Brighten Up!
Low key glow ups to get you through a winter weekend
Hello, Gorgeous!
As I get ready for the weekend, I have one thing to say: Brrrrr. It’s been extra freezing here in NYC. And while I know that you may live someplace toasty and warm year-round, we can all agree that this is a particularly blah time of year.
To that end, here’s a weekend roundup that will add some glow to your face (and not the kind brought on by urban windburn).
All-around glow
The more I use WYLYS products, the more I love them.
New Day Glow is a brightening serum enriched with Vitamin C and Bakuchiol. Dig a bit deeper into the ingredient list, and there’s a host of skin nutrients, including Squalane, Seabuckthorn, and a ceramide component of the skin’s outer layers. During winter months, I use a two-phase skincare approach. I’ll take off my makeup, wash my face, and then apply my first layer of skincare - in this case, the New Day Glow. Then I let it settle into my skin, and about an hour later, I’ll apply an enriched skin cream. ($125, Nordstrom).
A purse must-have
Friends, gather round, for I must rave about this fantastic face oil from Kosterina (the olive oil brand you see on all your socials). Their Extra Virgin Hydrating Face Oil is primarily marketed as being made with “signature extra virgin olive oil and lachestim, a restorative oil found only from mastic trees from the Greek island of Chios.” Ingredient nerds will go into ecstasies reading the complete ingredient list, which boats nearly every active skin treatment of the moment and then some. And yes, it even has marula oil. One caveat: If you have sensitive skin, this might not be the best product for you. It contains lemon and peppermint oil, which can irritate those with rosacea or other skin conditions, even in trace amounts. ($18, Kosterina.com).
A sparkly tweezer
NYC Mayor Eric Adams recently made headlines for taking questions from journalists while having his eyebrows threaded at a salon in Queens. Don’t be like Mayor Adams; instead, groom your brows at home. One of my longest-term monogamous beauty brand relationships has been with Tweezerman Tweezers. They’re so consistently fantastic that there’s really no need for me to try any other brand, though sometimes I’ll need to update and upgrade. I chose the Tweezerman Dust Slant Tweezers for one reason: They sparkle. That’s it. And since so little shows of your bundled-up self during winter months, you might as well have great-looking brows. ($24.50, Amazon).
Under eye pick me up
I enjoy testing out fan-favorite products to see if they live up to the hype. With nearly 13k reviews on Amazon and loads of editor raves, Catrice Under Eye Brightener is an extremely affordable, excellent product, depending on your needs. It comes in two shades — Light Rose or Warm Nude — and costs only $6, so you can splurge on both if you’re so inclined. I chose the Light Rose and used it more as an enhancement rather than a cover-up product. In other words, I dotted it on my under and around my eye area to add a bit of light. I wear glasses most of the time, so I was careful to blot well so my glasses wouldn’t magnify the product's effect. I liked how it faded the look of dark circles, but in doing so, it slightly enhanced under-eye puffiness. Or at least that was my experience. Overall, I don’t think you have anything to lose by trying this - even if it’s trying to dot above your eyebrows and blend to bring a bit of light to your face. ($6, Amazon).
I may earn a small commission from sales made using the links in this post. I say may and not will, because I’m ever so lazy about the whole affiliate thing, but I just thought you should know!
And two glosses
While shopping for the Catrice eye brightener mentioned above, this Catrice Glossin’ Glow Tinted Lip Oil somehow magically ended up in my cart. While I’m pleasantly surprised —think Bonne Bell Lip Smackers for the lip oil generation — I’m not blown away. Then again, for $6, this contains cherry & pomegranate oil, adds a pop of color, a bit of shine, and a modest amount of stain ($6, Amazon).
It’s no secret that Dior glosses are my weakness. Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss has been favorited 1 million times on Sephora, and there’s a reason for it. I just treated myself to Berry (a sheer fuchsia) and even though it costs a pretty penny, I have no regrets. The pigment-to-shine ratio is incredible. Lips have a veil of color with the teeniest plumping effect. And the color lasts longer than most glosses I’ve tried. ($40, Sephora).
And that’s it for now, my darlings. Any weekend plans? What’s your winter glow-up secret? Let’s meet in the comment section to discuss!
Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋