Editor’s Picks:
September
Our top 6 beauty products we can’t get enough of this month.
Portrait photo: Colin Gaudet, 21MGMT.ca
Ok, Fall, we see you and we’re ready to have some PSL-adjacent good times! As cooler temps tip toe towards us, we’re keeping company with genius skincare formulas to support skin strength, a must-have spritz for brighter blond locks, a joy-to-wear eyeshadow with ties to high-fashion and a newbie SPF (cuz sun protection is an all-season sport). Plus, an airy new fragrance that’s the final word in chic scentery and delights with nuance that soars above the cloying gourmands that have dominated of late. This is how we’re making fall fun, join us won’t you?
I have a complicated relationship with retinoids
(that spans 15+ years). I want all the smoothing, firming and brightening benefits but I refuse to have my skin looking dry, red and flaky on the road to achieving said benefits. This creamy, hydrating 0.05% retinal is my current top shelf star because it’s genuinely not irritating in the slightest. I’ve been slowly working it into my routine and so far, my skin is v much on board. The formula contains multiple skin soothers like bisabolol, allantoin, glycerin and more so I know I’ll never be left with the dreaded purge.
Joyful & Jaw-dropping!
Marc Jacobs Beauty is soooo back, and the designer is giving beauty lovers plenty to play with. The full scale collection includes complexion, blush, lipstick and mascara, but the bubble balloon-packaged eye shadows are a standout that instantly sold out. Besides being hella cute, the super silky cream-to-powder formula glides on like a dream and stays put. Mood Swing is as drool-worthy as it looks IRL: a duochrome that glints from blue to purple for instant 80s glam in one swipe.
While I still love purple shampoo,
sometimes I need a bigger helping hand to keep my blonde looking fresh. This leave-in violet spray has become a crucial post-shower step to keep my brassiness at bay. I mist it through damp strands and watch it immediately add a cooling tint to any yellow hair. It also leaves my strands feeling incredibly soft with its hydrating formula that’s rich in squalane, argan and moringa oils. I feel like this is a no brainer add-on for any blondes who want an instant icy kick.
Skin feeling wimpy? This hefty tube could help.
Earlier this year, after a round of scorching, ultra-sweaty days, my skin totally freaked out and then gave up. My neck in particular took a downward turn, refusing to retain moisture, and I felt like I truly understood the term ‘crepey texture.’ Um, no thank you. But things are changing for the better, and I’m attributing that in part to this strengthening gel treatment. It’s formulated with black ginger extract and Omega-7 to work on fat cells and improve weak skin. Slowly and surely, my neck is firmer and more hydrated (thank gawd), so I’ll be sticking with this training plan.
My fave spf list just got a little longer
This aptly-named K-Beauty fluid is so light and silky that it barely even feels like you’re wearing sunscreen. It sinks in quickly with zero white cast and has a natural, slightly dewy finish that looks really lovely under makeup. Containing Jeju yuzu and manuka honey, it provides an added kick of antioxidant protection and hydration. I’ve even layered this cream over top of makeup when I needed a protection top up and it was a dream to pat on without disturbing anything underneath.
Warm, fresh and floral,
I’ll be ushering in the next season steeped in this scent because it’s so, how shall I say, nuanced. Inspired by a fragrance of the same name developed in 1912, this new juice is crafted with an ozonic accord that opens with the airy freshness of pear and neroli. A heart of velvety soft iris and jasmine connects with a warming base of vanilla and musks to create something complex and uniquely modern, yet timeless. It’s not too much of one thing, and catches you by surprise, and I want to be kept on my toes.
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