Here Are Our Beauty Editors’ Current Favorite Skincare Products
Welcome to Same Same But Different. As Gen Z and millennial fashion editors, respectively, we know a thing or two about shopping—for all ages, and especially our demographics. As we find the best products for you, we can’t help but do a little shopping for ourselves and build our personal (age-appropriate) wish lists. And now, we’re sharing them with you. Ahead, check out what’s in our hearts and in our carts lately.
a woman with long hair
Danielle James: Hello, summer! Your regular SSBD hosts, Meg and Dale, are on vacation, so ELLE’s beauty team is here to bring you a special edition. Like my wardrobe, I switch up my skin care routine the minute the weather gets above 80°F. As I pack up my cashmere sweaters and coats, with that go my thick creams and heavy oils. You know what I’m really into right now? Olay’s Cleansing Melts. You just add water to create the face wash! I did an overnight sail and brought these with me. They were so easy to use and didn’t take up a lot of space, which is necessary on a 30-foot sailboat. Are you going anywhere fun this summer, Carol? What facial cleanser will you take with you?
a woman with a necklace
Carol Lee: I don’t have any particular destinations in mind at the moment, but wherever the season takes me, I know I’ll be throwing the Seadrop Skincare Hydrating Seafoam Cleanser into my bag. Kind of like the Olay cleanser, all you have to do is crush up each cleansing bead and combine it with water to create a foamy yet non-stripping face wash. I need all the space I can get in my carry-on liquids bag, so I’m all about water-free formulas for travel. What else is essential for you during vacation season, Danielle?
DJ: For me, summer means hydration, and that’s what I need! Chanel’s new serum is like a tall, cool glass of water for your skin. I can’t get enough! Also, sunscreen. Don’t forget sunscreen. I’m enjoying IT Cosmetics Hello Sunshine Invisible Sunscreen—it doesn’t leave a white cast, and I’ve been using it as my primer, too!
CL: Ditto on hydration—especially for my chronically dry, flaky lips. I’m constantly reaching for the Primera Retinol Volume Lip Serum. I know that retinol for the dainty, fragile skin on your pout sounds scary at first, but the formula is so gentle and hydrating that I didn’t feel like I needed an adjustment period at all. The best part is that it keeps flakes at bay and makes my lips look plumper. And speaking of SPF, my lips are really getting top-tier treatment this year because SPF lip balms like InnBeauty Project’s Sun Balm have finally entered my routine. I love how pretty the tint is because I like having a little color on my lips. For the rest of my face, I’m enjoying the new tinted mineral sunscreen from Eighth Day, which blends into the skin without a fight and looks great on its own and under makeup. Because I’m so pale, it even gives me the slightest bronzy effect. No bronzing drops needed!
DJ: Medik8 is a brand I talk about all the time. The Liquid Peptides have been a game changer for my skin routine, so when they launched this daily face cream, I had to have it. It has prebiotic peptides to help protect your skin barrier. This cream leaves my skin so plump and hydrated, not that you have that issue, Carol!
CL: Okay, that’s completely not true, but thank you for saying that. The only reason people might think that my skin looks healthy is because Tata Harper has given me the night cream I never knew I needed but the one my skin deserved. Not to be dramatic, but her new Calming Crème is one of my reasons for living. Obviously, I’m being hyperbolic here, but my devotion to the product is real. I deal with rosacea, and no moisturizer has ever soothed my skin like this one. It’s like my skin is a cranky baby, and the Calming Crème is her favorite pacifier. I recently went away for a few days and didn’t bring the product with me—huge mistake. My skin began to slowly freak out, and I couldn’t wait to return home and slather on a face mask-esque layer of the moisturizer. If Tata Harper ever discontinued this formula, I’d go into mourning. I never want to be without it again.
DJ: There’s nothing better than soothing skin care, especially in the summer. When my skin is dehydrated or has gotten too much sun, I turn to Mantle’s Dream Mask. The overnight mask has several of my favorite ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and bakuchiol. These powerhouse ingredients help to strengthen my skin barrier, provide intense moisture, and help support an even texture. And while it may be a night mask, I like to slather it on pre-flight. When I reach my destination, my skin is so hydrated and nourished.
CL: My love of moisture extends to my body; if I don’t slather myself in a thick layer of body cream after my shower, I don’t feel like myself. One of my go-to’s these days is the Isle of Paradise Beautifully Balanced Body Butter. Designed to support the skin barrier, it contains all of my favorite skin care ingredients: moisture-boosting ceramides, hydrating panthenol, and calming cica. Its scent is a blend of chamomile, lavender, and cashmere, which I can’t get enough of, either. To add to the hydration of it all, I’ve also taken to layering Omorovicza’s Body Serum underneath, too. My skin feels so soft and supple I can hardly believe it. Do you have any new body care favorites, Danielle?
DJ: I’m all about body care. The skin is the body’s largest organ, but in my opinion, it gets ignored. I view body care as extended skin care. I spent some time at Aire Ancient Bath in New York City, one of the best spas in New York City, and I was gifted Maliz and Goetz Eucalyptus Hand and Body Scrub. I cannot believe how divine it smells. The aroma reminds me of taking a steamy shower with fresh eucalyptus. The exfoliation leaves my skin so smooth. Speaking of showers, I’m enjoying Le Labo’s Lavande 31 gel body wash. The fragrance was one of my favorites and it’s the perfect way to scent layer.
CL: That sounds glorious. I need to take a note out of your book and start exfoliating—I’m sure I need it. When I’m in the shower, all I do is wash my body with a scented body wash to make sure I step out of the bathroom already smelling good. Escentric Molecules’ Body Wash in Escentric 02 has been serving me well. Ambroxan, green jasmine bud, and bergamot come together to create a crisp, clean vibe I can’t resist. Yet another fragranced body product I adore is the Fountain of Waters Hand Serum Cream in Cactus Hotel, with its floral yet slightly woody scent and non-sticky finish. As you can tell, I’m big on scent layering. I just want people to think, “Damn, she smells good.”
DJ: That’s one of my favorite compliments. I put a lot of thought and care into my daily scents. I’m getting into a better night routine. Once a week, I take a long bath and dive into my favorite book. To romanticize the experience for myself, I’ve started lighting this Yon-ka Massage Oil Candle. After my bath, I pour the warm oil on my skin. It’s such a luxurious experience. The oil is moisturizing to my skin, and I love the scent.
CL: That’s actually so cool. I might need to check that product out for myself.
DJ: When I think of body care, I also think about my scalp. After all, the scalp is skin. The Blessed Bananas Hair and Scalp Serum is lightweight and nourishing. As the name implies, it contains banana oil, which I’ve never used in my hair. They say it helps stimulate new hair growth, but I love that it never leaves my scalp and strands feeling heavy, which is a Godsend in this summer heat! Do you have any must-haves for this NYC heat?
CL: Again, because I can’t carry a parasol with me, SPF is a must. I top off all of my body products with the One Skin OS-01 Body SPF, which offers sun protection and promises to reverse aging, and I’m ready to roll. What about you?
DJ: My La Prairie Caviar Mist is a staple in my handbag. It’s such a nice pick-me-up on those hot summer days. I also like to take it on my flights; the air on the plane can really suck moisture out of my skin, and this is so helpful. I enjoy a mist because it reminds me of summer sails in the Mediterranean. Thanks for sharing your summer picks with me, Carol! Now I know what I’m going to shop for on Amazon Prime Day.