Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask
I may not be a fan of pumpkin in my coffee, but this year the geniuses at Peter Thomas Roth have converted me to wanting pumpkin in all of my skincare. This face-changing mask combines the power of pumpkin enzymes, which gently exfoliate, alpha hydroxy acid, which sloughs off dead skin, and aluminum oxide, which polishes your complexion. After just five tingly minutes, my skin looked renewed. Refreshed. Positively revitalized. And the bonus? Unlike other masks or peels, I didn’t have any post-use purging. No breakouts, no nasty bacteria flushing out via acne, and no redness or dry spots. I first tried this mask to deal with some hormonal hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks and upper lip, and after a month of weekly use, the marks have completely faded. No other product I’ve ever tried has been this effective, targeting exactly what I hoped it would. The mask isn’t cheap, but the tubs are large and it doesn’t take much to cover my entire face, so I feel like I’m getting an excellent value out of it.
stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow
Sometimes, as much as I want to put together a beautiful polished sparkly look, I just don’t have the time. Or the energy. Then I discovered the Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow. Not only is it long-wearing, but it perfectly blends pearl and glitter to leave my lids with incredible luster and shimmer. I started off with Molten Midnight, a mixture of black, silver, and gold, that added depth to my shadows without leaving a sticky buildup. I swiped a few passes on my lower lashes for some added glamor and was thrilled with how well it wore. The lightweight texture makes it perfect for patting on top of shadow, but it glides on effortlessly enough to simply wear on top of your favorite primer. I’ve tried so many glitter shadows, and while they’re all pretty–I mean, hello, it’s GLITTER, none of them were quite as simple as these sparkly babies. I’ve since picked up three other colors, including Rose Gold Retro, a beautiful warm pink and gold, Diamond Dust, a neutral silver and multi-color glitter, and Violet Vixen, an eye-catching swatch of lavender and blue.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette
The last few years have seemed so palette-heavy, it’s hard to keep up with the latest and greatest. I admit, I definitely hopped on the bandwagon early and stocked up on far too many palettes, promising to be my new go-to. And here’s the thing: so many of them are pretty good, but there are always three of four colors I never touch. I mean never. Even with an infinitely neutral and wearable palette like Urban Decay’s Naked, I find myself swiping the same pots over and over. Then I discovered Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette. I’m a huge fan of their Brow Wiz pencils and Brow Dip pomade, so I knew the quality of their products would be high. When I saw the shades, I slowly started falling in love. From the buttery, creamy yellow matte finish of Golden Ochre to Primavera’s glimmering gold metallic, this palette’s high-pigment shadows are to die for. The shade range goes from warm neutrals, such as Vermeer, an iridescent shell beige with a soft shift, to Warm Taupe, a trendy beige grey, all the way to high fashion shades that pop, like Buon Fresco, an antique lavender, and Venetian Red, an ultra-matte crimson. I’ve found myself incorporating all of the shades into my looks, and experimenting with colors outside of my comfort zone. I swear, there isn’t a skin tone this palette won’t be beautiful on, and you’ll be blown away by how easy it is to incorporate into your standard looks.
Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt
When I first received a sample of this, I immediately cast it aside–I have pale, pastel, color treated hair and the idea of any kind of detox shampoo usually means my shade fades. But then, in a moment of desperation when I left a mask in for too long and had dried muck in my hair, I reached for the little jar. Not only is the scrub color safe, but it’s actually RECOMMENDED as a detox post color–intriguing! I lathered up, pleased at the light scent, and even more thrilled at how the product residue seemed to melt from my hair. You see, the scrub acts like a detox for your scalp to exfoliate, clean, and rebalance sensitive or oily scalps. It calms itchiness and removes chemical residue left behind, or in my case, dried down product. I use this powerhouse once a week or every other week, depending on how clean my hair feels. The result? Shiny, bouncy locks with beautiful texture and no color loss–winning all around!