Toolkit
Stuff I Love
Dyson Airstrait
If my apartment catches fire, I’m grabbing the dog, my iPad Pro, our little emergency bag with cash and paperwork, and … my Dyson Airstrait.
(Anth, you’re on your own, man).
This hair gadget is ridiculously expensive and still somehow the best money my husband has ever spent (it was a gift). My hair is fine and extremely frizz-prone. It’s curly/wavy but I prefer to wear it straight, which means I spent my teen years through my 30s getting really good at that whole round brush/hair dryer routine, and mostly made peace with the fact that no matter how good I got, on humid days, it was going to fluff up.
And that even though I try to take really good care of my hair and do the heat protectant thing, get regular trims, and give it break from heat styling, it still was always just a little big damaged.
(Don’t even get me started on the period of my life that I was in love with the Revlon heat styler and it literally fried and broke off my hair in clumps … proceed with caution on that thing, ladies!)
I was a little skeptical on the Dyson Airstrait because YouTube reviews were mixed, and I have another Dyson hair gadget, the Dyson AirWrap which I do like, but not love. It just doesn’t provide enough tension to get my frizzy hair truly shiny and smooth.
But the Airstrait?! This little thing makes my hair straight, shiny and soft, and it causes no heat damage. My hair has never looked healthier or softer. I can go from wet to smooth/dry in about 12 minutes (my hair is medium-long and there’s a lot of it).
And, I can’t explain it, but something about this makes my hair more resistant to frizzing up, even in swampy weather. I don’t know if it closes the cuticle more fully or what, but sometimes when I do switch back to the brush/blow-dryer routine if I’m wanting a little bounce, it’ll look great for 20 minutes, but turn a little frizzy before my next wash. I never get that with the Dyson Airstrait! It stays straighter and smoother until I wash it again.
Pro-tip: I’ve noticed that the people on YouTube who are “meh” on this are trying to dry really big chunks of hair, and going fast. I’ve had this thing for a few years and have played around with a few techniques. The smaller the chunk of hair (smaller than say, sectioning off for a blow dry), and the slower you go, the better the results will be. I know it feels like it takes longer this way, but like I said … 12 minutes to do my whole hair, and my hair’s about halfway down my back.
Miracle Worker Night Cream, Philosophy
My goal with any night cream is less the anti-aging claims (I’m not convinced) and more “does it help my dry skin feel less dry.”
I’ve tried all types at all price range, and the Miracle Worker from Philosophy has been working well for me.
Is it an actual miracle worker?
No. The claim feels a bit much. I’m not aging in reverse or getting carded again.
But I like the way it applies … no need to shovel it out and warm it up on your hands in order to get it to “spread” like some of those heavy duty fancy ones. I hate those.
This is just nice, and it seems to do the job. It’s neither the cheapest nor most expensive one I’ve tried, but it it is one of the few that doesn’t seem to feel incredible for about 30 minutes after applying, only to leave me feeling like Gollum in the morning.
Will I repurchase? Undecided, but definitely considering it, and that’s something.
Aquaphor
15-ish years ago, I had a really bad eczema flare-up on my forehead right before an out-of-town wedding. I tried desperately to find a dermatologist in the area who could squeeze me in last minute to give me a prescription cream, but no luck.
A kind employee at one of the offices I called suggested that maybe picking up some Aquaphor at the drugstore would help.
I did that, and sure enough, it did help the flare-up …
Then I started using it on my lips, and discovered the best chapstick ever.
Then on a whim tried it as a highlighter, and it looked surprisingly good.
And it’s the only thing that I’ve ever found to keep my dry winter hands under control.
I thought I was a genius, only to learn I’m late to the party, and everyone from Beyoncé to Nicole Kidman to Megan Markle’s makeup team was already onto the magic of this cheap little product.
In addition to being insanely versatile, it’s also inexpensive. I use it every single day for all sorts of things, and it still takes me more than a year to go through a tub that costs less than $20 ( though I also have the smaller sizes stashed all over the place and in my purse.)
In winter I put it all over my face atop of my night cream. It’s the world’s best lip balm and gives a nice glossy sheen. I dab a little on my cheekbones over my foundation if I’m feeling dull. It’s my hand cream. My cuticle oil. My paper-cut curer. I’ve even used it in (sparingly) on the ends of my hair if I’m behind on a trim to keep the ends from looking too frayed.
One Step Cleanser, Philosophy
I’ve had a hard time finding a cleanser I truly love.
I wear makeup daily and my skin is dry.
Which has always meant that the cleansers that successfully remove all my makeup also leave my skin feeling tight. But the gentler cleansers leave traces of my foundation behind.
(I have white bath towels and washcloths, so errant makeup can’t hide from me!)
Anyway, I used this Philosophy cleanser a long time ago and remember liking it well enough, but maybe my skin had different needs back then, or I was young and dumb and didn’t know a good thing when I had it, because I wandered and tried a bunch of others over the ensuing decade+.
Because I recently gave it another go, mostly because I needed to get over the Free Shipping minimum on Philosophy’s website, and gasp …
My skin loves it.
First of all, it’s just a joy to use. It foams up all nice and smells just clean. I’m a sucker for true sudsy soaps.
But even better, it removes every trace of makeup, first go. No double-cleanse necessary. And since I’ve started using this, it’s the first time in my life that my skin never feels tight the next morning, even though it’s the dead of winter right now (and nothing else in my routine has changed, just the cleanser).
I also have a longtime history with occasional eczema on my forehead and hormonal acne on my chin, and I haven’t had a flare-up of either since switching to this.
My Favorite Blush & Bronzer, Jones Road
I have two different shades of Jones Road’s Bronzer.
Tan = my go-to bronzer
Dusty Rose = my go-to blush
Yes, you’re reading that right. I use a bronzer as a blush, but to quote Bobbi Brown herself (the founder of Jones Road):
I love using Dusty Rose as a blush. Apply to the apples of your cheeks for a warm rosy glow.
I’m so glad she took her advice, because even though it’s technically a bronzer, it’s truly is the most perfect and flattering blush color I’ve ever found for my complexion. I used to be pretty fickle when it came to makeup, always looking for another better thing, but I’ve “hit pan” on the Dusty Rose bronzer as my blush probably 5x now, and I don’t have any plans to stop using it.
I don’t know how to describe how perfect it is other than to say it makes my face look healthy, gives my square/boxy face shape some dimension, but without ever looking silly, clownish, or overly girly. I’ve tried a few shades of actual Jones Road blush, but always come back to using the Dusty Rose bronzer shade.
I love the Tan shade as a a true bronzer almost as much, especially in summer when I lean into the more “golden” look. It’s matte, so works great as a subtle contour, but can also be used all over to give a really nice and natural warmth.
For reference, my skin-tone is in the “light-medium” category.
(I know cream blushes and bronzers are supposed to be more flattering on skin of a certain age, and I’ve tried several, but nothing makes me feel prettier than these high quality powder products.)
Vitamin C Lactic Acid Serum, Dennis Gross
I’ve tried a bunch of skincare products over the years, and I’ve almost never noticed a true difference, but I do with this serum. My skin looks brighter and more evenly-toned when I use it daily.
Alas, it’s not a consistent of my regimen only because of the cost. When the budget’s becoming tight, this is a splurge, not an essential.
That said, it’s one of my favorite gifts to receive from family members, and if anyone ever pressed a crisp hundo into my hand and said I must spend it on something frivolous for myself, it’d be this serum over any shoes/outfit/handbag…
Alpha Beta Peels, Dennis Gross
Of every beauty product in my arsenal, these pads have been around the longest. I’m not going to say I have the best skin you’ve ever seen, but I’m pretty happy with how my skin looks and feels at 42, and I think these pads may have a lot to do with that.
My skin looks my best when I use them every day, except I usually I don’t because I forget and because they’re expensive. But when I do use them, especially after a long break, I notice a huge difference. My skin is softer, glowier, and my makeup and other skincare seem to absorb better.
I don’t do injectables or fillers or any of that crap, but I’m not against treating my skin well, and for me, it’s these pads, because I swear they make a difference.
I use the Extra-Strength these days, but I used the Universal for years and I’d start there if you’re new to peels as they can be “tingly.”
Great Skin Moisturizer, Merit
I’ve never found a moisturizer that’s impressed me enough to repurchase (I’m always chasing something new) until this one. My skin is on the dryer side, and this leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated all day but is never heavy or greasy.
The bottle and packaging are perfect, my skin likes it. It doesn’t smell weird. It just works.
I apply 1 pump every morning immediately following my serum and immediately prior to applying my foundation.
Extra Glow Serum, Merit
While this is technically a serum, and works just fine as such, I Merit’s Great Skin serum more as a primer. I apply two pumps every morning (maybe 1 on the swampiest days of summer) immediately prior to my moisturizer and my beloved The Minimalist stick.
If I skip this step, my makeup doesn’t go on nicely, and it also helps give my skin a healthy glow without looking shiny.
I’ve always been pretty fickle with makeup and skincare, but I’ve been through many bottles of this one.
The Minimalist, Foundation by Merit
I am not one of those women who “loves to go bare-faced.”
I think I look better with foundation, therefore I feel better with foundation. But as I entered my 40s, all my old go-to liquid foundations seemed to age me, and yes, even the dewy “age perfecting” ones.
I tried switching to lighter products like BB creams and tinted moisturizers and Jones Road WTF foundation. None gave me the coverage I wanted. I’ve always had a lot of red in my skin, and I need actual coverage to even things out, not just some sort of dewy veil.
Meet: Merit’s “The Minimalist” … it’s perfect for my skin needs right now. I have no idea how this little stick can somehow completely cover up my redness and not look like I’m wearing anything, but it does. I suspect witchcraft, and I support it.
Most days I’ll just apply it where I need it most (chin and nose), but on events where I want a more “flawless face” look, I’ve used it as all over foundation and it works well for that as well. It gives me a totally even complexion, but no “mask” look.
My color is Bisque. nless I’ve added self-tanner to my routine; then it’s Sand. I would say the shades definitely run on the warm side relative to other foundations. I’m often Warm in other foundation brands, but I stick with the neutral range here. Merit’s warm shades are very yellow on me; almost orange.
A word of warning
If you have dry or even normal skin, you’ll want to put this on immediately following moisturizer or use a primer.
The first time I used The Minimalist I ate hated it; it dragged on top of my dry skin and looked almost powdery.
In fact, I actually set out to return it! Merit customer service was amazing. Gave me a full refund, but told me to keep it or give it to a friend. A few weeks later, I decided on a whim to try it over top of a serum/primer, and it was like a completely different product. I’ve been a convert ever since, but heads up if your skin is dry you’ll want to put this on immediately after lotion or primer, before it’s had a chance to “dry down.”