This round of best beauty picks is all about the time-savers, from a shampoo that halves the minutes you spend holding a blowdryer to an eye cream that does triple-duty and a nail polish that keeps you far, far away from the salon.
Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment: I’ve talked before about how much I love the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, and this one does it one better with a hit of soft, looks-good-on-everyone color. At over twenty bucks it’s a splurge, but the light scent and unbeatable feel make it an indulgence that’s worth the price.
Beautannia products: All of these straight-from-Britain bath products are lovely (I checked them out at a space.nk preview awhile back), but I’m an especially big fan of the Balfour scent*. A blend of grapeseed, cherry and rosehip oils scented with English fern, oakmoss, and vetiver, it toes the line between masculine and feminine in a modern, sexy way.
SensatioNail Invincible Gel Polish Starter Kit* (price varies; product available in WalMart stores): My nails still haven’t grown a single chip; I totally love this stuff. Read my full review here.
It Factor Quick Blowdry Shampoo/Conditioner*: These products reduce drying time by up to fifty percent. Which makes them New Mama Miracles. How it works, in a nutshell: something called a VaporBoost System makes your hair like the water less, and inspires it to release water particles from its grasp more easily when heat is applied. Whatever; anything that gets me up and away from my styling tools faster is a good thing.
Zelens Triple Action Eye Cream*: Does lots of great stuff (depuffs, reduces dark circles, minimizes wrinkles) in one quick step. Plus, the texture is lovely, and if you try this tip it can even help to wake you up in the morning.
Guerlain Terracotta Kohl Kajal: This little tube of kohl liner is kinda odd-looking, but very cool when applied to your inner lids for an intense, dramatic effect.
NARS Matte Eyeshadow in Cairo and China Blue: My two favorite colors these days. Cairo is a cashmere-soft caramel shade that I apply with a wide brush all over the lid and up towards the brow for a simple, lightly smoky daytime look; China Blue is a straightforward navy that looks great paired with gold accents. (Click here for a Navy and Gold Eye how-to.)
Laura Mercier All-Over Eye Colour Brush: What I’ve been using to apply NARS Cairo. The wide, flat heat deposits a perfectly even sweep of color in just one motion.
Benefit They’re Real! Mascara: My mom recommended this to me, and it’s just awesome; totally false-lash quality.
Philosophy Microdelivery Triple-Acid Brightening Peel*: One-step, pre-saturated, individually-wrapped pads that are designed for weekly use and that have visibly brightening and line-reducing effects after just two applications. They make your face taste a little bitter (a little intel from Kendrick), but so long as you avoid licking your own face and tell others to do the same, you should be OK.
StriVectin TL Neck Skin Tightening Cream*: I don’t really have to worry about neck wrinkles yet, but I’m all about preventative action now that I’ve turned 30, and I was pretty excited to discover that my beloved wrinkle-fighter now comes in neck-saving form.
Oral B ProfessionalCare 1000 Electric Toothbrush: It just gets your teeth so clean. And it’s kinda fun to use, which means I actually brush my teeth for the amount of time you’re supposed to brush them for now. Pretty psyched to get some compliments from my dentist (or at least not lie to him) on my next visit.
*Product samples provided for review.
