Beauty

Hair Dye Colors, From a Paris Chemist's Formula to Your Bathroom Sink

Choosing hair dye colors starts with knowing what kind of change you want: a lasting shift, a soft tint or something bright. Here are the permanent kits, the semi-permanent and vivid shades, and the shampoos and conditioners that look after color once it is in.

Say Yes to Ouai Hair Oil: A Jen Atkin Shelf, Then the Oils That Compete

Ouai hair oil is the lightweight, heat-protecting bottle that put Jen Atkin's brand on a lot of bathroom shelves. Here is the OUAI lineup around it, hair oils from other brands, and the heat protectants I would use before a hot tool.

Dashing Diva Nails: Glaze Gel Strips, Press-Ons and Starter Kits

Dashing Diva began with branded salons in New York and grew into a do-it-yourself nail brand. Here are its Glaze gel strips and starter kits, the Magic Press and sticker range with its remover, and the gel nail stickers from two other brands that I would try beside them.

Mielle Rosemary Mint Oil, Monique Rodriguez and the Scalp-Care Habit It Started

Mielle rosemary mint oil went from a Chicago-founded brand's bestseller to a social media favorite. Here is the Mielle rosemary mint line, scalp oils and treatments from other brands, and the massagers and brushes that make scalp care a ritual.

Caldera Lab Skincare for Men, and Anyone Else

Caldera Lab skincare for men began when a Jackson Hole founder borrowed his wife's serum and wondered why nothing like it existed for men. I go through the serums, moisturizers, eye treatments, cleansers and shave products.

Sun Bum Sunscreen, After Sun and Beach Hair Picks

Sun bum is the sunscreen brand that started in 2010 with a beach-house office and a monkey on the bottle. Here are the Sun Bum lotions, sprays and after sun gels I would pack, plus the lip SPF and sea salt sprays that finish a beach day.

CAKES Nipple Covers, Adhesive Bras and Tape for Backless Tops

CAKES nipple covers started as a two-sister side project and grew into a full range of grippy and sticky styles. Here is how I would pick a fit and shade, plus the tape, adhesive bras and body oils that go with a backless or sheer top.

Bioré UV Aqua Rich and Other Light Face Sunscreens

Biore UV Aqua Rich is a lightweight facial moisturizer sunscreen with hyaluronic acid and SPF 50, from a line Kao launched in 2011. Here are the watery face sunscreens I would compare with it, the SPF I wear under makeup, and the cleansers that take it all off at night.

CC Color Correcting Cream: Correctors, Tints and Brushes

CC color correcting cream grew out of BB cream and focuses on evening out color, and Clinique's Moisture Surge CC Cream comes with SPF 30. I also go through tinted sunscreens, skin tints and the brushes I use to blend a light base.

Brown Mascara for a Softer Lash Line, Plus Brown Liners to Match

Brown mascara has been around almost as long as mascara itself, and it is still the easiest way to wear lashes that look defined but not harsh. These are the browns I would try, from soft chocolate to deep espresso, plus brown liners and a brow gel to go with them.

L'Oréal Setting Spray and the Mists and Primers That Hold Makeup

The L'Oréal setting spray is a microfine aerosol mist that sets makeup in about three seconds. Here it sits with the other setting sprays, dewy mists and grippy primers I would use to make a face last the day.

Fur Oil for Ingrown Hair: Body Oils and Shave Care to Pair

Fur Oil for ingrown hair starts with a body oil made for hair and skin from the neck down. I walk through how I use it, then the body oils, ingrown fixes and gentle exfoliators I pair with it.

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream and Other Depuffing Picks

The INKEY List caffeine eye cream is a light cream for puffy, tired eyes, and it sits at the center of this edit. I paired it with caffeine serums, gels, patches and cooling tools for every morning face.

IT Cosmetics CC Cream Comparison: CC+ Formulas vs SPF Foundations

IT Cosmetics CC cream comparison: CC+ Full Coverage vs CC+ Nude Glow, plus SPF foundations, concealers and powders to pair.

Carol's Daughter and the Curl Care I Would Build a Routine Around

Carol's Daughter curl care starts with creams, oils and conditioners from a line that began in a Brooklyn kitchen in 1993. I sort the defining creams, leave-ins and shampoos I would build a curl routine around.

Mielle Leave-In Conditioner: Which One to Pick

Mielle's Pomegranate & Honey Leave-In Conditioner is a lightweight detangler the brand makes for thick, curly hair, especially Type 4. I sorted every Mielle leave-in by hair type, then added other leave-ins and scalp serums to pair with them.

Valentino Yellow Dream and the Bright, Sunny Perfumes to Wear With It

Is Valentino Yellow Dream a summer perfume? Yes: fresh rose and lemon for her, spiced for him, plus Born in Roma siblings and citrus scents.

What Is a Beauty Blender: Sponges, Puffs and Foundations to Pair

A beauty blender is a hand-cut makeup sponge that started on a TV set in 2002 and still sets the standard for a bouncy, streak-free base. I go through the original sponges, other sponges and powder puffs, and foundations that blend well with a damp sponge.

L'Oréal Foundation: True Match, Infallible and Serum Alternatives

L'Oréal foundation guide: True Match and Infallible lineup, serum foundation alternatives and the primers and concealers that finish a base.

KUGIG Wash and Gentle Intimate Care for Everyday

KUGIG wash is a pH-balanced intimate cleanser with aloe vera and a prebiotic complex, made for daily use on sensitive skin. Here is how I would build a gentle routine around it, from body washes to soothing creams, using only what each brand says about its own formula.

Kate Somerville: The Facialist Who Took the Treatment Room Home

Kate Somerville began as a facialist with a clinic on Melrose Place, and the skincare brand she founded still feels like a treatment room in a bottle. This edit covers the ExfoliKate and EradiKate classics, the moisturizers and serums, and the cleansers, eye care and sunscreen that round out the routine.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution and the Art of Looking Less Tired

The ordinary caffeine solution is the small bottle people reach for when their eyes look tired, and it sits at the center of this edit. Here are The Ordinary's serums, caffeine eye creams and gels from other brands, and the under-eye patches for mornings that started too early.

Urban Decay Setting Spray: The Spritz That Outlasts the Party

The best setting spray for glowy party makeup is Urban Decay's All Nighter Hydrating and Glowy formula, which is waterproof with 24HR wear. I also go through the other All Nighter formulas, the base layer underneath and sprays from other brands.

Fresh Cream Warm Cashmere by philosophy: Vanilla Scents to Try Next

Fresh cream warm cashmere is philosophy's juicy tangerine, cashmere wood and vanilla bean scent, and it comes as a full shelf from shower gel to body butter. Here is how I layer it, and the vanilla perfumes and body mists I wear when I want something a little different.