Thinking of climate change and other environmental issues endangering our world may feel entirely overwhelming; many assume that major billion-dollar projects are the only way out. But we’re here to tell you that every little step you take toward being kinder to the planet counts!
Believe it or not, what you do and how you live your life daily can also significantly impact the future. Like learning how to make eco-friendly purchases on Amazon, create eco-friendly home cleaners, or switch to a natural shampoo bar for everyday use, something as simple as transitioning your wardrobe to high-quality and sustainable pieces can make a big difference and inspire others — like friends, family, and social media connections — to do the same.
If you’re looking for an intro to sustainable work clothes, check out these practical tips on incorporating ethical and timeless pieces into your office looks. Let’s dive right in!
Take The 30-Wear Challenge
When shopping for work clothes, ask yourself, “Can I wear this at least 30 times?”
The 30-Wear Challenge was conceived by Eco-Age co-founder Livia Firth and journalist Lucy Seigle. It’s an enlightening perspective that encourages consumers to rethink their buying behaviors and hopefully step away from fast fashion brands.
The possibility of wearing something a minimum of 30 times will prompt you to consider whether it’s going to survive the ever-changing trends and if it’s well made from high-quality materials that can withstand the usual wear and tear.
If you’re going to try the 30-Wear Challenge, here are some tips before you start splurging:
Invest in versatile pieces to mix and match with other items in your closet.
When buying clothes, opt for something you’ll love and never get tired of wearing on repeat.
Opt for neutral-colored pieces that you can wear all year round, no matter the season.
Choose quality over quantity. Aside from being kinder to the environment, wearing chic and top-quality workwear from sustainable fashion brands also make a positive impression on your colleagues and clients.
Learn About Sustainable Clothing Materials
Knowledge is power. Keep yourself informed on what makes work clothes sustainable. They should be made of natural and biodegradable fabrics, aka not these common fabrics:
Cotton – Conventional cotton is the world’s pesticide-intensive crop that takes up so much agricultural land and water to make — limited resources that could have been used to produce food for human consumption.
Nylon and polyester – Both are fabrics made from synthetic non-biodegradable fibers that use harmful petrochemicals and processes that involve excessive energy consumption and carbon emissions.
These fabrics are all made with synthetic fibers, and are therefore unsustainable, too:
Instead of the above, look for eco-friendly fabrics from producers that have sustainable manufacturing standards and ethical labor practices. Some of our favorites are:
Organic and recycled cotton
Hemp
Linen
Bamboo
Lyocell
Modal
Scoby leather
Apple leather
What To Look For In Truly Sustainable Brands
Currently, the world is overly saturated with fast fashion brands that do more harm than good to our planet. While many claim to be sustainable companies, sometimes you’ll find out that they’re only “greenwashing” — aka, making themselves appealing to their young, “woke” millennial consumers.
Brands that are truly eco-conscious should meet six critical criteria, which touch upon every aspect of their business — from sourcing, production, and marketing to sales and delivery. They should:
Have products made of natural and eco-friendly materials.
Have plastic-free products and packaging.
Not use natural dyeing methods — or they do not dye at all.
Follow green practices in every step of their business to conserve natural resources and minimize their carbon footprint production.
Adhere to and advocate fair trade and labor practices.
Engage in carbon neutrality and support environmental projects, like ocean cleaning or reforestation, to offset their ecological footprint.
Some sustainable brands we love include:
Eileen Fisher
ADAY
Quince
Sézane
Thought
Boden
Tradlands
Vetta
ABLE
People Tree
Patagonia
Sustainable Workwear We Love
If you don’t know where to start with pieces to invest in, we have you covered. We love sustainable brands like Quince, Boden, and Patagonia, but all of the workwear below comes from brands that are eco-conscious!
We hope these tips on sustainable dressing help inform your work clothes! Do you have any tips for eco-conscious shopping? Share below!
Pantone has announced their color of 2023, Viva Magenta, and what is QUILL to do but find the best makeup products out there in the trending shade?
Surprisingly, it’s hard to find makeup in the color of Viva Magenta – sometimes it’s because brands prefer a stark pink and a bold red with no in-between, or magenta is labeled as rose/pink, or magenta is sold out (it IS flattering, after all).
But we searched for products that cover every inch of your face (and body – we included nail polish too, ofc!) and tools that blend and brush, so you can burst with the bold hue.
And with that, we present: 12 makeup products in Pantone’s lovely Viva Magenta!
Ari has my heart, what can I say? The main reason: when searching for magenta eyeshadow palettes, all I could find were options filled with talc. Sure, it’s not a bad ingredient, but what about my sensitive skinned readers? Ms. Grande has refused talc and instead has infused the shades with formulas that include hydrating squalane, conditioning Caesalpinia sappan bark extract, and indigo extract for its soothing properties.
We always talk about it, but Marissa can’t get enough of Smashbox’s Always On Liquid Lipstick, so we’re mentioning it again! Big Spender is called a “rose” color by Ulta, but it’s definitely more on the magenta side with its purple-blue hints. The formula contains jojoba, apricot, and sunflower oils, so don’t worry about this liquid lipstick drying down into a crunchy, crack-y finish. It’s everything but!
KVD Beauty always includes those with wild hair colors and/or bold approaches to makeup, and for that, we are eternally grateful. The 3-in-1 pomade they offer comes in a bright Viva Magenta shade, with a creamy consistency that’s waterproof and can be worn for 24 hours as eyeliner, eyebrow pomade, or eyeshadow (talk about multiuse makeup). It shows on every skin tone, so no one will miss your neon magenta brows.
Leave it to Mother Monster to create a lip-crayon-lipstick that steals the show. Le Monster has a pointed tip so you can line your lips, then fill in with the matte, vegan formula. Berry Matte is a cool magenta that has more red than blue in it, so if you’re looking for an off-red (which Viva Magenta kinda is), this is the lip product for you.
We’ve written about dupes for Youthforia’s BYO Blush because of its price tag, and we just can’t get over Milani’s (affordable) Cheek Kiss Liquid Blush in Berry Smooth. This magenta blush is infused with glycerin to hydrate, watermelon extract to brighten and even, and vitamin E for repairing and protecting… but it’s the pomegranate extract that does it all, from fighting acne to encouraging collagen production. All in Viva Magenta! How do you beat that!?
Drew Barrymore’s FLOWER Beauty offers Perfect Pout, a matte lip color that comes in “Punch.” It’s described as mauve, but its coloring is definitely closer to a magenta – no matter how soft it is. The full-coverage lip color goes on wet and dries into a matte finish, but you won’t feel it as you go throughout the day. It’s also gluten-free and comes with a teardrop-shaped applicator for precision.
We love a good liquid eyeshadow, and stila always seems to come out on top no matter how we compare. The Shimmer & Glow shadow gives you the choice of “Daring,” a bright magenta shade that goes on and refuses to flake. You can thank the small particle pearls for the gorgeous but sheer shimmer finish, plus a water-infused texture for an easy-glide application.
Another blush, but I can’t get over LYS Beauty, so you’ll have to deal with options. How annoying, I know! Higher Standard, indeed, sets a higher standard for blush, with its highly-pigmented formula. But it’s not just the color and its name (Self Love) that counts – it’s the inside, too. Find kaolin clay to help with excess oil, avocado oil for hydration, and vitamin E to protect and repair. Does your standard blush have all of that?
This brush set is less than $30, and it comes with every brush you could possibly need – like, all of them. Twenty-six of them, to be precise. The makeup brushes are fun, with lavender handles and bright and bangin’ Viva Magenta brush tips. The synthetic fibers are reported to be super soft, so you won’t feel scratched each time you re-apply your contour or eyeshadows.
Look. I’m gonna admit it. I just asked for my first sponge for my birthday, because I’ve always used my fingers to blend. But sometimes your fingers are just… gross, especially on the go. The Beautyblender is the ultimate shade of Viva Magenta, and it’s beloved for its ability to blend the thickest and thinnest of liquid makeup. I’m looking forward to trying it and finally understanding the hype, and no, I don’t want to talk about being a beauty editor without a sponge for a literal decade.
Not just women use makeup bags or enjoy Viva Magenta, yet so many bags are branded for women. ROYBENS rejects the standard and describes this clear-yet-magenta-tinted toiletry bag set for all genders. It comes with one large bag with straps, as well as two smaller zip-up bags to pack inside or carry along with you. The PVC bags are TSA-approved, so feel confident packing your products in here.
I’ve never been to the East Village of New York or Paris, France. But the scent profiles of East 12th and The Eighth were all too enticing, and I couldn’t help but add to cart the day they came out.
After a long, long week of waiting, the duo came in. My game plan? Wear each one individually, and then layered – then review all three scenarios to see if I preferred one over the others.
So, without further ado, let’s get into my reviews of Ash by Ashley Benson’s The Eighth and East 12th!
East 12th Review
I had a date, so I decided on wearing East 12th. While it may have made more sense to wear a romantic smell (aka The Eighth), I wanted something bold. Something that screamed my confident, tornado-of-a-human-being self. With orange and damask rose, I knew I had that complexity in the bag.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last throughout my time wearing a sweater, then sweating underneath the sweater and taking it off, rubbing my wrists along the table as I ate, and then sweating some more as I walked home.
I was surprised – I thought such a vivacious smell would last for awhile. Alas, I was wrong. A disappointment, if we’re being honest.
The Eighth Review
Seeing as East 12th didn’t last throughout a sweaty night, I decided to wear The Eighth on a work day. This consisted of my wrists rubbing against my laptop and jacket, petting my cat, and possibly maybe (definitely) taking a quick (two hour, not actually quick) nap. It had to last all of this, at least. I was doing nothing!
And… it kind of did.
The Eighth must have rubbed off on my cat and/or keyboard while working (or maybe my sweater, though I wasn’t sweaty this time), because the vast majority of the smell on my inner wrist was gone. If I sniffed hard enough, the edges smelled like cashmere wood. But otherwise, it was a bust.
My next experiment: layering the two. To say I didn’t have high hopes is an understatement.
East 12th and The Eighth: Layered
I decided that I would layer the two together for a night out. My dad and I bond over the local G-League basketball games in Santa Cruz (go Sea Dubs!), and this is our second year picking up season tickets together. We know plenty of people, so I always try to look my best… and now I was going to attempt to smell my best, too.
First, I spritzed on The Eighth and let it dry. The light, romantic scent was pleasant – is pleasant – but after spraying on East 12th, notes of orange and musk were overpowered by damask rose.
Oh god, I thought. Did I layer incorrectly, somehow!? But I don’t really think you can layer perfume improperly without directions on which to spritz first (fact check me, I’m too scared to look it up and embarrass myself).
However, as East 12th dried down, too, and the initial burst of damask rose subsided, the two blended together into a heavenly scent of musky, warm bergamot. It did remind me a bit of perfume that tries too hard to be complex, rather than two perfumes that layer effortlessly. Perhaps it smelt like I was wearing $200 perfume instead of $50 in total, but to me, it wasn’t as lovely as JUST East 12th or JUST The Eighth.
When I got in the car, the first thing my mother said when I told her to sniff was: “wow, you smell really good.”
Throughout the night, I sniffed on occasion. I was sandwiched between two people and it was hot, plus I was seeing and hugging friends. Would the scents last? Or would there be ONE scent left? Or, god forbid, no good scents… just chemicals? (insert sick emoji here)
The answer: the layering lasted! What a surprise!
In fact, when I woke up the next morning, there was still a faint hint of layered perfume left. Call that a win… though slightly confusing, considering my past attempts at wearing them.
Final Thoughts on Ash By Ashley Benson
Honestly? You have to buy East 12th and The Eighth together, or solely wear them when lounging around in lingerie on your oceanside villa overlooking the Pacific, nothing but a white robe on and a glass of champagne in hand.
… aka, no responsibilities, no movement, no anything. Because the scents don’t last when you’re a busy human being unless they’re layered.
I find this slightly frustrating, because splurging on two bottles of perfume simply because one can’t do the trick seems… kind of like a ploy. I want to give the actress the benefit of the doubt and say it’s simply her first time releasing a fragrance, and maybe the next Ash by Ashley Benson options will be stronger and long-lasting, and that this review is just one of many – a try-out, of sorts.
But the fact of the matter is, Ashley Benson did not hit a singular one out of the park. If you want to try them, buy the travel duo to make sure you like the mixed scents – it’s the only way Ash by Ashley Benson will last more than eight hours.
I hope this review of Ash by Ashley Benson’s The Eighth and East 12th helped you out! Are you going to try the perfumes? Did I just receive a flukey batch? Share below!
In all seriousness, as a licensed esthetician, I take skincare and what I put on my face very seriously. I have tried countless cleansers, and the Youth To The People Superfood Cleanser is by far my favorite one. But with a price tag of $36, it can be hard to work it into the budget. Here are some of our favorite dupes that have similar benefits toYouth To The People’s Superfood Cleanser.
Staying with our greens, Truly Beauty offers a similar gel cleanser featuring key ingredients similar to the YTTP one. The dupe uses the same superstars as Youth To The People’s: aloe to soothe, spirulina extract to fight aging, vitamin E to protect, and green tea extract to calm. A bonus ingredient: CBD extract, which fights inflammation and redness.
Derma E’s dupe is loaded with antioxidant duo Chamomilla recutita flower and green tea extract, which, when combined, leave your pores feeling refreshed and revitalized after each wash – aka, the exact same thing Youth To The People’s OG cleanser does. We mention this one specifically for sensitive skin as it is alcohol and fragrance-free while having great soothing ingredients like allantoin and aloe!
This gentle cleanser uses the same calming green tea extract and protective vitamin E, while also adding a tri-ceramide complex that boosts skin moisture levels that balance your complexion. This product is ideal for dry skin because it gently cleanses and exfoliates skin with lactic acid, while still giving nourishment back via those skin-barrier, moisture-lovin’ ceramides. Add in brightening licorice extract, and you’ll be glowing.
Oily and acne-prone skin, rejoice – we’ve found a product with strong astringent agents! Just like Youth To The People’s Superfood, Pacifica’s Cleanser features the same moisturizing Vitamin B5 and collagen-encouraging kale extract to leave the skin feeling refreshed after a foamy wash. Citric acid and lemon peel will dry out oily skin while effectively tightening pores to reveal a clear and even complexion!
Calling all combination skin pals: if you have hyperpigmentation, be sure to check this one out! Selfless by Hyram’s YTTP cleanser dupe uses a gentle foaming formula that goes on the skin bubbly and leaves it smooth. Made using green tea extract for calming and unclogging, it’ll leave your skin feeling fresh and clean when mixed with power plant Centella extract, which aids in regenerating and rejuvenating the skin.
If you love a fragranced product and it doesn’t irritate your skin, this has a fantastic scent that reviewers call “refreshing.” Aside from the fragrance, this cleansing foam from Innisfree ~is free~ from parabens, phthalates, and sulfates! Using a special Jeju green tea, this cleanser foams on the skin, drawing out impurities by unclogging pores and fighting traces of acne. The grand reveal: an even complexion!
If you’re a loyal QUILL reader, you already know how much we love the Peace Out Blemish Balm – Marissa wrote an entire review on it! This creamy Youth To The People dupe will leave your skin spotless and smooth: using our favorite BHA, salicylic acid, feel the exfoliation anhen, rehydrate with hydrating niacinamide, moisture-locking hyaluronic acid, and an 8-amino acid complex. Reminder: those amino acids make up collagen, which helps with elasticity and firmness – major bonuses in a cleanser!
I know, I know, there are Drunk Elephant skincare dupes out there — if there are Bum Bum Cream dupes and Good Genes dupes, then there are dupes for anything, right? — but I’m always hesitant to try them. What if they don’t work as well? My wallet isn’t always the thickest right before my paycheck hits, but price = quality, right?
But you can only spend so much before you wonder, “what else is out there… and for a fraction of the price?”
So, I did a hunt for Drunk Elephant dupes, products to replace the more expensive skincare options on the OG’s site. Here are the options I found that will give you the skin you’re looking for – without breaking the bank on days you just can’t afford to buy the entire shelf at Ulta. (Tempting, but not today, bb.)
20% of all affiliate sales are donated to The National LGBTQ+ Task Force. Thank you for your support!
Let’s start with why peptides are such a Big Deal: they’re amino acids that are building blocks for chains like collagen and elastin, keeping your skin from sagging.
Drunk Elephant uses a blend of 11 peptides to firm and add bounce, as well as antioxidant-rich ingredients like snow mushroom extract, sodium PCA, and tocotrienols (which are part of the vitamin E family, known for protecting and repairing skin).
Enter: Peach & Lily’s Glass Skin Refining Serum, which uses a proprietary blend of peptides to encourage collagen production and smooth out those fine lines. It also uses a proprietary blend of hyaluronic acid molecules, supposedly locking in hydration and plumping up skin more than the usual hyaluronic acid molecule does.
Unlike Drunk Elephant, this dupe uses an ingredient derived from mushroom, rather than mushroom itself: madecassoide, which helps bring dull skin back to life.
Finally, for an extra burst of antioxidants and vitamins, Peach & Lily incorporates peach and Asian mountain yam extracts to firm up and fortify your face.
If you’re looking for a moisturizer rather than a serum, Protini Polypeptide Cream may sound like the only option.
Using peptides again, plus pygmy waterlily stem cell extract to calm, soybean folic acid ferment extract for vitamin B – which helps protect from sun damage – and acetyl glutamine for amino acids, it’s pretty good.
But Paula’s Choice goes straight to the source with amino acids and ceramides, giving your skin’s barrier the added protection it needs without requiring extra ingredients. And a bonus for the barrier: omegas 3, 6, and 9 are in the formula, which help retain moisture.
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate mingle with the omegas for ultimate hydration in the Drunk Elephant dupe, too. And at the same time, a variety of oils — including chia seed, olive, passion fruit seed, and flaxseed (filled with vitamin B) — come in to nourish, soften, protect, and smooth skin.
So, yeah, Drunk Elephant’s product does a lot. But why would you settle for less, hm?
Ah, The Ordinary. Stupidly affordable, stupidly effective.
Since they use such scientific language on their site, I’m gonna simplify it here for you. Drunk Elephant’s TLC Sukari Babyfacial Mask is an acid-based facial, with both AHAs and a BHA. This basically renews your skin, which sounds irritating… but Drunk Elephant adds in cactus extract, virgin marula oil, and passionfruit seed oil to fight back against it.
In The Ordinary’s AHA/BHA Exfoliator, acids combine to renew and rejuvenate. The Ordinary, however, uses Tasmanian pepperberry and vitamin B5 for soothing. The result is the same, but you’ll spend $72 less at Ulta – and that’s a total win, in our opinion.
A-Gloei is pretty damn expensive for its one ounce, but the magic it performs? Priceless… kind of. Why spend $72 when you can spend less than $40 for the same magic?
La Roche Posay’s Retinol Face Serum, like Drunk Elephant’s A-Gloei, has retinol in it (pure and gradual release) to exfoliate skin and clear up imperfections like uneven skin tone and texture.
While A-Gloei is filled with ceramides, however, the Retinol Face Serum is bursting with B3 and hyaluronic acid. The result: locked in moisture, total hydration, softening and smoothing, and only $39.99 out of your bank account, not $72.
Smile at that – without worrying about those smile lines.
As fall rolls around, I know many will be missing the glow that summer gave them. But you can have it in fall, I promise!
Drunk Elephant’s Sunshine Drops are special because they have antioxidants galore – including in peptides, which help with signs of aging by encouraging collagen production. Throw in some chronocyclin to mimic that sun, and it’s a bronzing solution that can’t be beaten… lol, yes it can be.
Don’t freak over the lack of peptides – Milk’s Bionic Bronzer uses vegan plant-derived collagen to help with elasticity and anti-aging. And peptides ENCOURAGE collagen production, the ingredient that’s actually PRESENT here, so… do with that what you will.
The Drunk Elephant bronzer dupe has vitamin D – which the OG “mimics” – though both contain a healthy dose of vitamin E to repair and protect.
Where Milk rises to the top: the Bionic Bronzer utilizes tremella and reishi mushroom extracts to hydrate skin with hyaluronic acid, so you’re protecting yourself, bronzing, and glowing from hydration for $30.
Drunk Elephant uses virgin marula oil like it’s a sacred resource that will disappear at any given second (will it? Fact check me pls). And yeah, it’s a great ingredient, helping with fine lines and wrinkles, as well as protecting from environmental stressors.
But it’s $68 for 0.5 oz., which is… kinda ridiculous, tbh.
Glow Recipe’s Plum Plump Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer is — yep, gonna say it — even better, and it doesn’t even use marula oil. Nope, I’m not cheating!
Instead, your skin will enjoy the fountain of youth thanks to a strong peptide (collagen building blocks, once again), a combination of hydrating squalane and jojoba and moringa seed oils, and hyaluronic acid to lock in all of that moisture.
Unique ingredients to Glow Recipe’s moisturizer include plum and ice willowherb, which brighten, hydrate, and balance skin out. Say hello to hydration and anti-aging for less than two-thirds of the price.
Moon Juice comes to the rescue if you’re looking for affordable skincare that actually works.
TLC is filled with ingredients such as AHAs for exfoliation, salicylic acid for unclogging, raspberry fruit extract for its antioxidants, galactoarabinan (a polysaccharide) to help with fine lines, and Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture to help with photodamage. But at $90, it’s a major splurge for only 1 oz.
Moon Juice offers their Acid Potion, a steal at half the cost as the OG. With AHAs paired with salicylic acid for total exfoliation and reduction of fine lines, your skin will be rid of dead skin cells and ready to glow. Niacinamide — a form of anti-radical vitamin B — as well as clary oil and honeysuckle extract come in to soothe skin from the exfoliation; with the balancing properties of reishi, you don’t have to fret about irritation.
Also containing vitamin E and tocotrienols to protect and repair from damage, plus glycerin and allantoin to hydrate, you have a dupe worthy of bragging about.
Is your skin thirsty? Begging for hydration? It’s tempting to spend the $48 on Drunk Elephant’s B-Hydra Serum, I know – it’s not that much! But I’m here to tell you that you can do better than that, bb.
Cocokind uses ceramides to retain any moisture your skin can get, which also protect your skin from toxin-filled bacteria. At the same time, squalane and banana extract moisturize.
It’s basically the same thing as Drunk Elephant’s formula, which includes comparable pineapple ceramide (no plural, notice that?), as well as hydrating sodium hyaluronate and Pro-vitamin B5 for skin barrier protection. But, you know, cheaper.
I’m gonna say it just one more time: peptides are amino acid building blocks for elastin and collagen, stopping sagging in its tracks.
You may think that you’ll only find copper peptides and stem cells in Drunk Elephant’s product – after all, what the hell are those? But Derma E offers copper peptides AND plant stem cells in their eye lifting treatment, too.
There’s also a healthy dose of kakadu plum for texture and elasticity in Derma E’s option, which is comparable to Drunk Elephant’s niacinamide.
The Eye Lifting Treatment has plenty of fruit extracts for healthy nutrient contributions as well, so you’re not missing out on Drunk Elephant’s bioflavonoid derivative, aka Hesperidin Methyl Chalcon.
Wake up, buttercup! It’s time to seize the day and get that glow on. But can you really seize the day when you’ve just paid $78 for less than one ounce of serum? Debatable.
If you can’t stomach that, I recommend Winky Lux’s Orange You Bright Vitamin C Brightening Serum.
The Potent Vitamin Complex, aka l-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, and vitamin E, is what Drunk Elephant relies on in its C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, while its dupe runs with jeju guava extract, which is filled with antioxidants and helps fight aging as well as environmental aggressors.
And where Winky Lux really takes off: the incorporation of peptides, which help aid collagen production and complement skin elasticity.
Sorry, Drunk Elephant – I’ll take a dupe who does more any day.
A retinol cream is important, but you need something soothing, too… like vitamin F, aka linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, to help with resulting sensitivity and texture.
Winter cherry juice has the most carotenoids out there, protecting you from free radicals; passionfruit, apricot, and jojoba oils are soothing. Tbh, Drunk Elephant is kind of showing off with these ingredients.
But the classic Burt’s Bees does just as awesome a job with its Vitamin C + E + F Serum, featuring, you guessed it: vitamins F, and E, and C.
Who needs winter cherry juice when you have straight vitamin E with an assist from lotus flower extract; passionfruit, jojoba, and apricot oils when you have safflower and sunflower oils; and then — as an added bonus — vitamin C for brightening and erasing fine lines and wrinkles?
On top of that, the dupe has chamomile for soothing and fighting inflammation – so all of that vitamin C is chilled out with the rest of vitamin F. Talk about a skin-loving serum… for less than half the price of the original.
I’ve been pulling plenty of all-nighters for QUILL (I love it, don’t worry!) and my eyes look dead. Drunk Elephant combats this with ceramides, antioxidants, and oils in their C-Tango Eye Cream, but the price is just as cute as my hollow eyes.
Aka, not cute.
Thank god for Paula’s Choice, once again, and her C5 Super Boost Vitamin C Eye Cream is filled with peptides to help with elasticity and sagging, like Drunk Elephant’s 8-peptide blend. There’s also an abundance of vitamin C to add glow and radiance to tired eyes, plus zerumbone to target under eye discoloration.
On top of these ingredients, the Drunk Elephant dupe has hyaluronic acid to fight fine lines while locking in moisture, shea butter to nourish, softening sunflower seed extract, and vitamin E to repair and protect.
Can your Drunk Elephant eye cream do that? Nah, I didn’t think so.
Kopari’s own Moisture Whipped Ceramide Cream is ridiculously similar to Drunk Elephant’s Lala Retro Whipped Cream with Ceramides. And the results you receive are so. freakin’. similar.
You can thank ceramide NP in both for the balancing, soothing, moisture-locking properties; Drunk Elephant also uses ceramides EOP and AP, while Kopari uses vegan ceramides like phytosphingosine. The two incorporate hydrating sodium hyaluronate as well (though Kopari also includes squalane for that bump in moisture).
See, Kopari ran with the concept of a ceramide cream and did it, well… better, including ingredients like coconut fruit extract for vitamin B; watermelon seed oil for antioxidants; vitamin E and jojoba seed oil for the assist in protection and repairing damaged skin; and shea butter, aloe, and baobab for nourishing and soothing irritated skin.
If you’re super into vegan formulas and want a multi-faceted product with a pleasing texture for less than $55+, Kopari has you covered — and well.
It sounds weird, yeah – a Fermented Sake Spray? But it’s good for your skin’s microbiome, I swear!
Still, if pouring hemp-based hops extract and kombucha on top of sake just doesn’t sound delicious, then turn to Skinfood’s Drunk Elephant dupe. It’s also filled with good nutrients, starting with sake, but following with more “normal” ingredients for nutrients.
For example: peach fruit extract is filled with organic acids, vitamins A and C, and pectin (which evens out discoloration); licorice root extract helps brighten dark spots; and centella asiatica extract soothes and irons out lumps and bumps.
And just to reiterate: you won’t smell like sake after rubbing Skinfood into your skin. Sake DOES protect your microbiome thanks to its peptides and sebum control, so don’t ditch it simply for the name, okay? Especially when you have peach and licorice root surrounding it.
Do you ever look at a product and go, “wow, I wish I could have that but cheaper?” Yeah, me too… but not with Drunk Elephant, because their dupes are just as good.
For example, the name brand’s SPF 30 sunscreen comes with ingredients to neutralize free radicals and fight environmental stressors and oxidative damage, like sunflower shoot extract, astaxanthin-rich algae extract, and raspberry seed oil.
Kinship’s Self Reflect Probiotic SPF 32 said “oh, please, that’s nothing.” Non nano zinc oxide is reef-safe, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t fight UV rays like a knight in shining armor. Turmeric also plays a huge role, providing antioxidants to soothe and protect sensitive skin from free radicals.
But it’s Kinship’s Kinbiome that makes it special. The proprietary plant-based probiotic protects the skin’s barrier and helps to keep skin clear. The variety of fruit extracts help provide extra antioxidants, vitamins, and light exfoliation, so free radicals are banished and skin is left radiant — but not red, thanks to soothing aloe.
So, before you pick up another tube of Umbra, take a glance at Kinship, okay? I know the price tag doesn’t seem that different, but when you’re getting all you are from Self Reflect, it’s best to ~self reflect~ you know?
The Ceramighty AF Eye Balm is new from Drunk Elephant, and we have the perfect dupe for it.
But first, the low-down: Ceramighty uses ceramides, vitamin F, and omegas to give your eyes a rejuvenating boost, soothing eyes that have seen too many all-nighters. But at $60 for half an ounce… yikes.
Invest in Paula’s Choice’s Eye Cream instead, which has ceramides and peptides to help with tired, looser skin. Throw in hydrating glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, vitamin C to fight dark circles and brighten under-eyes, a little retinol to clear out the old and bring in the new skin cells, and pomegranate and licorice extracts to counteract redness, and you have eyes that look like they slept for more than eight hours.
Wash off without drying your skin out. Drunk Elephant’s Pekee Cleansing Bar coddles your skin while cleaning and fights aging, using ingredients like honey to soothe and nourish, blueberry extract to stop glycation (the process that causes visible aging), and marula oil (of course).
CeraVe’s Foaming Cleanser Bar is also soap-less, but it’ll still keep you clean and give you benefits that can’t be denied. For example, hyaluronic acid fights fine lines and plumps skin, while niacinamide calms the skin following a sebum-sucking sesh from the kaolin clay.
But CeraVe didn’t come to f*ck around. The bar also includes three ceramides, giving you anti-aging benefits galore, straight from the source — not extracts or oils that mimic what the body needs.
Again, no soap in either, but one is less than a quarter of the price WITH ceramides? Yeah, you choose.
Okay, so a lip balm that’s $18. Not the first time I’ve heard of it. But for less than 0.5 oz.? Nope, there’s better than that.
Drunk Elephant’s Lippe Balm has ingredients like antioxidant-bulldozer mongongo oil, protective cranberry seed oil, moisturizing avocado oil, and hydrating sea fern algae.
But you can get just as much hydration from Mario Badescu’s Moisturizing Lip Balm, which has a variety of oils and butters — think conditioning cocoa and shea butters, as well as nourishing coconut and sweet almond oils.
But Mario Badescu’s lip balm also contains vitamin E, helping to protect and repair any damage. And then there’s the fact that it contains vitamin F, something y0u won’t find in many products — let alone a lip balm.
Oh, and it’s less money for more product, which is just [insert chef’s kiss here].
Which Drunk Elephant dupe do you swear by? Are you going to try any of these? Tell us below!
Hugh initially reached out to me regarding a partnership. After a Zoom in which we discussed the profile and a review, he and his lovely wife and co-founder/visionary, EM, sent me nail polish to try out.
So, without further ado, here is my review of MOXIE Nail Varnish’s polish!
MOXIE Nail Varnish: The Full Review
EM and Hugh gifted me multiple colors, which I shared with my team and mother. However, I kept MOXIE’s grey and red to myself to review; they’re extremely gorgeous AND have names I need to channel: WARRIOR! (grey) and TRUTH! (scarlet).
The bottles are cute, and the white blocks come off to reveal your standard circular tops.
One thing I noticed right off the bat: the tops have ridges, and if they’re screwed on tight, it can be a little painful to twist off the caps. If you have to use only two fingers to unscrew (me after painting two nails, oops), slipping is likely; make sure to undo all caps first!
However, the ridges do have a benefit: grip. I was able to hold onto the applicators – a little shorter than most due to a smaller polish bottle. I prefer this for control, as my tardive dyskinesia can create a mess the farther away the applicator is from where I’m applying the makeup (same goes for eyeliner, mascara, etc.).
The greatest thing about this nail polish: its pigment. Holy. Shit. I painted one coat on, and I was done. MOXIE’s liquid doesn’t seem thicker or thinner than other polishes’, but more than one coat isn’t necessary. Just look: this photo was taken with only one coat. Insane!
I blew on my nails for about 30 seconds, hoping it would hurry up the drying process. I expected them to be a little tacky, but to hold up… so imagine my surprise when they were completely dry after those 30 seconds of blowing cold air. The pigment didn’t fade when drying, either – it stayed just as bright!
A Christmas miracle, I swear.
Final Thoughts
MOXIE Nail Varnish’s polish gets a 9/10-star review from me! I only downgraded due to the cap – my cold fingers definitely felt the ridges’ burn as I attempted to open a bottle with wet nail polish on (not my brightest moment, admittedly).
EM, Hugh, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to review MOXIE’s nail polish! I’ll be ordering even more the second these run out – and most likely in neon orange. Can’t beat the brights here!
I hope my review of MOXIE Nail Varnish’s nail polish has convinced you to try out the brand! What colors will you be rocking? Tell us in the comments.
For those of you who have a little more action going on in the chest area, how’s the back pain? How’s it not being able to breathe sometimes? Now, I’m only speaking out of experience, but I’m sure that those who have a similar situation going on in that aspect know what I’m talking about.
As lovely as they are, the burden of having them sucks. It makes me want to get rid of all the volume on my chest completely, but that could be because until recently, I haven’t really done that good of a job supporting them.
I find that having support for your chest is absolutely necessary but so commonly overlooked. That’s why QUILL’s here to share the best compression bras with you – so you don’t have to deal with the pain anymore.
(Same with me. Literally gonna buy one of these compression bras after writing this. I’m a 34DD and to say I’m exhausted is an understatement!!)
Here are our recommendations for the best compression + minimizer sports bras!
The Compression Top from TomboyX is a perfect stand in for a sports bra, especially for one that makes you look flat. Not all of us want to ~sport~ a compression bra to the gym; some of us may want to wear one for the sake of gender euphoria. That’s exactly what TomboyX’s mission is all about. If you know QUILL, you know that any gender-inclusive brand is a go for us. This top has been fit-tested on all body types, and is durable and soft to fully support your chest. Yeah, this one definitely gets the green light from us.
This compression bra from Tory Burch sits high on the comfortability rating. It claims to provide medium support, which is good for quick trips to the gym or even for everyday use. It has great coverage, so you could also just use this compression bra as a top itself! It’s simple and stylish, flashing that iconic logo on the back.
I’m a sucker for a good deal. Hanes never fails me for this reason; these compression bras are only $12 a piece, and come in a ton of different colors and patterns. These are great to buy in bulk if you’re looking for something supportive to wear at the gym. This compression bra in particular has medium support, and claims to be chafe-resistant, which is a huge plus! There are zero wires (thank God), and it also has cool comfort technology so that you won’t be sweating buckets.
To be completely transparent, this unpadded sports bra is probably the coolest I’ve ever seen. I’d be so proud to just wear this as a top itself, and with good reason! Despite it being totally stylish, this minimizer sports bra offers a high amount of support. The overlay strap eliminates bounce and spillage, and offers that extra oomph of support that other bras are missing. It’s also created with Nike’s trademark anti-sweat tech, so you can stay cool on the run.
This Adidas sports bra does an amazing job with the compress aspect; the design is curated to be sleek, yet supportive, so you won’t be distracted doing your day-to-day activities. This bra is also made out of 60% recycled material, which is great if you’re also looking to make more environmentally conscious decisions in your personal purchases! Another plus is that the padding is removable, which is a personal favorite of mine.
This compression bra is fantastic for folks with slightly bigger chests, because it was designed for them! Athleta says that this bra is great for people who are around sizes D to DD, and even has adjustable straps for those who want better control over the fit. This bra is best for people who have cardio ingrained into their routines; it’s made for running or HIIT exercises. Thanks to this compression bra, you don’t have to think twice about running.
The Take Charge bra from Alo is stylish — and ready to support you. It offers light to medium support, so it’s perfect for wearing on a casual outing or for a rest day. It even comes in a matching set, so if you’re trying to look super coordinated, you can check out the matching shorts as well! It has thick straps for extra support, and the roominess of it doesn’t cramp everything together.
If there’s anybody who knows anything about drive or power… you guessed it, it’s The Rock (please don’t cringe at me, I WILL cry). That’s why he designed the perfect compression sports bra for all your intense-activity needs. This bra is padded for extra coverage and even helps out with breathability, all in addition to having crossover straps to better hold yourself up. Not only that, the material is soft, and dries quickly!
Everlane is known to be one of the more sustainable fashion brands. That’s why I was beyond delighted to hear that they have their own line of compression sports bras! The Perform Bra model has double lining to provide you with ultimate comfort and, of course, support. The compression itself is lightweight, which makes it great for your everyday, go-to staple piece. Everlane’s supply chain has eliminated 90% of its virgin plastic, and their items consist of recycled material as well.
This compression sports bra is simple, but effective. The material is breathable and offers medium support, so it’s good for all-around training of any kind. It’s moisture wicking to prevent sweat buildup, and it’s super stretchy — no chafing here! I’m a huge fan of the style as well; it has a square neckline and thin straps, so it’s perfect to layer with other pieces.
I’ll be real – what got me with this one was the $10 price tag. This compression bra has some extra length to the torso, so you could wear it as a regular tank top. But at the same time, you’re still getting literal seamless support with its double layering and wire-free full coverage! Reviewers say it’s perfectly basic, and can even stand in as an alternative to chest binders. One reviewer in particular says that as a transmasc individual with rib problems, it feels like the top isn’t even there when wearing it. That’s a +1 for comfort!
Having a large chest, despite its appeal, can be a burden. But it doesn’t have to be the end! Thanks to the ever-evolving clothing technology and increasing inclusivity in brands, there are finally options for compression bras with varying support levels for just about anyone.
Are you a fan of any of these compression sports bras? Let us know in the comments below!
It’s tempting to put up with moving your makeup around, squeezing it into every little crevice of your suitcase and makeup bag while traveling. But I’m here to tell you: invest in creating a travel size makeup kit now. Yes, even if you have an all-in-one makeup kit — invest in mini makeup products!
Trust me, I get it — you love your MAC makeup, and they don’t have your fav in a travel size. It’s scary to give up your favs. Who has time to research and try out new makeup, then put together a kit when getting ready to travel?
Me. I do. You’re welcome.
If you’re about to get cramped for a trip, these travel size makeup products will make your life easy and, yes, work just as well as your favs.
20% of all affiliate sales are donated to The National LGBTQ+ Task Force. Thank you for your support!
If you need a base, choose one that’s easy to control and has SPF in it – kill two birds with one stone, you know? Milk’s Sunshine Skin Tint has SPF 30, but 0 zinc, so you won’t dry out despite the dry air. Instead, it’s filled with hydrating grapeseed, avocado, mandarin, jojoba, and olive oils, as well as squalane to boost your natural moisture.
Laura Mercier comes in clutch, having created a concealer to make last-minute coverups easy. On the Camouflage Correct side, cover up zits, dark spots, and other blemishes; on the Brighten side, take care of dark under eye circles (use an under eye primer first!). Plant-derived squalane hydrates; Laura also included blurring powders and pearls and plant extracts to help blur and brighten.
This double product will make others do a… double take. Yeah, I went there. The contouring Sculpt melts into your skin, allowing for easy, natural application – but it still creates a jawline that could kill. Spin it and follow up with Strobe to give you a glow that radiates, and you have a perfectly-contoured face with one small product.
Don’t pack a lip color and blush – who has room for that on a tiny airplane or train ride? Instead, use a cheek-lip tint! We recommend Cheekslime from LGBTQ+-owned Freck, which has elasticity-encouraging plant collagen, brightening carrot root and ginger root extracts, and hydrating glycerin infused in the formula. There are four pigments, so every skin tone has an option that stands out (or remains subtle yet flattering — it’s buildable!).
UOMA’s Double Take is great, but if you have room for one more product, bring a small highlighter along to apply anywhere, anytime. W3LL PEOPLE’s highlighter also nourishes your skin using jojoba oil, green tea, and olive oil for a dewy glow. Use one swipe for subtlety, or build up to disco-ball-status – ideal when you only have one product to take you from meeting rooms to rooftops.
You can use a double-sided pencil, but why not go the extra mile for a compact that gives you options? (Plus, compacts are great for Tetris.) Use the angled brush for a quick shaping, then sponge and brush on pigments to give you your desired color using the three shades. It also comes with a spoolie to brush it out, so you have voluminous, natural brows in one small container, rather than three colors and a separate spoolie you can’t seem to locate.
When I can’t put anything else on, mascara is my go-to. It opens my eyes, gives me a little drama, and indicates that I put some effort into an early morning. Mascara 101 is just as good as Better Than Sex, and it comes in a mini container that fits in the corner of your makeup bag or clutch – perfect for both plane and presentation touch-ups.
You know how sitting for hours can give you a weird smell? Yeah, it’s kind of gross to be sharing air with hundreds of strangers, all of whom smell different. This perfume oil rolls on flawlessly, giving hints of rum mixed with leather and creamy milk. Carry it everywhere, and pull it out during that straight-to-the-presentation Uber ride.
Different events call for different shades of lipstick, but bringing multiple large containers for only a tiny bit of pigment is irrational. HAUS gives you five mini lipsticks ranging from taupe to scarlet, and they barely take up space in your makeup bag (if you don’t use the one that’s included!). If you realllllly don’t have room, you can still pick your top two that will transition you from dressed-down suit to dressed-up cocktail gown.
There is nothing more frustrating than having to pull out 20 items from a makeup bag to find that one damn product. Stop seeing red and choose a cosmetic bag that’s clear, giving you the ability to see exactly where your mascara is hiding. Your seat neighbor will appreciate you not using the entire table during your search.
As someone with a bunch of tattoos (how many times can I say this without sounding like I’m obsessed? Okay, I’m obsessed), I know firsthand the importance of unscented soap, lotion, and body wash. That fragrance shit on open wounds? Yeah, I’ll pass.
But fragrance-free isn’t just for tattoos. Sometimes you just don’t feel like smelling like eucalyptus and lavender, or your skin is sensitive and soap will just irritate it even more.
Unscented soap can be hard to come by, unless we’re talking antibacterial – not always the most ideal, especially with dry skin. So, I’m here with fragrance-free soaps that will get you clean without smelling like a perfume shop.
This is the OG soap that every tattoo artist, dermatologist, and pediatrician recommends, because it’s sensitive to skin with its ingredients and totally unscented. Instead of “Parfum,” the list includes a nourishing moisturizer cream, making it hypoallergenic. Plus, the soap bar is sustainable, as you’re removing a plastic container from the equation. Come on, how can you deny that the universal fav is the best?
Castile, the classic. While the name may make you shudder, conjuring up memories of dry hands after doing the dishes, I promise they’ve got this sh*t on lock. The All-In-One Soap Pouch doesn’t contain drying ingredients; quite the opposite, actually! Just check out the oil-balancing jojoba oil, ultra-nourishing olive oil, and protective vitamin E, which all work together to give you clean – but not squeaky – skin.
We love a good 2-in-1 hair and body wash, because who doesn’t love convenience (cough showers when you forget to buy shampoo)? Totally fragrance free, you’ll find nourishing ingredients for your skin like coconut, which calms inflammation and irritation; shea butter, which conditions; and oat flour, which gently unclogs pores to fight acne. Vegan and cruelty-free, it’s ethical, efficient, unscented ANTI-soap at its finest.
Oh, baby, we love a good unscented soap from Dr. Bronner – aka, this right here. It’s certified fair trade, so ethically, you’re doing a good deed by purchasing this soap specifically. It’s also amazing for the environment, as it’s biodegradable, made with natural and vegan ingredients, and won’t harm the environment or your skin in the process of cleansing.
Two ingredients. Yep, count ‘em: TWO. Read the reviews, and people can’t get enough of Alaffia’s African Black Soap, and it’s for good reason: shea butter is beyond nourishing, and palm kernel oil is an amazing source of protective and reparative vitamin E. Put the two together, and your skin is hydrated, healed, and clean without a single smell.
The basis of this soap… okay, yep, that was cheesy. But seriously: the foundation of this soap is completely scentless. Made for the most sensitive skin, it soothes and moisturizes rather than stripping and drying out skin. It’s all thanks to its star ingredients, the calming chamomile and soothing aloe, which work to stop hydration from rinsing down the drain.
3-in-1. Yeah, use it on your body, as shampoo, or as a bubble bath. It’s filled with organic herbs, but none of them will give this soap-shampoo-bubble-bath a scent. Instead, calendula acts as an antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory, while chamomile and aloe come to soothe even the most irritated skin. Sensitive skin can rejoice, because it really is a Charlie-and-the-Chocolate-Factory-worthy good egg.
Lume’s deodorant has blown up, and we’re equally excited for their fragrance free bar soap. No artificial fragrance, and no essential oils to give it a “natural”-but-fragrant smell. It lathers up, but there are no SLS in there (or parabens, or phthalates, or artificial dyes, or aluminum, or… you get it). It’s like standard bar soap, but without all the bad stuff that makes them standard bar soaps.
Tara raves about Cetaphil to us and how useful it is for her skin, and we trust her wholeheartedly – after all, her reviewshaven’t led us astray yet! Cetaphil’s Cleansing Bar is perfect for dry, sensitive skin that just can’t handle soap, but needs a soap-like cleanse. It’s filled with nourishing ingredients like hydrating glycerin, and even dermatologists can’t recommend it enough.
Mermaid Marissa recommends goat milk soap as a healthy, eco-friendly alternative to your standard bar soap. So… here it is! Made with Fresh Canadian Goat Milk (are Canadian goats better? Idk, someone please let me know though), the nutrients are unmatched: vitamins A and B, potassium, zinc, and selenium come together in an unscented fashion to give you a cleanse that doesn’t smell like a thing OR affect the moisture barrier. Hydration = locked in.
We love Native’s deodorant, and their fragrance-free soap is just as good. Nothing is more annoying than leftover residue that makes your skin feel a lil ick, so Native said “nah” and chose ingredients that wouldn’t do that. Examples: coconut oil, water, and glycerin, which all hydrate without leaving suds post-shower. Shea butter is also included to nourish your skin, giving an all-around positive cleansing experience.
While technically advertised as a face bar, you can use this unscented soap on your entire body. You have two options here: lather up and rinse, or lather up and wait, letting it sit on your body and form a mask. Either way, you’ll end up clean as hell without feeling dried out. The secret: ingredients like castor, coconut, and olive oils, plus shea butter and bentonite clay.
As someone who used to have fire-truck-colored hair, I know firsthand the difficulty of finding a solid auburn eyebrow pencil. And over the years, I’ve met many like past me who say the same: “where is a goddamn eyebrow pencil for redheads?”
Turns out, there are many out there… you just need to know where to look! I’ve scoured the web and consulted with fellow redheads to find the 12 best eyebrow pencils to pair with your auburn locks.
20% of all affiliate sales are donated to The National LGBTQ+ Task Force. Thank you for your support!
Fenty is beyond inclusive in its foundation and concealer shades, so it’s only natural that Rihanna would offer 14 different shades in her eyebrow pencil line. Brow MVP is an ultra-fine liner, giving you the ability to outline with precision and mimic natural brow hairs to fill in sparse areas. Hinoki oil is hidden in the ingredients list, but it encourages hair growth – gotta love Rihanna for checking all the boxes.
Redheads who don’t want to go too dark, but still want to look subtle, the ginger color of Wet n Wild’s Color Icon eyebrow pencil is for you. At $2.99, it’s super affordable – but 1k+ reviews land it at a 4.3-star rating. Use the thick spoolie for fluffing your brows, then apply the creamy pencil to shape and in sparse spots. Brush the lightweight formula through and let it last all day.
A pomade in a pencil? Yep. Perfect for those with bright red hair, not just casual auburn… or those who simply want bright red eyebrows? Also yep! Lime Crime’s pencil comes in “Valentine,” a bright red shade that has a matte finish to it. The formula also includes vitamin E and sunflower seed oil, which are fantastic for protecting and strengthening strands, respectively. Not super bold? Use the spoolie to buff out your brows and lessen the red impact.
Take a glance at Sephora’s auburn eyebrow pencil, and it looks more brown than red – like, no red in sight, tbh. But it’s this subtlety that allows for a natural tint to your brows. The color is sheer, so you won’t get huge impact with one swipe – nice if that’s what you’re looking for. It’s super waxy, with glide coming from an entirely-vegan formula that will both structure and condition your brows.
I know I sometimes want super fine lines, both to arch my brows and to fill in sparse areas with hair-like strokes. Enter: L’Oreal’s eyebrow pencil, which has a super fine tip to give you the precision you desire. If you want volume, use the spoolie to diffuse, or keep the lines clean and crisp by simply applying thin and realistic hairs.
This retractable eyebrow pencil is waterproof for up to 12 hours; cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, AND vegan; and uses carnauba wax to keep them from smudging outside of your defined lines. One/Size also includes a strong helping of vitamin E to help condition and strengthen, so your brows don’t fall out with constant application and removal.
$3… and over 1,000 reviews raving about how well it works? The Instant Lift Brow Pencil from elf is beloved for both its price and its capabilities. The 2-in-1 factor is nice, but what makes this pencil is its formula. Grapeseed oil conditions, strengthens, and shines, while the vitamin E nourishes and stops breakage before it happens.
Revlon’s pencil won’t make your brows red, but it will fill in the skin behind and surrounding it to give a hint of auburn. It’s ideal for those who don’t want dyed brows, but still want to emphasize their color. It’s phthalate-free and waterproof, lasting up to 24 hours with its combo of waxes and oil. But beware: they do use two types of parabens.
We don’t need to tell you how much we love multi-use products – lip and cheek tints, anybody? – which is why we absolutely love Hourglass’ Sculpting Pencil. It’s a 3-in-1, boasting the benefits of a powder, pencil, and wax all in one, with ingredients like synthetic wax paired with iron oxides and hydrogenated oils. The slant tip allows for precision outlining, which can then be filled in with the flat edge. Brush it out with the spoolie to finish your look.
Bright redheads who want to scream about their color, this brow pencil is for you. It comes in subtle auburn, of course, but that Tangerine. That Full Red. Countless Crimson. Those colors that are loud and proud, fitting anything from orange to burgundy. The best part about this pencil: it’s also made for your eyes and lips, making it a 3-in-1. We can’t get enough.
This pencil is filled with oils that other pencils lack. For example, it has castor oil to nourish; jojoba oil to condition and soften; and cottonseed oil to provide an abundance of vitamin E and fatty acids, promoting repairing and strength. While Auburn isn’t vegan, the pencil is cruelty- and gluten-free.
J.Cat calls their eyeliner pencil the “Pro-cision” brow pencil. But fear not – it’s not because it’s for pros, it’s because it will make you look like a pro. Like Fenty’s Brow MVP, J.Cat uses a micro-fine tip for precision and hair-like strokes in patchy areas. Unlike Rihanna’s option, it comes with a spoolie at the opposite end, so you can bush up your brows. After all, do feathered brows ever go out of style?
Moxie visionary EM Kilgore
