Miracle Worker: Philip Kingsley Swimcap Conditioner
A day at the beach or by the pool is so luxurious -- but not so much for your hair! UV rays, saltwater and chlorine can do a number on your tresses, drying them out and causing split ends and dullness. Protect your strands and scalp with Philip Kingsley's Swimcap, a rich leave-in conditioning treatment that's applied to damp hair before hitting the water. When your summertime frolick is complete, simply shampoo and condition as usual. The best part? Swimcap is chock full of sunscreen to prevent color-treated hair from fading or turning brassy. Now that's something we can dive into!
Philip Kingsley Swimcap, $35, philipkingsley.com
Miracle Worker: Sephora 12-Hour Jumbo Liner
One of
summer's hottest trends is bold, bright eyeliner -- and for good reason! A dash of color along top or bottom lashlines instantly upgrades any makeup look! Right now, we're obsessed with Sephora's new Jumbo Liners. These featherweight pencils come in a zillion eye-popping shades, and can be used to rim your peepers or shade your lids as eyeshadow. And there's no reason to skip bold color on humid days (smear much?), because the pencils are heat, water and humidity-proof -- and the color stays put up to twelve hours. Sent from heaven!
Sephora Collection Waterproof 12HR Jumbo Liner, $10, available at Sephora stores and sephora.com.
Miracle Worker: Victoria's Secret Sexy Tan Enhance
When we saw pics of Kelly Rowland lounging on the beach during the holiday weekend, we were instantly jealous of her summery glow! Thank you, Victoria's Secret, for allowing us to fake the look with Beach Sexy Tan Enhance...
Miracle Worker: Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream
Time to bid adieu to dull, winter-worn skin, ladies. This summer, Benefit introduces their new b.right! Radiant Skincare line, formulated to transform skin from lackluster to luminous. We're obsessed with their Total Moisture Facial Cream, a
rich yet lightweight emollient moisturizer for normal to dry skin types. Not
only does it visibly brighten skin, it also captures and maintains moisture
beneath your skin's surface, so dry skin stays supple all day long. Beauty truly does come from within!
Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream, $38, benefitscosmetics.com
Miracle Worker: Hissyfit Face Clockpot by Reggie Wells
It's the beauty junkie's lament: with so many products and so little time, what do you use? Hissyfit solves all our problems with their
new Face Clockpot, created by Oprah's makeup artist, Reggie
Wells. The all-in-one beauty palette creates the perfect face in six steps and under five minutes. To use, start with the foundation in the middle and work your way clockwise to 12 o'clock for highlighting, 3 o'clock for contouring, 6 o'clock for
all-over powder, and 9 o'clock for glow powder. The product is so genius that Wells gifted Ms.Winfrey with her very own 24K gold version
at her last taping! If it's good enough for Oprah...
Hissyfit Face Clockpot by Reggie Wells, $65, $15, hissyfit.com.
Carol's Daughter 'Spokesbeauties' Introduce New Line
In New York City last night, Carol's Daughter "spokesbeauties" Solange Knowles, Selita Ebanks and Cassie celebrated the brand's new Monoi Reparing Collection at the Sephora-held launch. Founder and CEO, Lisa Price, took a moment to share her excitement
about the new line with us. "After one use of the mask with the shampoo, your hair will be 96%
stronger," she says. "Plus, it'll grow longer because it's not breaking as often,"
says Price. The Monoi Repairing Shampoo, Conditioner and Mask are all blended with Monoi oil, which was created
by merging fresh-picked Tahitian Tiare flowers steeped in a
special coconut oil. Formulated for fragile, breakage-prone hair, the products nourish hair from root to tip -- leaving your tresses soft, silky, supple (thanks to bamboo water) and manageable. And the scent is pure tropical heaven!
Monoi Repairing Shampoo ($18), Conditioner ($20), and Mask ($29), available at Carolsdaughter.com.
Miracle Worker: Bite Beauty Lip Butter
We're all for multi-purpose products that cut our beauty routine in half. So it's no surprise the new line, Bite Beauty,
captured our hearts from the start. Their multi-use Superfruit Lip Butter contains
antioxidants filled with superfruits like acai, pomegranate, cranberry and
blueberry to help nourish, protect and moisturize a dry pout. The added
bonus? This delicious butter can be used anywhere — we love it for
conditioning our cuticles in a pinch. BITE Beauty Superfruit Butter, $18, available exclusively at Sephora stores and sephora.com
Miracle Worker: Clarisonic Mia Skin Cleansing System
A new beauty must have! A genius brush for cleansing the body.
'Go There' Wednesdays: Temporary Lip Tattoos
When we saw Keyshia Cole rock leopard-print lips on a recent episode of BET's 106 & Park, we did a double take — and then decided we loved the envelope-pushing look! After some investigating, we discovered the songstress was rocking Violent Lip Temporary Lip Tattoos. Not for the timid, the edgy tats come in an array of wild prints...
Miracle Worker: Ojon Color Protecting Cream
Highlights are always a fabulous option for summer. But the hot weather fearsome threesome (sun, chlorine and salt water damage) can turn brilliant color into a brassy, washed-out mess. Luckily, cult favorite haircare brand Ojon has just debuted their Color Protecting Cream. The lightweight leave-in cream reduces fading with sunscreens and UV protectants, and keeps tresses looking vibrant with Tahitian Monoi Oil and Ojon Oil. Simply apply to damp hair for stunning color that lasts all summer. Ojon Color Protecting Cream, $24, available Sephora and Sephora.com.
Ask the Experts: Creating a Recessionista Manicure
There's no way around it — times are tough. But that doesn't mean our beauty routine should suffer! Instead of springing for weekly nail appointments, why not create your own DIY manicures? We asked Ginger and Liz of Ginger + Liz Nail Lacquers for tips on how to paint your nails perfectly at home...
Miracle Worker: Black Opal Oil-Blocking Mattifying Gel
As the weather heats up, your "dewy" makeup can turn into a greasy mess at the drop of a hat. Enter Black Opal's new Invisible Oil-Blocking Mattifying Gel, our spring/summer skin savior. This lightweight gel absorbs excess oil to create a smooth, velvety-matte finish — and it instantly disappears after application. For a shine-free finish...
Beauty Beat: Demeter Plum Blossom Fragrance
With spring in full bloom, it's time to find a scent soul mate and
retire musky notes. Kooky-cool fragrance brand Demeter is all about fun, memorable fragrances spiked with a touch of humor (we love their Dirt, Laundromat and Lobster scents!) Their newest addition, Plum
Blossom, is right in step with spring's floral scents. Based around the delicate fragrance of the plum blossom, the lightweight scent is ultra-feminine, super-girly, and perfect for day or night. The best part? The scent is made with 95% natural ingredients — no artificial colors, binders or
emulsifiers — and the alcohol is naturally fermented from corn.
Demeter Pick-Me-Up Cologne Spray in Plum Blossom, $20, demeterfragrance.com
Miracle Worker: One Love Organics Skin Savior
After recently opening our medicine cabinet to find a zillion jars of goo, we had to ask ourselves, what's this all for again?
Handmade line One Love Organics consolidates our cluttered beauty situation with their all-in-one miracle, Skin Savior. This all-natural waterless balm removes makeup; soothes dry elbows, knees and ankles; and makes an amazing daily facial moisturizer. Plus, the balm smells almost-edible (think coconut and vanilla...yum), and it's perfect for the entire family — even
babies! We're sold.
One Love Organics' Skin Savior Waterless Multi Balm, $68, oneloveorganics.com
Miracle Worker: ONE Facial Paper Masks
Inexpensive beauty treats make us jump for joy! Right now, we're loving ONE's new Night Nite Tonic Racial Paper Masks — not only do they make our skin
extra radiant and moisturized, they cost just under two bucks! Simply
wash your face as usual, dry off and place the facial mask over your
face for fifteen to twenty minutes before bedtime. When finished, toss the
mask and packaging in with your recyclables because they're 100%
biodegradable. Fabulous for you and the environment!
Night Nite Tonic Facial Paper Mask, $1.99, available at Target stores and Target.com
Click here to check out our favorite "Miracle Workers"
Miracle Worker: Kinky Curly Come Clean Shampoo
Hairstylists have always told us that hard water can wreak havoc on Black hair. But organic curl care line, Kinky Curly, has the answer to your water woes! Their new Come Clean Shampoo shields your strands against mineral-filled H2O and stubborn product build-up that can make your 'do look dull and blah. Plus, the formula manages to maintain your hair's moisturize balance. A must-have!
Miracle Worker: CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm
Love the moisturizing benefits of balms, but need the sexy sheen
of lip gloss? Enter CoverGirl's new NatureLuxe Gloss Balm, a fab new hybrid. Designed by make-up legend Pat McGrath, the portable sticks combine the creamy texture of balm with the shiny, sheer color of gloss. With sixteen shades to choose from, you can take
your look from natural (Marble) to nighttime (Cabernet) in a flash. So genius!
CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm, $6.49, available at drugstores nationwide Check out our favorite "Miracle Workers," here!
Miracle Worker: Say Yes To Tomatoes Pore Scrub
No matter your age, blackheads
can be inevitable — which is why we're head over heels for Say Yes To Tomatoes' new Clear Skin Pore Scrub. Mild enough for daily use, this gentle exfoliator is made with antioxidant-rich tomatoes (clearly!), mango seeds and a special blend of ginger root and bisabolol to reduce redness around blemishes. One ESSENCE staffer raved that, unlike most acne-fighting products on the market, Clear Skin Pore Scrub didn't leave her skin feeling tight and super-dry after she washed her face. Love! Say Yes To Tomatoes Clear Skin Pore Scrub, $9.99, available at yestocarrots.com Click here for more information on our favorite "Miracle Workers"