In New York City, it’s still full-on summer, so no back-to-school energy here.
It’s not new, but the Vacation Whip SPF 30 has been my body sunscreen MVP yet again. It’s the most fun to use and easy to apply on the body, full stop. And in more SPF news, the filer bemotrizinol (BEMT) is finally available for use as of this week. Ultra Violette will be one of the first to market with a formula this fall, so stay tuned on that front.
BUSHY BROWS
I’ve been waiting five months to tell you about this one: a new brow pencil designed by eyebrow queen Kristie Streicher, who is the LA go-to for brushed-up, bushy brows.
The idea for her Backcombing Texture Stick was inspired by the dry shampoo and volumizing pastes Streicher uses on her own fine hair. She created the brow stick using hair products (including this one) as inspiration, and added plant-based fibers and colors to create soft volume and texture.
You apply the stick against the direction of the brow, backcombing so the fibers in the pencil attach to your hair and skin to create what Streicher calls “soft structure.” The other side of the pencil is a spooly brush that helps set the product with a waxy texture. It is a bit counter intuitive to use, but the method works.
The finished look is not harsh or overly defined, but full and subtly stronger. I’d also highly recommend getting this pencil sharpener because you do have to use it frequently.
BUFF NAILS
Bare nails have never been quite so controversial. Are they a symbol of privilege or an acquiescence to nature? A quiet luxury or an obnoxiously loud statement? It’s been a hot topic lately. I don’t have patience or ladylike fingers, so I generally keep my nails short and simple, only going to the pros when I absolutely need to.
I’ve recently tried the most high maintenance version of the naked nail: the Japanese Manicure at Darlings Beauty Lab on 28th Street. No polish, no gel, just lots of drilling and intensive clean-up. It sort of felt like the hand version of the Medi Pedi.
After the mechanical grooming session, a clay-based paste and beeswax-based powder from the Japanese brand P.Shine were applied and buffed into my nails.
The latter half of the process felt similar to the buff manicure you can get at pretty much any nail salon, except that the glossy finish lasted for a solid two weeks.
Just as my luminous nails were coming to the end of their glory, I met with Katia Beauchamp, the co-founder of Birchbox and former CEO of Victoria Beckham Beauty, about her new brand Buff Beauty. She likened her biweekly manicures to a bad relationship, one she was stopped from doing all the things she wanted to, albeit temporarily. She gave up the regular appointments when she had kids, and felt that there might be a space to explore the ease of the naked nail.
Enter Buff Beauty, a line with all the tools and products necessary to keep things beautifully bare. I tested everything in this set, and was most impressed by Horizon, a double-sided stick for pushing back cuticles and getting rid of some dead skin on the nail bed. I’ve never actually been able to do this with the more common wood “peach stick,” so this tool made it so I could actually give myself an at-home manicure. Everything in the line is priced between $7 and $20.
Other bare-ish nail notes: I’ve written about my love of Manucurist before, particularly its take on sheer nudes to suit a range of skin tones. When I do wear actual nail polish, it tends to be DazzleDry in this sheer taupe. The brand has overtaken the impatient market, as its formula truly dries in five minutes flat. Early in the polish-free care game was Bare Hands, a white leather roll-up kit with a glass file and cuticle oil. And as bond builders that have been so popular for hair continue to grow, some of their technology has been transferred to its keratin cousin, the nail. Most notable here is ePhD, which finally healed my mom’s gel-destroyed nails after five polish-free years.
THREE MORE THINGS:
My legs are never quite ready for prime time: I have bruises, cuts, bug bites, all manner of injury. I never know where most of them come from. It doesn’t bother me enough to do something about it, and I don’t want to ruin my clothes. *But* I tested Tinge this week, a new body makeup line, and was impressed by the cover-up and non-transfer of it all. Would definitely use for special occasions.
Tommy Buckett gave me a bob four years ago, and I haven’t looked back. He also cuts my husband’s hair, and recommended this cooling scalp serum to bring instant relief to his often-irritated scalp and the report is that it’s a godsend.
I’ve been trying to break in a pair of Momotaro jeans from Japan, and the rule I keep hearing is not to wash them for a year, which is kind of disgusting. I don’t want to use Febreeze, but I needed to do something to freshen them up. I’ve managed six months, only because of this fabric spray to keep things fresh. Rotating between Fresh Poplin and Verbena Santal.
Happy Weekend!
X
Jamie
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