#6: New (to Me) & Currently Testing

Plus, what to get at the Violet Grey sale 👀

Ready to hear me talk about literally anything other than the Summer Fridays lip balm? Here’s a new lineup I’ve tested to varying degrees over the past few months, all with promising results. Scroll to the end for good things on sale at Violet Grey (rare!) through Memorial Day.

TESTING & LOVING 🧪

Saie Mascara 101 ($26): Outspoken mascara critic here, happy to say that I’m pleasantly surprised by this one. It lightly coats and separates lashes, so they don’t feel spidery (the worst offense) and stay lifted (drooping be damned). The very end of the wand also has tiny bristles that help get inner corner lashes, which is a detail I appreciate.

Saie Glowy Super Skin Serum Foundation ($40): Another point for Saie! I couldn’t wait to test this based on coworkers’ rave reviews. Verdict: quite good. As far as liquid formulas go, it’s up there with my beloved NARS on account of the gorgeous, skin-like finish that wears well and stays dewy. ❗️IMPORTANT application tip❗️I was instructed to really pat it into skin like you would skincare vs. applying with a brush or otherwise rubbing it around too much. You also don’t need a lot—work in small increments, and press, press, press. It gives a totally different effect, and made all the difference in how I feel about the formula. For reference, I’m shade 7.

Loving Tan 2 Hour Express Mousse ($40): Not that the Bay Area is delivering anything remotely close to summer weather, but ‘tis the season for the only kind of tan I’ll ever get: a fake one. I’ve been deeply committed to Bondi Sands for years, but decided to branch out and stumbled right into a new fave. It’s double the price, and you have to wait 2 hours to rinse instead of 1, but the color is noticeably richer (with the reddish-brown undertone I’m partial to), and it smells better too. I’ll keep both in the rotation.

Marie Veronique Multi-Retinol Night Emulsion ($135): One thing about MV products is they’re pricey but worth it. The C-Therapy vitamin C serum has been a godsend, and I knew I had to try this one next. Retinol, like vit C, is an ingredient I’ve struggled with due to my intolerant-to-everything skin. I’ve been using this every other night for about 2 weeks and can report zero irritation (!) and some errant discoloration beginning to subside. Per my usual preferences, no essential oils in this product, and no fragrance either 🙌🏼 Will circle back with more comprehensive results, but based on my experiences with many other retinols, this is off to an impressive start.

Dr. Loretta Resurfacing Enzyme Polish ($64 $45 on sale at Violet Grey): It’s a bummer that I haven’t quite figured out how to incorporate key acids into my routine regularly (glycolic, lactic, etc). Exfoliating serums that work overnight seem to be too much for me, so I went searching for something that could slough my skin in a flash. I understand my needs are niche, but I really LOVE this stuff. It’s gentle but effective physical exfoliation, sprinkled with resurfacing enzymes plus barrier-building niacinamide. You buff it into damp skin for 30 seconds, leave on for 5-10 mins, then wash off. It’s the only mask I use (outside of a ritualistic event-prep sheet mask), and I think more people should be talking about it!

Youth To The People Polypeptide-121 Future Cream ($68): I’m actually on my second jar of this. I’m a big fan of ceramides (yes, there are cheaper methods to obtain) and increasingly intrigued by the power of peptides (which help form key proteins like collagen and elastin). It’s not necessarily a MUST—splurge on serums/concentrated actives first, save on moisturizer—but if the cost isn’t off-putting to you, could be worth a try.

Deborah Pagani Large Hair Pin ($99): Before you tell me to jump off a cliff for this price tag, let me justify it as a birthday gift-to-self that’s also super functional. I had my eye on it for years, but tried a much cheaper version that simply couldn’t hold my hair, no matter what style I tried. If you have lots of hair, the DP is your pin for reliable topknots and chignons. Respectfully, it’s also chicer than a claw clip.

Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil ($24): I know I said I’d wait to buy this, but discovered a loophole—a coworker snagged one for me, and that’s on having friends in high places. It’s as good as I hoped it’d be. It’s very similar to the Make Beauty Serum Balm (on sale at VG!) in terms of formula, feel, and shade sheerness, but with a smaller doe-foot applicator. Maraschino gives this soft, pinky popsicle look that’s as satisfying on as it is in the tube. (The packaging is undeniably excellent.)

Still on deck:

• NYX Fat Lip Oil ($9): Has mysteriously not shipped even though I ordered weeks ago, likely an omen from Amazon to *cool it* on the lip oils

• Ametta Skin Brightening Collagen Mask ($18): Impulse purchase, seeing if this fills any sort of void between my budget pick (innisfree) and the splurge (SK-II)

VIOLET GREY SALE 🛍

I tried to edit to 10 but felt a moral obligation to include all ELEVEN wonderful things I’d buy if I didn’t already own them:

Tangle Teezer detangling brush (now $12, strong recommend!), Make Beauty Serum Lip Balm (now $20), Dr. Loretta Resurfacing Enzyme Polish (now $45), Westman Atelier foundation stick (now $54), Bioderma micellar water (now $14), Crown Affair dry shampoo (now $27) and hair oil (now $30), Charlotte Tilbury lip liner in Pillowtalk (now $18), Salt & Stone Santal Deodorant (now $15, full disclosure: second fiddle to Aloe & Almonds, which is being discontinued 🪦), the Utowa eyelash curler (now $17, THE BEST one out there—just replace the pad over time), and Christophe Robin Cleansing Sea Salt Scalp Scrub (now $40, recently re-fell in love with this and WOW. Great deep clean, and leaves hair super soft). Tatcha is included in the sale, but my two faves (Dewy Skin Cream and Dewy Skin Mist) are both now sold out 😔

My overused parentheses and I will be back in a few weeks, post-Europe vacation. Perhaps with some new French pharma finds 🇫🇷

xKM

For quick reference, my most-fave product links live here. Some are affiliate, including those in this email, which means I’ll make a small commission if you purchase (TY for your support!). Also worth stating that while this topic intersects with my day job, all opinions and recommendations are entirely my own. I just so happen to be my employer’s biggest fan :)