Danessa Myricks and drugstore beauty go way back. And, we’re not just talking about her melting down .99 cent pencils and scraping the pigment into eyeshadow pans when she couldn’t afford a makeup kit. Beneath the foundation, drugstore skincare has long been the first—and most important—step in her daily makeup routine.
“I was first introduced to Neutrogena in the drugstore during my early struggles with acne,” Myricks tells ESSENCE. “As I grew, I realized how essential skin prep was for pulling a look together.” Now, over a decade later, she’s doubling down on affordability in a collaboration with the brand, making three exclusive skin-prep kits accessible to women like her.
For example, the $4 dollar Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrogel Mask—which is featured in two out of three prep sets—has been a staple in her makeup kit since the mid-2000s. “Hydration became a core part of my artistry, especially when creating skin-like finishes,” she says, which is why one kit is exclusively dedicated to that product. “I’ll put one on while I’m cleaning the house, doing laundry, or even just relaxing and watching my favorite show.”
While two kits have just one product—her tried-and-true mask in one, and makeup-removing wipes in the other—the third has all the products needed in a full skin prep routine. What Myricks calls “the ultimate kit,” the Skin Prep Set is a travel-sized line-up of four essential products: Makeup Remover Wipes, Hydrogel Masks, Hydro Boost Gel Cream, and Lip Oil.
“You can use the most expensive makeup, the most beautiful palettes, and the best brushes—but at the end of the day, you’re applying them on top of your skin,” she says, which is where proper skin prep comes in. “If your skin is dry or patchy, your makeup will look dry and patchy.” Despite your skin type, she says each kit has a different purpose: The wipes for cleansing and play, the masks for deep hydration, and the prep set for the full skin-first routine. “Together, they give everyone access to makeup artist–approved prep at an affordable price.”
As a Black woman with oily skin, Myricks says she uses the Hydro Boost Gel Cream as her base moisturizer and the masks as a weekend treatment so her makeup will look and wear better. And, while you may think a pro makeup artist’s routine is hard to achieve, it’s just as easy as her skin prep. “My everyday routine is really simple and reliable,” she says. “My perfect trio is the Water Powder Serum, the Blurring Balm Powder Universal, and Balm Powder in shade 9.5. You’ll never catch me without those three.”
Danessa Myricks’s Neutrogena “Get Glam Ready” sets are available August 31st exclusively at CVS Pharmacy.