As a product-loving beauty editor, it's my nature to be overly (and at times, obnoxiously) nosy about other people's beauty routines. I'll peek inside the makeup bag of a fellow gymgoer to find out why her eyelashes look so long and fluttery (Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, $25, if you're wondering!), and I've been known to ask random strangers at the bar what lipstick they're wearing. A big part of this job is data collection, and I pretty much let that bleed into all parameters of my life, even when I'm technically off the clock.
Given the current COVID-19 outbreak, said data collection has been woefully curbed. I'm not able to beauty creep at my usual haunts like the gym or a restaurant and instead rely on my product-littered IG feed and 50-person Zoom calls to feel inspired and curious. Thus, you can imagine my excitement when I found out Who What Wear's INF team hosted a Zoom Happy Hour a couple of weeks back with some of my favorite influencers and beauty girls. Some product talk naturally came up, and I was lucky enough to get quotes from the attendees detailing the one holy-grail formula that's encouraging their glow right now. (Even if it's just from the confines of their home!) Keep scrolling for the best skin-boosting elixirs beauty girls are currently prioritizing, plus some additional product ideas I personally thought you'd love from each of the six brands.
"I’ve been loving the new Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm ($22) since I have been at home. It’s beautifully packaged and also very hygienic thanks to the handy squeeze tube design. It is a multitasking lip product, so I can using it as a lip balm during the day and as a lip mask at night. It has become one of my holy-grail lip products. As a mom, I am constantly in a rush, but this two-in-one product saves me a lot of time and energy—it's been the perfect addition to my self-care ritual."A gentle, pH-balanced cleanser steeped with minerals and amino acids.An enzyme-packed mask that clarifies and exfoliates for a dewy, luminous finish post-rinse."A struggle that I’ve had for a while as a makeup lover is finding a way to incorporate SPF into my routine without it giving my face a ghostly white cast or pilling under the different textures of my skincare. When a clean beauty brand I love, Ilia Beauty, launched its Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 ($46), I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. It really is everything it claims to be, a serum that nourishes the skin with light coverage and SPF 40. It combines several steps of my morning routine into one and leaves such a beautiful dewy finish. I’m in love. And I would not be a beauty influencer without letting you know that my code CHRISTAALLEN gets you 15% off the Ilia website until May 31!"A silicone-free primer that's loaded with beautifying ingredients like hibiscus, beta-glucan, and aloe, which will also help firm and soothe the skin.A delicate liquid highlighter that can be layered on top of or into your favorite makeup formulas for a 24/7 candlelit glow."I've been using the Josie Maran's Argan Beta Retinol Pink Algae Serum ($68) for a few months now, and it's incredible. It’s naturally derived so it doesn’t irritate the skin like other retinol formulas. My skin used to be so dry and flaky, and this has improved it A LOT!"A buttery skin elixir that kisses your limbs and chest with a hint of rose-gold radiance.The cult-classic OG argan oil which supplies moisture and nourishment to any part of your body—from your nails to your face to your hair. "This mask from Tatcha is like no other lip balm I’ve tried. It’s thick, moisturizing, and leaves my lips feeling plump and hydrated. I put on before bed and wake up with the lines in my lips smooth, and I also like to apply during the day for a super-juicy lip!"A must-have moisturizer that's bursting with skin-plumping antioxidants and will help you to achieve your dewy-summer-skin dreams.The complementary (very iconic) face mist that practically every single makeup artist totes around in their skin kit. "Origins' Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment Lotion($35) has been the key to keeping my skin calm and soothed despite the added stress and all the extra sugar I've been eating while stuck indoors. I love how balanced and hydrated it makes my skin feel!"A zingy, clean-formulated under-eye cream that combats puffiness and circles in one fell swoop. A no-nonsense charcoal- and clay-based face mask that comes to the rescue for clogged pores and congestion-prone skin."Belif's Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask ($34) is a favorite of mine to layer over my nighttime skincare routine! The hydrating jelly creates a cooling burst of moisture all over the skin, and it even helps all of your products underneath absorb overnight. Because the mask is infused with hyaluronic acid—one of my go-to ingredients for anti-aging—I wake up with super-plump, hydrated skin in the morning. I love using this mask a few times a week if my skin is feeling a little dull or I just want a nice skin treat!"A fan favorite, The True Cream Aqua Bomb is the ultimate punch of calming hydration.A moisture-rich toner that nurture's dehydrated or compromised skin back to glow-worthy health with help from honeysuckle, baobab, and sodium hyaluronate. Up next: Editor Picks: 25 New Finds That Significantly Elevated Our April Beauty Routines
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