Unneccessary Essentials

How New York City feels...

I’m pretty sure that January is the worst month of the calendar year for basically everyone. Not only are you exhausted and broke from the holidays, but you also freeze half to death on your way to and from work daily. The shopping assortment is also awful. Everything from fall that you didn’t want is on sale, while spring clothes have yet to arrive. Sure, you can purchase “resort”, but unless you are one of the lucky few that get to jet off to Palm Beach, those clothes will just sit on your shelves for a good two or three months. Plus there are no holidays to look forward to. On the whole, it’s just horrid.

So, to make January a bit better for you all, especially the unlucky few who may have January birthdays and are clueless on what to tell your friends and family you want, I’ve curated a list of “unnecessary essentials” – products you never knew you needed that will change your life once you start using them. Put those gift cards from X-Mas to good use (if you are one of the conservative few who have yet to spend them) and start shoppin’.

Nuxe Reve de Miel

I’m the first to admit that I am a lip balm whore. From the cherry chapstick to the $50+ By Terry rose balm, I’ve got them all. The first thing I do when in a foreign country is check out their assortment of lip balms. Why? I’m not really sure. But I always feel like in some obscure corner of the world I’ll discover the miracle treatment.

As soon as a tinge of chill hits the air, my lips become cracking, peeling, bleeding disasters. Any lip product with color looks horrendous on top of dry skin. Sure, you can exfoliate your lips (I recommend tarte’s maracuja lip scrub), but sometimes, they are so dry that scrubbing is horribly painful. So its back to the balm stash.

My newest addition? Nuxe’s Reve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm. The French always get me. This lovely honey-chocolate-yum (I know, I’m so good at describing fragrance) treat melts onto lips leaving a matte finish and makes the perfect base for color. It’s ideal for men who are terrified of looking like they are wearing gloss for this reason as well as possibly getting girls to want to kiss you (that I can’t promise). Sure, it’s expensive ($19.00 for a pot) but you get a ton. I’ve been keeping the pot next to my bed and my lips are looking pretty pouty and well nourished right now.

Do you need expensive “Parisian pharmacy” lip balm? No. But once you’ve experienced it, I don’t think you’ll want to be without it.

Foundation Primer

Foundation primer is sort of a ridiculous product. You don’t really “need” one if you are already applying moisturizer before foundation or tinted moisturizer and properly powdering any areas that tend to get oily through the day. However, there is something about a primer that just seems so luxurious. And it does have its benefits – additional SPF, pore minimization, additional moisture, and even skincare benefits.

Right now, my love is alternating between two primers, two that do entirely different things. I'm kind of a playa. The first, Hourglass No. 28 PrimerSerum, a cocktail of essential oils, smells absolutely divine. I actually wish I could wear this lavender-y, herbal-y serum as a fragrance. But more importantly, it does beautiful things for those of you with dry skin. It makes an ideal base for a more matte foundation, as it will give it a dewy sheen, and provides an environment shield.

The second obsession of mine is tarte’s BB tinted treatment 12-hourprimer SPF 30. At this point, everyone and their mom wants a BB cream. The South Korean (by way of Germany) miracle tinted moisturizer/treatment/sunscreen/etc. has swept the makeup world by storm. Well tarte’s new BB is different, since it is a primer, not just a one color fits all cream. It comes in four shades, applies like a dream, and leaves skin feeling like silk with redness and imperfections diffused and sheerly covered. This works for all skin types, as it will help mattify oil but also keeps skin looking healthy and moisturized. If you tend to be drier, I would put a moisturizer, or even the Hourglass No.28 mentioned above, beneath it. I love buffing it in with their buffer airbrush finish bamboo foundation brush, putting a touch of maracuja creaseless concealer under my eyes, and being done with my skin for that “no makeup” look. When topped with my usual foundation (Nars Sheer Glow), I look like I’m walking around yielding special Instagram skin blur filter powers.

Rodin by Recine Olio Lusso Hair Oil

I’ve previously discussed my obsession with hair serums and oils – Kerastase Elixir Ultime and Moroccan Oil Light turn the parched bottle blonde sass growing out of my head into tamed, shiny locks. So you ask, “well Charlotte, if you already love those products, why try another one?” Because I’m a product addict, damnit!

My wonderful stepbrother gave me an Amazon.com gift card for Christmas (um, basically the best gift ever. You can find ANYTHING on Amazon) and I went buckwild purchasing products I probably would not have spent money on otherwise. Okay, that is totally a lie because I spend lots of money on products, but whatever, I think it’s a decent explanation.

So onto Rodin Olio Lusso. Started  by legendary stylist Linda Rodin, this pricy line has won rave reviews from the who’s who of the glitterati. Since I obviously want to be a part of the aforementioned exclusive clan, I have to try it too.

Turns out, this oil is a dream. After I shampoo and condition with Alterna’s Caviar Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner (new favorite), I brush out my hair (I know, I really should comb it) and apply the smallest dab of this stuff to the ends. Seriously, the smallest amount you can get out of the dropper, because there were several days when I applied far too much and I looked sort of expensively dirty. It smells essential-oily and awesome, and leaves frizz flattened, ends smoothed, and a gleam of health behind.

Pre-Fall Favorites

          I’m sick of summer. More specifically, summer in New York. Yes, beach days are great, but the city in the sweltering heat is quite unmanageable. You leave your home looking what you think is wonderful and by the time you are at work, makeup is smudged and sweat-through, hair is frizzy, and you’ve sweat through your white dress. If fall started tomorrow, I’d be quite alright. I’ve amassed quite a large inventory of fall clothing, all of which I am unable to wear, and it just stares at me, dejected, in my closet. The poor sweaters, coats, and boots!

This fall, there are a couple of things I’m obsessed with style-wise (and beauty-wise, of course).

British Racing Green

Image found on Pinterest

 

           I’ve always been a fan of all the greens - lime, chartreuse, kelly, and most of all, hunter. For fall, shades of green are everywhere, and I’m a fan. My main goal is to get my hands on a deep green leather bag, preferably this one by YSL. You can wear the color with everything you normally would pair black with, which makes an outfit new and exciting. Another way to wear the color is in clothing, and Aritzia’s house brand T.Babaton makes the perfect button-down (only available at Aritzia stores), a steal at $110 compared to the classic Equipment blouses.

          A deep green cat eye is an unexpected, yet subtle twist on a classic – Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Liner in Ivy Shimmer Ink and an angled brush is ideal for this. Or line the inner rim of your lower lashes with MAC’s Technakohl Liner in Jade Way, for a louder look.

 

Deep, Dark Lips

From Oyster Magazine via Le Fashion

 

          As I’ve gone gradually blonder over the past  two years, I’ve tried to go “darker” in my accessory and makeup choices, to prevent myself from looking too bubblegum. Blonde hair needs to be toughened up. I recently picked up these earrings from Topshop, which are almost like a faux gauge, but simple spike studs also do the trick to go bold.

          For makeup, the easier way to go from Barbiesque to something more Daria (the 90’s tv show, obviously) is a dark, plum-tinged matte lip. With clean skin, a touch of highlighter, and just mascara on the eyes, this look is modern and edgy. Don’t be afraid to rock it if you happen to be brunette or redhead, but be sure to prevent it from going too gothic by pairing it with hyper -feminine ruffles or lace.

          My pick for this look is Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, which I picked up at the gorgeous Nars boutique on Bleecker Street this weekend. A subtler, sheerer option is Tarte's Lipsurgence Lip Luster in Moody.

         I’m just waiting for the first leaf to fall before I pull this soon-to-be-staple out of my makeup archives.

Stubbs & Wootton

Super-heroine shoes

          Ah, smoking slippers – the new ballet flat. This shoe shape is everywhere, from Steve Madden to Christian Louboutin. But my pick for the slipper of the season is the quintessentially preppy classic, Stubbs & Wootton. These embroidered loafers come in every style of embroidery imaginable, from yacht-clubby crests, to a more punky version featuring one shoe with a devil wing and the other with an angel wing.

          While they are certainly not cheap, starting at $330 per pair, these shoes are timeless. Even my grandmother rocks them! J.Crew currently has an exclusive collection, and Stubbs & Wootton also several boutiques in preppy mainstays: Madison Avenue, Palm Beach, and East Hampton, where you can get a glimpse of the entire collection and choose a loafer that truly fits your personality.

Mizuki Jewelry

Image via Fragments

 

          If you haven’t noticed, tiny pendants of crosses, owls, hamsa hands, stars, and everything in-between, are all the rage right now. Featured on the necks of every girl from Brooklyn to Birmingham, they are a fun way to give a glimpse of your personality and tastes. As an April baby, I am partial to diamonds, and when I discovered Mizuki pendants (particularly the moon symbol necklace; yes, sometimes I want to channel Practical Magic), at one of my favorite boutiques, Red Bird, in Berkeley, CA (a must-see for anyone in the Bay Area: they have a perfectly-curated collection of clothing, jewelry, and accessories, that is unmatched anywhere), I was in love. While the moon pendant I am lusting over is a little (read: a lot) out of my price range right now, a girl can dream, right?

          Black diamonds mixed with gold are less bling-bling, but just as luxe, as the typical platinum and crystal combo. A peek at Mizuki’s website reveals the stunning assortment of pendants, charms, and chains they offer, which are also available at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. This is not just a fall pick, but a forever pick, the ideal (albeit pricey) gift for a friend, parent, or sibling.