beauty bloggers
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Kathleen Hou
Beauty Editor of NYMag.com's The Cut
- If this last year of beauty has taught us anything, it's about the importance of brow architecture to a minimal face. Kristie Streicher has helped me to achieve brow magnificence. 30 minutes with her, every six weeks, and my brows look perfect with a tiny dash of imperfection (you see, so I can pretend I did them myself). She also introduced me to my favorite eyebrow pencil, from Japanese brand Kimiko ($25), a non-chalky, graphite pencil that's perfect for shading.
- Yes, there have been BB creams and CC creams, but the newest thing are cushion compacts. Cushion compacts are like BB creams on coconut water: It's an even lighter, hydrating version of BB cream, with a dewy, smooth finish. A round sponge is soaked with the formula, which springloads onto your finger when you press into it. It goes on cooly, which will be a relief once the weather heats up. My favorite is from Amore Pacific ($60).
- I've gone through three tubes of Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment in Rose ($22.50) and counting. Red lips look clownish in hotter weather, so this smooth, buttery (but not slip slidey) balm is the only thing I use. To use a frequent beauty cliche, it looks like my lips but better.
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Stephanie Mark
Co-founder of The Coveteur
- Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge ($26): I love these cleansing sponges from Boscia. They are the perfect size for travel and do an amazing job of really cleansing your skin—something that is essential when traveling and spending tons of time on planes and in different climates.
- Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara ($10): Bottom mascara is a great way to add a little something extra to your look without it looking like you are wearing a lot of makeup. Making sure your bottom mascara doesn't smudge and stays put is essential and this one by Clinique is the best.
- Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Dark Spot Correcting ($42): I fell in love with this product the minute I tried it. It is the perfect primer or base for a full look but also gives you the right amount of coverage and evenness if you need to pop out and do a few quick errands.
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Kristin Tice Studeman
Contributing editor at ELLE.com
- Dermologica Age Reversal Eye Complex ($75): When your under-eyes are tired and in need of a boost, this is your best friend.
- Skin Regimen Juvenate Pro Booster ($138): I started using the Skin Regimen line about six months ago and love how they feel on my skin. This one is particularly moisturizing and you can truly feel the difference after using it.
- O&M Frizzy Logic Shine Serum ($26.95): O&M is the only line I trust with my hair. This stuff is perfect for taming fly-aways and making things look extra sleek. As the humidity starts to heat up I'm pretty sure you still definitely want this…
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Tiffany Yannetta
Editor at RackedNY
- Red Flower Italian Blood Orange Refreshing Hand and Face Towelettes ($5): These towelettes are genius and perfect for any day that gets a little too hot. They're infused with essential oils (but they're not oily), so they'll rehydrate skin without leaving any residue. They're great for after yoga or a light workout for a quick refresh, or on humid days when you just want to get the sweat off.
- Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Corvina ($24): Nine times out of ten I only wear a colorless lip balm, but when I do opt for color, it's something kind of bonkers and insanely bright. My favorite color right now is this bright coral shade from Bite. It goes with just about everything and has a nice matte finish that stays.
- Origins Modern Friction Exfoliator ($39.50): Little gets dead skin off better than this Origins exfoliator, which is gentle enough on sensitive skin because of the thick, paste-like consistency. It's great for peeling off leftover winter layers and does a tremendous job at brightening dull complexions. I like to follow it up with the Drink Up Moisturizer, which works great a night mask.
Image: Driely S.
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Lauren Indvik
Editor in Chief of Fashionista
- Neutrogena oil-free cleansing wipes in pink grapefruit ($5.59): I am the laziest face washer on the planet (read: I won't put on cleanser unless in the shower), and so I depend on these wipes to keep my face clean, especially when spring humidity hits. They're gentle on my skin, effectively remove makeup, prevent breakouts and have a nice grapefruit smell my boyfriend likes. I use them in the morning, before yoga and before I go to sleep.
- Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in bright melon ($18): I love a bright lipstick in warm weather, but bold reds and pinks tend to overwhelm my face. This color, from Bare Minerals, is a delectable shade of coral — cheerful but not too bright. When I wear this, I like to keep the rest of my look simple: center-parted hair, minimal makeup, a white or navy shirt.
- Oscar de la Renta Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30 ($42): This is my favorite body sunscreen to wear once the sun comes out. As the name indicates, it's moisturizing, absorbs easily and has an SPF rating of 30. But best of all is the fragrance — a mix of orange blossom and apricot that smells nothing like your typical, chemical-y bottle of sunscreen.
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Danielle and Laura Kosann
Founders of The New Potato
- Caudalie Beauty Elixir ($18): In spring we just want things that feel fresh, bright and easy. Caudalie beauty elixir is literally the most refreshing thing we've ever experienced. It works great as a toner, but we use it constantly throughout the day to just refresh our skin and wake us up. It smells amazing and it feels like you're giving your skin water.
- Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ($22.50): This is one of our longtime favorites. It's hydrating and gives you the perfect amount of color on your lips. In spring/summer we always want to look more natural, and this is such a good alternative to a heavier lipstick. We use it on our cheeks too!
- Pinrose Treehouse Royal Perfume ($50): We just discovered Pinrose perfume and are obsessed. The treehouse scent is the perfect summer scent — light, floral and just the right amount of "outdoorsy!"
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Amber Katz
Founder of Rouge18
- Lancome Flash Bronzer Tinted Self-Tanning Leg Gel ($40): It's not for gams only — I rock this bronze-hued creamy gel all over my bod to look less like Colin from "The Secret Garden" pale, i.e., copy-paper white.
- Armani Beauty Maestro Liquid Bronzer ($64): The natural progression the beauty brand made from its signature tinted SPF. This liquid bronzer imparts a kiss of color in the most natural way and protects my skin from the sun's rays.
- Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink ($8): I've said before that Pixi creator Petra Strand is fluent in pink while the rest of us are barely proficient. Her hues run the gamut from pale to hot and this vivid iteration is perfect with a bronze smoky eye and brown liner. Love.
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Wendy Lam
Founder of Nitrolicious
- Chanel Hydra Beauty Creme Riche ($87): My skin gets dry and irritated very easily, so I love this creme because it keeps my skin hydrated, smooth and smelling good.
- Bumble & bumble Surf Spray ($26): I'm so bad with curling my hair with the hot iron, so the lazy way to get beachy hair and waves is to spray this over dry hair to get a bed head look.
- La Mer Lip Balm ($50): I'm obsessed when it comes to lip products, my lips need to moisturized at all times. Love this lip balm because of its minty flavor. It locks in the moisture longer than most of the other stuff so I don't need to reapply as often and keeps my lips soft and kissable.
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Sara Zucker
Founder of Sara Zucker
- Mustela 2-in-1 Hair and Body Wash ($10): Since I just had knee surgery and will be off my feet, any timesaver is precious, hence why I’ll literally be leaning hard on multi-tasking products. This hair and body wash is the perfect allover cleanser and leaves a delicate scent.
- Smith Mocha Rose Lip Balm ($6): I love anything chocolate-scented and this balm is no exception. It's tasteless, which is a bit of a miss (come on, Smith’s!), but keeps my chocolate cravings at bay with a glossy, moisturizing texture.
- NARS Final Cut Collection ($25-30): I tend to avoid pink in clothing form, but when it comes to makeup, anything goes. The ‘Final Cut’ collection features a range of pink shades and is absolutely gorgeous. Its namesake blush is my particular favorite and I rarely leave home without it.
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Polly Blitzer
Founder of Beauty Blitz
- One product I'll be hitting up all spring and summer is Crest 3D White Whitestrips Luxe Supreme FlexFit ($64.99). Chugging iced tea stains my teeth worse than coffee, and these strips stretch and mold to teeth so they're easy for a beauty klutz like me. You can bet I won't be schlepping to the dentist for whitening treatments.
- Body oils hydrate and add glisten in a way that lotions can't. And creams always feel sticky in the heat. I plan to anoint myself with Coqui Coqui Maderas Body Oil. I bought it on a recent trip to Tulum — it's made on site at the hotel's perfumery and smells like floral sand in the tropics, if that could be a real thing. It's so sexy.
- I'm going to layer Urban Decay's new Naked UltraNourishing LipGloss in Streak ($20) over Estee Lauder Pure Color Lip Shine in Mandarine ($24) to make my lips the shade of ripe juicy papaya. The color has such a pretty depth, so you need two shades to really nail the 3D effect.
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Dina Fierro
Founder of Eye4Style
- Simple’s Ultra Light Gel Moisturizer ($12.99): No frill and no filler, this light moisturizer feels ultra-pure when applied to skin, delivering hyper-hydration and a perfectly smooth base under makeup. Best of all, it’s affordable and easy to find at drugstores.
- Jin Soon Choi’s new collection, Color Field ($18 each): After several seasons of nail art, I’m embracing a cleaner, somewhat lower maintenance vibe for spring and this collection fits the bill. Inspired by the works of artist Mark Rothko and thoroughly 50’s in feeling, Color Field includes a mini-wardrobe of 5 opaque shades (I’m all about Pop Orange and Cherry Berry), along with 2 quirky ‘Polka Dot’ Toppings in White and Black.
- Crest 3D White Brilliance Boost Polishing Treatment ($6.99): Let us all, for once and for all, acknowledge that good hair, great skin and a spectacular smile can take you anywhere. And with the advent of wholly miraculous, at-home whitening products like Crest 3D White Strips, a trip to the dentist isn’t even necessary (Sorry, Dr. Gold). Fluoride-free and designed to boost whitening 3x more effectively than whitening toothpaste, this scrubby treatment leaves your smile bright and smooth.
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Miranda Mendoza
Founder of Slashed Beauty and Allure Beauty Blogger Awards nominee
- Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color ($6.49): These bright liquid lipsticks are velvety and long lasting. A drugstore gem since they perform like a high-end product. Apply at the beginning of the day and forget about it as it sets with a creamy finish. My favorite shade is Violet Addict, which is a bright orchid.
- Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation ($5.49): As the weather warms up, I need a foundation that will give me coverage while keeping oil at bay. The Stay Matte Liquid Mousse applies smoothly for a flawless finish. Even after 8 hours of wear, my skin feels balanced and there’s no shine to be seen.
- LUSH The Brightside Bubble Bar ($10.95): After thorough spring cleaning, we all need some R&R. LUSH’s The Brightside bubble bar was a popular limited-edition spring item last year, and is back for good this year! Treat yourself to a super citrusy, sunset-colored bath this spring break.
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Nicci Gilland
Founder of A Different Face and Allure Beauty Blogger Awards nominee
- EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 Sunscreen ($23): It's important year-round, but sunscreen is a must now that the sun is peeking back out. I love this one because not only does it work well under makeup, it also has ingredients to moisturize and fade discoloration.
- Dior Addict Lipstick in Diablotine ($32): Bold orange lips were a runway trend and this slightly sheer peach tones it down just enough to be wearable for everyday.
- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Diffused Light ($42): I'm constantly reaching for this to get a glowing complexion while my skin recovers from winter dryness.
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Megan Moore
Founder of TheBeautySnoop and Allure Beauty Blogger Awards nominee
- The Balm 'How bout them apples?' Lip and Cheek Cream Palette ($32): It has gorgeous shades that are creamy and easy to use, I love to match my cheek color to my lips and this palette is perfect for that!
- Revlon Color Stay Gel Envy Nail Enamel ($7.99 — available in limited stores now, full release in May 2014): These non-UV gel polishes are perfection! A base/color combo followed by a diamond top coat gives you a rock hard gel finish that lasts up to 14 days. The wide brushes make application so easy!
- Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo & Conditioner ($39.80): Damaged hair is a thing of the past when you start using this new line from Pureology. It rebuilds lost strength and seals split ends back together for a beautiful blowdry. Love!
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AJ Schulz
Founder of Your Stylist AJ and Allure Beauty Blogger Awards nominee
- Oribe Dry Conditioner Spray ($35): Every beauty guru can appreciate a good dry shampoo, but what about a Dry Conditioner? You guys, this Oribe Dry Conditioner takes my dry blonde ends from drab to fab with a few cloudy sprays. The fragrance alone would win me over, but the feeling of my hair when I’m finished is silky enough to be mistaken for a brunette! #bestofbothworlds
- Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm Lipcolor in “Audacious” ($5.39): This high pigment, smooth to the kiss lipcolor is my new spring staple! It brings out my inner valley girl and peps me up like a cup of coffee!
- OPI Alpine Snow ($5.69): Trust me, I’m over snow too, but this fresh opaque white has been my signature nail for years. My favorite time of year to rock it… SPRING! Bring on the spray tan and white nails for a contrast that’ll make you wanna whip out your jazz hands!
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Ivy Boyd
Founder of Wake Up For Makeup and Allure Beauty Blogger Awards nominee
- NYX Round Lipstick in Haute Melon ($4): I love an orange lip for spring.
- Stila Smudge Sticks Waterproof Eye Liner ($20): These come in every color imaginable! I especially like Mint Julep!
- NARS Matte Multiple for lips and cheeks ($39): This is the perfect blush.
