’s sister brand, Pizza Hut, introduced a signature scent back in 2013 and Cheetos created its own Cheeteau in 2014. Neither were mass produced, much to everyone’s relief.
After all this, I think I’m having steak for dinner tonight.
“May the 4th be with of you!” If you haven’t heard that phrase, seen the Snapchat filter, or seen the memes, it’s Star Wars Day, the unofficial holiday of George Lucas‘s sci-fi phenomenon that’s alive and well decades after its 1977 release, thanks to The Force Awakens. With endless merchandise available (some of which I’m dying to get my hands on), I feel like it’s much more fun to craft your own tribute to the franchise, namely with nail art. I scrolled through my subscription feed to find a few fun ideas that you can replicate with your own color collection, regardless of your skill level, to show your love and choose a side. Happy Holiday!
Storm Trooper Nail Art — Nobody keeps the Empire or the First Order running like the soldiers suited in white. And who better to teach you to recreate the iconic Stormtroopers than Darth Vader (aka cutepolish) himself. Whether you feature one soldier solo or a whole squad on your fingertips, it’s sure to stand out. #SquadGoals
It the midst of all of the Met Gala madness, many have missed the memo that Zoe Kravitz has landed a big beauty deal with YSL Beaute!
The news broke this morning, fresh on the heels of the actress rocking the beauty brand behind her lacy mask at the fashion fest (channeling a bit of her X-Men, character, Angel Salvadore). Kravitz will bring her “edgy playfulness” and cool approach to beauty to the company’s social channels, sharing her makeup must-haves and her top tips and tricks. She’ll shoot a new project for the company this week called “Before the Light,” a video series that will showcase up-and-coming talents from around the world as they primp and prepare to take the stage, show off their personality, and become the rockstars in the spotlight.
“YSL has always been one of my favorite brands,” Kravitz said in a statement. “Their ability to combine the chicest of style with a raw edge has always been to me one of the best ways to express yourself through fashion and beauty. Nothing is forced, nothing is fake, but everything is bold, strong, and unafraid.”
I’ve always coveted Kravitz’s natural cool, so the partnership seems like the perfect fit to me. Given YSL’s rockstar sensibilities and Kravitz musical (she’s the frontwoman of LOLAWOLF) and acting talent (I mean, she was in Mad Max: Fury Road, easily the biggest movie of 2015 with more projects on the way), she’ll offer a fresh perspective for the luxe beauty brand that follows the fashion house’s Music Project. I’m psyched to see what the final cut of the music clips will look like as well as the rest of Kravitz effortlessly chic campaign. Congrats!
GTL – Get the Look, not Gym, Tan, Laundry, duh!
When this year’s Met Gala theme, “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology,” was announced, I instantly had visions of cyberpunk pretty — sharp slashes of eyeliner, manicures using bits of motherboards, and cascades of chrome. While most played it safe this year, letting their custom glittering gowns (crafted with the latest technology) do all of the talking, I was psyched to see many stars embracing the theme fully and stepping out of their regular red carpet glamor routine. I got the details on how to recreate the looks straight from the hairstylists and makeup artist to ensure you stand out at the next social gathering on your calendar.
Yay, it’s May! As I banish my winter wardrobe to the back of the closet, I’m also brightening up my vanity with more vivid hues. While a punched up pink lip or a bold bolt of blue liner can add instant pizzazz to a spring ensemble, I love to look vibrant from head to toe. I’ve dug through my nail drawer as well as searched beauty supply shelves for a rainbow of rich hues to help your tootsies say hello to the sunshine in style. Whether you match your mani and pedi or just select a shade to rock with a pair of chic sandals, these lovely lacquers will brighten up a bad case of the Mondays.
While we know melanin makes a significant contribution to Angela Bassett’s gorgeous skin, the actress is sharing her secret: Dr. Barbara Sturm.
The German dermatologist and the American Horror Story actress have come together to create a line to tackle inflammation, dark spots, and acne—all geared to women with darker complexions. Aptly named Darker Skin Tones by Dr. Barbara Sturm, the range consists of an enzyme cleanser, a foam cleanser, a two face creams (one a thicker, richer formula than the other), and a hyaluronic serum that will hit Harrods exclusively in July for $58 for a cleanser to $335 for the serum. The price point might be explained by the line’s main ingredient, purslane. It contains a telomerase activator youth enzyme that Dr. Strum says has a multitude of properties to protect skin cells’ DNA from age-related damage. “The telomerase activates an enzyme to keep those ends of the chromosomes long, which actually works against natural programmed cell death and that’s the key,” she explained to Women’s Wear Daily. “So not only do we have anti-inflammation and the evening out of skin tone but also a big thing for anti-aging.”
The skincare collection saw its start when the pair first met and Bassett shared some of her skin woes like acne and irritation. “It’s not as if I would see bad acne. I wouldn’t characterize her as having acne, but over a course of years, there were always these spots that would never lighten. There is a difference between brown and black, and in the end it would never lighten,” Sturm said. “Since African-American, or skin of color, problems [revolve] mainly [around] inflammation that is why I especially took care in this range. It has real ingredients, which are scientifically shown to address inflammation.”
They spent two years on the spinoff line for Dr. Sturm’s anti-aging range that also uses purslane to bring out the best in brown skin. Bassett used those closest to her to test-drive the new line, even recruiting her assistant and her nanny to see how it would affect hyperpigmentation. Both Bassett and Sturm want to see people become more aware of their skin and how they treat it. “See what is good for it and ingredients that are helpful — and not invasive or irritating,” Bassett told the trade. “I like them to be pleased when they look in the mirror, to feel good about themselves and the condition of their complexion.”
It’s refreshing to see more companies catering to people of color who are often ignored on the shelves, given that many skincare brands skew towards the lighter end of the spectrum. And though the price point sounds scary now, the pair are already working on a more affordable iteration to ensure the younger generation can focus on prevention and not repair. Sturm said, “We have to find something just a little more affordable and start at an early age and give them something that they don’t even have to deal with the symptoms in later age.”