When I chat with Taraji P. Henson, it’s clear from the get-go that she’s a person with initiative. “I’m just sweating from this beating I got from my trainer— he’s trying to kill me,” she tells me. Henson is hosting this week’s BET Awards and actively filming for the musical The Color Purple.

When she’s not busy with acting and appearances (or at the gym), Henson works on the production and design of her beauty brand, TPH by Taraji. The label is more than a passion project, it’s filling a gap in the market: Affordable hair and body products designed to meet the needs of people with natural hair who frequently transition between natural and protective styles.

On the importance of scalp care

I asked Henson why she created TPH by Taraji in the first place. “I saw that what I wanted didn’t exist,” Henson explains. “I didn’t see anything targeting scalp, or any education on keeping scalp clean when you have a protective hairstyle — I didn’t see that audience being targeted. That was important to me.”

When launching TPH, Henson was thinking about the specific challenges facing a woman who wears a protective hairstyle. “When your hair is in a protective style, it’s away,” she explains, “but you have to take care of your scalp, you have to keep it clean. I just knew that education was off. Women didn’t know. I could people-watch and tell that a woman had a dirty scalp — not in a shadey way, just from my own knowledge. I wanted to help people get a clean scalp, and educate on the benefits of [it]. I knew that women were just tucking their hair away, thinking it was going to grow. You still gotta love it. It’ll get matte and brittle if you don’t take care of it.”

So, how do you care for your scalp on wash day? According to Henson — someone who personally transitions between weaves and wigs and her natural hair quite often — it’s with her TPH products. She treats the skin on her scalp like the skin on her face, especially when she’s transitioning out of a protective style and her scalp needs that extra TLC.

“I start with wet hair and wet scalp, section my hair to get to the scalp, and I start with the sugar scrub, Never Salty. It’s an exfoliant for the scalp that gets all the debris, buildup, dandruff, dry skin, all of it off the scalp. Then [I] use the Master Cleanse to get the sugar-scrub residue out of [my] hair. Then I always finish with a conditioner for my scalp as well.”

It’s not until Henson is done with scalp care that she moves to her hair care, like the shampoo, conditioner, and masking. “It’s a different process,” she explains. “I use Honey Fresh Shampoo and Make It Rain Conditioner for my hydration. I might use Mother Earth Mask if I’m coming out of a protective style, because that helps get your curl pattern back.”

Why affordability matters

As you can tell from Henson’s routine, for many women with natural hair, it takes a lot of products to get the scalp clean and the curls healthy, which is why Henson wanted the cost per unit to be as low as possible. “It’s always a challenge, but I’m adamant about it,” she says. “I got a DM the other day and it said, ‘Thank you so much for not forgetting about us and for making things affordable.‘ It’s important. Everybody can’t afford Oribe.”

Inside the celebrity beauty space

Henson is one of many celebrities that are investing in beauty products, with the likes of Tracee Ellis Ross in the hair-care space and of course, Rihanna. But Henson sees it as a very individual experience, because every celebrity serves a different niche.

“When you get into the beauty industry and you’re a celebrity, you really have to know your audience,” Henson explains. “Rihanna’s audience is different. She’s a big mega singing star and her tickets aren’t cheap, so she can drop a product that’s $50 because people are used to that price tag. For me, I’m $20 at the movies. I know my audience and I can’t ignore them. Will I ever come out with a luxury brand? Absolutely, that’s where I’m headed. But you have to start somewhere and I want something for everyone.” 

Moreover, Henson is of the opinion that there’s no such thing as an over saturation when it comes to the natural hair-care market. “I did a panel with some of the natural hair-care founders and someone said that 70 percent of the world has textured hair,” she says.”That means that there’s so much room.” Which takes us back to the need for different products, specific to natural hair. “I’ve never just used one product,” Henson adds. “So I want TBH to be a part of the regimen, a part of your life, even if it’s just one product. I mean, you can buy the whole line and it still won’t cost you $100.”

Small and BIPOC-founded beauty brands to support

Because I can tell that Henson is conscientious, I’m curious about what other beauty brands she supports and uses in her own life. “I like to support smaller brands,” she says. “I have a friend who does my nails, she’s done Beyoncé’s nails, and her salon is called The Nail Suite, her name is Lisa Logan. She makes the most incredible handmade soaps, they are absolutely amazing. I start with her soaps, then I go into my regimen with TPH body products. I also love Paul Scerri, I’ve been using the pH Balancing Cream for over 20 years. Biore, I love. My favorite shimmer is a Body Lava from Fenty. I love what Rihanna has done with that line.” 

Specifically for her nails, Henson loves doing her own manicures. She tells me she just DIYed a pink chrome set that was “so pretty and dainty.” But she’s also quick to show love to the incredible celebrity nails artists who make her job as a host or a presenter a little easier. “For the big professional stuff, like BET, I’ll have someone else make me a set,” she says. “Temeka Jackson is amazing. Plus, I have a lot of other things I have to think about.”

Shop the TPH by Taraji line, below:

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Your Guide To Amazing Summer Hair Color

I Tried TikTok's 3-Step ‘Celeb Skin’ Hack

Farmacy's Exfoliating Body Serum Got Rid Of My KP

The other day, I was tapping through Tinx’s Instagram Story and paused when she bold captioned a closeup of her lips. I thought she was going to divulge about lip filler, but instead she shared a good hack: Her makeup artist Taylor Fitzgerald used a cream blush to draw a subtle shadow around her lips that gave a natural-looking illusion of fullness. “Everyone thought I got lip injections,” she said.

Intrigued, and personally interested in insider tricks to getting subtly-enhanced lips using makeup — maybe things that I wouldn’t normally think to put on or around my lips — I chatted Fitzgerald and a few other makeup artists who gave me their best ‘hacks’ for making the lips look bigger. Ahead, the best advice I’ve gleaned.

Base-layer balm

This may sound intuitive, but before you start anything, add a base-layer lip balm to make sure you’re prepped and not dealing with chapping. “I recommend starting with a great base — the Well People Lip Nurture Hydrating Balm is my favorite for hydrating and soothing the lips,” offers makeup artist Kirin Bhatty.

Soft contour the Cupid’s Bow

According to Fitzgerald, using your blush around your lips is a foolproof hack to make them look a little larger. She uses the Armani Neo Nude Color Melting Cream Blush. “On Tinx, I used shade 21 a small brush to contour mainly above the Cupid’s Bow and under her bottom lip,” she explains. “It’s really blend-able and looks like an actual shadow, so it gives the illusion of a juicier pout with softer definition then strictly over-lining with lip liner.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Taylor Fitzgerald (@taylorfitzgerald_)

Set contour with translucent powder

If you’re using the contour technique and want the illusion to last all day or all night, set the blush contour with a brush of setting powder. “I set it with a touch of translucent powder for longevity before applying liner, lipstick, and gloss,” Fitzgerald adds.

Use a darker lip liner than you want to

Whether you want to over line your lips or follow their natural contour, Bhatty’s advice is to use a dark-brown pencil liner — even if it’s out of your comfort zone and you normally gravitate towards lighter pinks. “I would line the lips with a darker [lip] pencil,” she says. “I recommend Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat Lip Pencil in Foxy Brown or Spice from MAC.“

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kirin Bhatty (@kirinstagram)

Try your brow pencil

If you don’t have a dark lip pencil, there’s an hack: Use your brow pencil. You’ve probably seen this ‘perfect lip shade’ trend on TikTok, with creators hacking their brow pencil as a lip liner, and makeup artist Lilly Keys explains that the shade of your brow pencil is usually pretty close to your perfect lip-liner tone. “You want to use a brown or dark reddish shade,” Key explains. Try it. You’ll may be surprised at how well it works.

Pop concealer on the center of your lips

Once your lips are lined, you can fill them in with your liner or your favorite lipstick. Then, to make the center of the lips appear a bit more pronounced, Keys uses a bit of concealer on top. “I like to take a small flat brush and tap concealer in the center of the lips,” Keys explains. This makes the center of the lips appear a shade lighter, which gives the subtle illusion of fullness.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lilly Keys 🗝 (@lilly_keys)

Top with gloss

Lastly, and all makeup artists agree on this one: Top your lips with a gloss. Bhatty recommends Well People’s Hydrolip Gloss for its sheer color and non-sticky finish. But you could also use the Fenty Gloss Bomb, which Tinx loves, or really, whatever tube you have on hand. The point is high shine.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Makeup Arist Donni Davy Explains 'Euphoria' Makeup

Peyton List On Pley Beauty — With 'Euphoria' Vibes

Um, Can I Use Lube As Makeup Primer?

The first morning I tried the new Summer Fridays Dream Oasis Serum, I woke up very tired — I had been tossing and turning the night before with a bilateral charlie-horse situation — and my skin looked sullen. I didn’t expect anything dramatic, that’s not the vibe of a gentle, hyaluronic-acid serum.

However, after splashing my face with cold water, I rubbed a pump of the gel-like serum into my face — directions say, ‘Smooth over cleansed, damp skin (which is the proper way to apply most serums with HA) — and pretty immediately my skin felt better. Like the skin-care equivalent to chugging a glass of water. It was a solid start.

What differentiates this Summer Fridays serum from others that I’ve tried that serve a similar function of prepping the skin before moisturizer is that it’s also formulated with plant-derived squalane and tiger grass, which calms any redness in the skin. In application, it feels heavier than a thin, watery serum. The weight of it actually serves the function of a primer (obviously, without any silicone), so my SPF moisturizer and concealer go on smooth and I need less of both because my skin is already looking refreshed.

I take Sephora reviews with a grain of salt, because most are incentivized, but it’s worth considering that the earliest couple hundred reviewers have given the Summer Fridays serum five stars, not a single mark off. There aren’t many skin-care products I would bulk recommend to anyone, but this one lives up to its ‘suitable for all skin types’ claim. It’s gentle and light enough that it doesn’t feel like an occlusive that you might be worried, Could this break me out? But especially for someone who situates themself in the dry-skin family, this serum a no brainer. Summer Fridays founders Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland would go so far as to call it a ‘dream oasis.’ From California to New York, it translates.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

This Summer Fridays Mask Set Is A Winter Must Have

The Lightweight Moisturizer For Dewy Skin

My Favorite Skin-Barrier Protecting Products

Nail polish preference is subjective. You pick a color based on a myriad of factors: your mood, the amount of time you feel is appropriate to peruse the color wall at the salon, the color you’ve had on most recently (which I tend to avoid repeating). The great part: It’s objectively low stakes. There’s always nail polish remover. Or, worst case scenario, in a gel situation, you live with it for two to three weeks until your next manicure.

Still, if you have the time to put forethought into your nails, figuring out exactly what you want can give you, well, exactly what you want. The trends are constantly changing and evolving and building on top of each other, but one that’s on the rise is simple: the color blue. You’ve probably seen it, thought about it, maybe. Here are seven ways to wear blue nail polish that feel refreshing and comfortable at the same time.

Checkerboard Chill Tips

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton (@cyndiramirez)

If you love press-on nails, this one’s for you. Chillhouse, the SoHo-flagship nail brand, just added a new design in their reusable, press-on collection: Checked Out 2.0. As modeled by Chillhouse founder Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton, you can see the blue checkerboard tip is cool, and potentially the best $16 you’ll spent this month.

Simple Blue French

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NAILS BY ROMÉE (@foreverromee)

If you’re going to the nail salon, ask for a French manicure with a blue tip. It’s that simple. Most nail salons will charge the same as they would a regular French manicure, they just have to switch out the white polish for a colored option. Next time, make it cobalt blue.

Rain Drops

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AMAKA (@amaka.hamelijnck)

Another fun design: asymmetrical art. This requires a bit more communication with your artist to create the aesthetic that you’re looking for. But the key here — to emulate Danish content creator Amaka Hamelijnck’s nails — is to choose a pale shade of blue and have each nail be a different interpretation of a ‘drop.’

Electric Negative Space

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Queenie Nguyen (@nailartbyqueenie)

Nail artist Queenie Nguyen confirms that blue is this year’s color trend to play with. “2022 is all about 50 shades of blues,” she captioned one of her recent nail-art Instagrams. This particular nail-art look uses an OPI blue to polish almost the entire nail, leaving a crescent moon at the cuticle bare, then adding an accent dot.

Deep Blue

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Betina R. Goldstein (@betina_goldstein)

Sometimes, the best nail art is the most pared down. This design, by Betina Goldstein (she works with celebs like Zoë Kravtiz and Olivia Rodrigo), uses a royal blue nail polish, the shade Rhythm by Chanel, with a super-skinny metallic trim around the tip. Chic.

Two-Toned French

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Paintbox (@paintboxnails)

If and when you’re looking to level-up a French manicure, make it two toned. This example uses two different shade of blue by Paintbox, Like Rain and Like Wonder. But really any shade of blue, light plus dark, will give you the vibe. With a striping brush, you could even give this a whirl at home.

Powder Swirls

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gina Edwards (@ginaedwards_)

OPI recently collaborated with XBox on a collection of nail polish that speaks to the gaming community. Nail artist Gina Edwards used polish from the collection to create this blue swirled design, and recommends the powder blue Can’t Ctrl Me to anyone who needs a polish rec.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Euphoria's Nail Artist On What The Manicures Mean

9 Nail Art Trends Taking Off In 2022

The Top Nail Polish Color Trends For 2022

Kosas is one of those cool, if-you-know-you-know kind of makeup brands. The vibe is less bare face, more tinted skin care. Given the aesthetic trend of using less makeup — or at least, looking like you’re wearing less makeup — it’s no big shock that the brand has taken off, almost simultaneously with the fall of Glossier.

The brand’s fresh, minimalist ethos is one thing to love about the brand — the other? Their really, really good products. There’s the tinted face oil, which our team of beauty editors could not stop telling our friends about for a solid six months. There’s also a tinted lip balm that I keep in two different bags. Then, the concealer, which in its two years of existence, has won awards, become a noted staple in so many TikTok tutorials, and topped Sephora’s best-seller list, right up there with the ubiquitous Nars creamy.

Now, Kosas has just dropped a brand-new foundation: The Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF 25. Brand founder Sheena Yaitanes says that the formula draws direct inspiration from the Revealer concealer, which is to say, if you like that, you’re likely going to vibe with this.

The best part about the Kosas concealer is that it’s been designed as an eye cream in a concealer, so I find that it brightens my under-eye darkness better than any makeup I’ve tried. With this new, corresponding foundation, there’s a similar hybrid thing happening with the skin-care ingredients I look for in my serums and moisturizers built right into the formula. There’s niacinamide, olive-derived squalane, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and a reef-safe mineral sunscreen SPF 25.

In my experience, I will still do my morning skin-care routine, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid serums followed by moisturizer, then I go in with Kosas concealer under my eyes and a pump of the new foundation (I wear shade 190, light medium with neutral yellow undertones), on the back of my hand, and then all over my face. The result is brighter skin that’s close to pore-less. It’s really all that I want and need in a foundation. I recently tried the Charlotte Tilbury foundation, and I prefer this one; it’s more lightweight and has an SPF.

It would be perfect, but there’s always space for upgrades: In this case, the shade range could be more varied. It’s an improvement, for sure. Kosas faced criticism a few years ago when the Tinted Face Oil launched with ten “fluid” shades (they’ve since expanded to 16). Comparatively, this Skin-Improving Foundation has 36 shades right out the gate. The flag is that there’s not a whole not of nuance in the undertones of the deep shades. Or, there seems to be a lot more nuance within the lighter shades.

Of course, it’s a brand-new foundation, so we can’t predict how it will be received. I will say, I’m thrilled I was able to find my perfect shade and undertone. Foundation matching is a pain — that’s universal — but it’s worth it for an everyday foundation that makes you feel confident in your skin.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

I Hate Powder — But This One Is Perfection

Smashbox's New Primers Gave Me The Skin Of A Baby

Do Your Hands Seem To Be Aging Weirdly Fast?

The other day I was listening to a dating and relationship podcast called We Met At Acme and the host, Lindsey, asked her guest a question that felt kind of random: “Do you think your hands are aging faster because of Covid?” The guest (I don’t remember who it was), took a beat, as if considering their hands — maybe taking a peek down at them, though I wouldn’t know considering the medium — and answered: ‘Yeah, actually, I do.’

From what I recall, the conversation then meandered back into the purview of dating, but the question made me consider my own hands. They’re not bad, I thought, but they’re also not good: I have a smattering of freckles, wrinkles, and incessant dryness around my cuticles. So, I reached out to a dermatologist, Dr. Mona Gohara M.D. who had lots to say on the topic — along with simple, straightforward interventions we can do to keep your hands soft and aging at a healthy rate.

Look for a ‘non-soap’ hand wash

Dr. Gohara admits that we’re not crazy for observing our hands aging faster in the time of Covid. “I’ve never seen hand dermatitis as bad as it’s been over the past two years,” she tells me. “We’re seeing eczema of the hands, largely from the use of harsh cleansers and hand sanitizers that we’re using these on a regular basis — they’re messing with the skin barrier.”

You’re probably picky with your face cleanser, and understand that the wrong one can dry you out. According to Dr. Gohara, you should also be choosey when buying your at-home hand soap. The somewhat-confusing key: look for ‘non-soap’ on the label. “The biggest thing is to use non-soap cleanser,” Dr. Gohara explains. “Bars and soap are not analogous. By soap, I mean that the product has a high pH. A dishwashing soap is a soap. But a lot of the antibacterial hand soaps out there have a really high pH, so you want to look for and use a non-soap cleanser.”

Dr. Gohara recommends the Dove Deep Cleansing Moisturizing Hand Wash, but other drugstore options include Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar and Pharmaceutical Specialties Free and Clear Liquid Cleanser. These are fragrance-free options, but Dr. Gohara tells me: “Fragrances can be a problem…for people who have problems with fragrances. Or, they can be fine. It really depends on how sensitive your skin is.”

Try hand ‘slugging’

If you’re slugging your face at night, you can also slug your hands with moisturizer, petroleum jelly, and a pair of gloves, to keep it from becoming a mess. “My son gets really dry hands from the soap he uses at school, so before bed, we moisturize his hands, then he puts Vaseline on, and then we put a pair of thin cotton gloves over the top,” Dr. Gohara tells me. “With the gloves, you can just you can buy them at any drugstore, and just cut the fingertips off. With finger holes, you can type, text, play video games, whatever you want to do, and they can go right into the washing machine. It’s a spa-like treatment that’s not annoying and really works.”

Use the back of your hand as a skin-care palette

My favorite piece of advice is probably the easiest to implement: Use the back of your hand as a kind of palette for the skin-care products you’re putting on your face. “We have pretty compulsive regimens about our face — people are good about sunscreen, vitamin C, retinol, antioxidants — all to prevent the signs of aging,” says Dr. Gohara. “But if you think about it, the hands and the face have the same amount of exposure — even worse, because of all the hand washing and sanitizing. So, at night, when I’m doing my skin routine, I use my hand as a palette, literally like an artist’s palette: I I drop my antioxidant serum on the back of my hands, and then my retinoid, too. That way, my hands are getting the exact same benefit and I don’t have to think about it.”

Powder (sunscreen) your hands

When it comes to sun exposure, the hands are constantly being hit with damaging UV rays, especially when we’re driving. “Even before we were compulsively hand washing during Covid, the hand conversation was actually happening in our dermatologists’ offices because of sun damage to the hands,” Dr. Gohara explains. “When I talk to my patients about sunscreen application, I always say: Wear sunscreen 365 days a year on your face and your hands. A lot of people look at me and are like, ‘Why am I putting sunscreen on my hands?’ Well, it’s exactly because of what we’re seeing: Hands are actually the first spot where people note the signs of aging with sun spots, wrinkling, dryness, all visible signs that the skin that’s not as resilient as it used to be.”

Think about every time you get into your car and your hands are on the steering wheel, you’re in direct sunlight with zero protection (the windows do nothing). To give yourself some protection, Dr. Gohara recommends keeping a sunscreen brush in your center console. “People don’t want to put on greasy sunscreen before they get in the car,” she says. “So I keep a sunscreen powder in my center console and just dust my hands before driving. Colorscience, ISDIN, Avene — a lot of brands have them. It’s not messy or gross, and it protects your hands.” Your next manicure shot will be better, trust.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Smashbox's New Primers Gave Me The Skin Of A Baby

The TikTok-Famous British Skin-Care Brand To Know

I Tried Milani's $11 Internet-Famous Foundation

As a teenager, Tina Craig, the founder of U Beauty, was a sun worshipper. It was the ’80s (a time when there was less awareness about the importance of SPF), and she regularly laid out in the SoCal sunshine without protection. It wasn’t until Craig flew home to Asia between semesters at USC that she began to think about skin care. Her grandma took one look at her sun damage, and brought her to a Chinese herbalist who treated her skin with a “slime-y” goo sourced from the immortal jellyfish, which would later come to inspire the barrier-restorative technology in her own product line.

Marine researchers from all over the world have long been fascinated by the immortal jellyfish and its ability to transform itself, at any life stage, back to its earliest stage of development, effectively reverting its aging cells into stem cells. From a skin-care perspective, this sounds almost too good to be true. For Craig, the immoral jellyfish stuck with her.

“This was like 1989, so none of this was cool,” Craig recalls. “I flew home to Asia and my grandma literally dragged me to this scary place that would stick me with acupuncture needles and put slime on my face — come to find out the slime was actually immortal jellyfish stem cell treatment.” At the time, Craig felt embarrassed about her grandma’s experimental skin care. However, when she returned to school and people started telling her she has “really good skin,” she figured grandma might have been onto something with the jellyfish goo.

Fast forward to adulthood and the launch of U Beauty in 2019. Craig considered her curated skin-care line — currently, the Resurfacing Compound, Super Hydrator, Sculpt Arm Compound (she calls, “Spanx for the arms”), and an SPF 30 — and wanted to add an overnight treatment inspired by the immortal jellyfish facial from her youth.

Luckily, no jellyfish were harmed in the making of this cream. “I didn’t want to use real immortal jellyfish, I wanted to bioengineer it in a lab,” Craig explains. “It took four and a half years because the texture and technology had to be perfect. There’s this gooeyness to it. You know how babies wake up with juicy skin? That’s what we had to make this do.”

I can attest to the fact that using this treatment leaves my face curiously childlike, making my adult skin feel supple and almost doughy. Caroline Sands, U Beauty’s VP of Product Development tells me that the effect can be explained by the combination of bioactive ingredients. There’s urea, which is both a humectant and an emollient, vitamin B6, which promotes healthy oil production, hyaluronic acid, and sodium DNA. The other key component is an “immortal siren capsule,” which is a proprietary delivery system that targets active ingredients to already-damaged areas of the skin and contains bioactive marine ingredients engineered to act on the skin’s stem cells and essential growth factors to boost the proliferation of new cells. You’re suppose to use it overnight, as the final step in your skin care, with Craig’s promise of “thicker and softer skin” by morning.

Considering the rise, fall, and overuse of exfoliating acids in skin care, the design of this skin-barrier treatment, inspired by the slime of a Peter Pan jellyfish, is appealing to me and my dehydrated, fragile skin. (Like Craig, I am actively repairing teenage sun damage.) In use, I can say definitely my own skin is softer and more plump almost immediately after application. I’d use it really anytime I’m feeling crepe-y, before a long flight, or while existing in a dry climate, like my stuffy New York City studio apartment. While I haven’t been able to get behind the slugging trend using Vaseline or Aquaphor, this feels like the same general idea — and my face is almost stickily plump.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Smashbox's New Primers Gave Me The Skin Of A Baby

This Anti-Acne Pillowcase Actually Helped My Skin

Drunk Elephant's New Retinol Is Made For Beginners

I’ll be the first to say: I don’t like powder makeup — really anything that comes in a compact. Where makeup is concerned, I use liquids and creams and anything I can rub into my skin with my fingers or dapple lightly with a Beautyblender. It’s easy, and I feel glowy — and not covered up — afterwards.

Still, the caveat to a routine consisting of a lot of sheer, cream-based pigments — bright pink liquid blush, bronzer drops, and a chubby highlighter stick down my nose nose and over both cheekbones — that no one talks about is that if unprotected, it tends to melt away.

I find this most frustrating when I’m going out at night. I love the way my makeup looks before I leave the apartment — things are dewy and fresh and my face has dimension. But once I’ve Ubered to dinner, housed my fourth of a burrata appetizer and one and a half margaritas, I’ll catch my reflection in the mirror of the bathroom and it looks like my contour, blush, and highlight have collectively sunk into my skin leaving it bare and a little flat.

Setting spray or powder should be helpful with, you know, ‘locking’ makeup in place. Though in my experience, setting sprays don’t really do anything, except feel nice when it’s hot out and give me a dewy glow for a minute. In fact, they might even speed up the melt-off. A veil of setting powder is worse because it makes my already-dry skin look and feel drier and prone to those cracking veins of concealer under my eyes.

Though in recent years, makeup brands have attempted to counter the “cakey powder” narrative with options that work to set makeup in place, without drying out the skin underneath it. Quietly, there have been updates to ingredient formulations. There’s been a reduction in the use of talc — a controversial mineral made up of magnesium, silicon, and oxygen, used in powder to absorb oil — and an integration of hydrators, like squalane.

I’ve tried a few of the newer powders, both loose and pressed, with ‘radiant’ claims. But my favorite, by far, is the Saie Airset Powder. Founder Laney Crowell describes it as an “aerated-creamy formula” that’s “specifically formulated for people who aren’t fans powder.”

The Saie Airset presents like most others in the category: it’s loose on the bottom and there’s a little sifter with holes that allows you to pour a little bit up onto the cap. There are three shades, I used the lightest, which is like a white beige, and apply it as the final step of my makeup routine using what might be the softest makeup brush I’ve ever touched to my face: the pinpointed fluffy brush, which you can buy with the Airset powder. I’m not too precious, but Stevie Rose, Saie’s Head of Education, instructs to “sweep and roll under your eyes first, then along your T-Zone to set your makeup, but keep your glow.”

It feels like nothing, but makes my skin look a little more velvety on the onset. I tested it out on a Friday night during a recent snowstorm in NYC. At the end of the night, around 1 a.m., my makeup didn’t look all that different from when I put it on seven hours prior. There was some wear, but I still had pinch of color on my cheeks and no apparent dark hollowing under my eyes, a telltale sign that my concealer failed. I’m not oily, so I can’t speak to how it does at eliminating excess oils in the skin. Though an early reviewer says: “It kept my oily skin under control without making my skin look cakey.” For many of us, it seems, translucent setting powder is experiencing a rebrand.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Um, Can I Use Lube As Makeup Primer?

We Tried Charlotte Tilbury's New Foundation

Chanel Has Entered The Sustainable Beauty Chat

Makeup plays an integral part in many young people’s lives, especially when it comes to developing their sense of self. Some people like to wear a lot, others wear none at all. Though most of us fall somewhere in the middle of the two polarities.

For Peyton List, the 23-year-old actress you know from Netflix’s Cobra Kai and former Disney stardom, makeup has always been a powerful tool. Though working in front of a TV camera, List became acutely aware of the way that wearing makeup (and not wearing it), changed the way she was treated. Mastering makeup helped List to better understand herself, the characters she played, and the world around her. Ahead, the actress and new Gen-Z beauty entrepreneur, talks about her newest project: Pley Beauty.

Refinery29: Let’s start at the beginning: What was your first experience with makeup growing up?

Peyton List: I started wearing makeup a lot earlier than most people, because I’m an actress. That’s where I learned the power of it. I had these professionals applying makeup to my face and all of a sudden I was a different person. It was almost like a social experiment: I would leave set and I would see how people treated me with makeup versus when I wasn’t wearing it. Going to auditions, you have to kind of dress the part or create a character with the look. So, that’s how I really started to get obsessed with beauty.

Refinery29: That’s interesting. So you had this kind of early understanding of the sociological impact that makeup has on how we’re perceived?

Peyton List: I would say so. I would see myself through people, too, which was interesting. It was like, ‘You only like me when I look like this.’ I was obsessed with learning about makeup because I could use it to build confidence. Makeup was a huge tool for creating a feeling. I loved how I could use makeup to influence others perceptions of me.

Refinery29: Was there one specific feature that you enhanced with makeup that changed your look?

Peyton List: Makeup artists would always tell me that I have the best eyelids for eyeshadow. I have big eyes; I always thought that they were kind of weird. Sometimes you have a feature that you get made fun of for — and that ends up being the one that you get to play around with the most. Having such big eyes ended up being good because I have so much room to play with eyeshadow.

Refinery29: What about your personal style off-set, how does makeup play into that?

Peyton List: Well, I’m so terrible at hair; also, fashion took me a long time to get. Really, makeup was was where I wanted to play and take more chances. When I’m going out or to an event, I usually focus way more on my makeup than I do my outfit. 

Refinery29: What does your daily skincare routine look like?

Peyton List: I keep my everyday skin-care routine pretty minimal. I try to wake up in the morning and splash cold water on my face. I need to get an ice roller, because I’ve been using just cubes of eye from a tray and rubbing them on my face. I’ll put on some SPF moisturizer. I’ve been using the Ole Henriksen Eye Cream and the Tatcha Lip Jelly; I love that stuff.

I’ve also been taking a lot of supplements. I was playing around for a little bit, trying to figure it out on my own. Then I went to a doctor and figured out my imbalances. They were telling me about how my acne was communicating with me about what’s going on internally. I always knew that, but I went to lots of dermatologists to figure out my skin. But even prescription topicals weren’t working for me. I realized I had to focus on the inside first. Everyone is on their own journey with that.

Refinery29: You’re right, skincare and wellness are so personal. What does makeup look like?

Peyton List: I use the Shiseido Synchro Skin Foundation, it’s so light and glowy. Then I do eyes. Just a clean face and then a fun swipe of color. I have four different eye palettes, so I’ll pick a color out of one of those. Then I love soapbox brows; I’ve grown to love full brows. Then our One Stop Pop Blush is so pigmented — and I’m very picky about blush. I use one of our Pley Date sticks for highlighter, in the inner corner of my eye and then on my cheeks.

Refinery29: What part of your routine makes you feel the most confident?

Honestly, it’s about how I feel. I mean that’s probably why my TikTok page is full of psychology and people lifting each other up. That’s what puts me in the best headspace. I’ve had professionals work on me and create beautiful looks, but if I’m not feeling great internally, that speaks so much louder. I think the way you carry yourself can take you from a six to a ten. I’m trying to do so much self care, listen to a lot of podcasts, and spend my time with good people.

Shop Pley Beauty, below:

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Chloe Fineman On Personal Style & Beauty Routine

We Tried Charlotte Tilbury's New Foundation

Chanel Has Entered The Sustainable Beauty Chat

I didn’t think I’d have a lot in common with Chloe Fineman, a 33-year-old SNL comedian who can impersonate both Britney Spears and Drew Barrymore on command. I can’t even bring myself to do karaoke. But Fineman is not a loud or in-your-face kind of funny — her humor and wit comes out in conversation. I also learned that she is a very much a beauty girl.

In honor of her new partnership with Pantene, I had the pleasure of Zooming with Fineman. It’s early morning and she’s wearing a very-good Zoom outfit: a red-and-green floral Gucci dress with a black velvet pussy bow (which, following our call, I Googled and found on TheRealReal). Her rooted blonde hair is pulled back in a bouffant half-up with her new Brigitte Bardot-inspired bangs framing her forehead, and dainty diamond huggie hoops climbing up both ears. Ahead, we chat about life: How her boyfriend, Casey Thomas Brown, turned her into someone who wears Dickies, unironically; where she gets her hair cut and colored; her skin-care advice for someone in their mid-20s, which includes a story about the time she bought Botox off a Groupon.

Refinery29: You’ve recently been called a ‘Style star to watch in 2022.’ How do you think about personal style and how would you describe yours?

Chloe Fineman: My personal style is always evolving. When I find something I like, I go overboard. So right now, I have a million collared shirts. I remember when I started dating my boyfriend, like three years ago, he was like, ‘Another puffy sleeve?‘ Then, since dating him, I started wearing Dickies, which have never been my thing. Also, I’ve like always wanted people to think I’m French; I got bangs recently because my friend was telling me it was a French thing. I’m also really girly, I like puffs and bows, all of that.

R29: Who did your bangs, they’re so cute!

CF: My friend Glen Ellis; he does Tinx’s hair, too. I basically wanted Brigitte Bardot hair.

R29: That’s exactly what it looks like. What do you do for color?

CF: I go to Jacob Schwartz. He does Alex Cooper, the Call Her Daddy girl. He makes her like white blonde and she’s there every week. But he’s really the best.

R29: What’s your POV on makeup?

CF: I’m a makeup whore. I don’t wear it much during the week, but I have this media cabinet from Anthropologie, it’s like a console that’s suppose to be filled with tech stuff, but it’s just filled with makeup.

I love Pat McGrath. Years ago, my sister and I would get each other Pat McGrath makeup for birthdays and holidays, so we’ve collected stacks of her stuff. I also like Hourglass, the highlighter compact. I also love the Rouje Lip Palette and then Mario [Dedivanovic] has this lip shade called Brielle that I’ve been wearing everyday. Mascara is always changing; I really like Marc Jacobs Beauty one, but I don’t know what’s going on with that brand now. I also like Kevyn Aucoin; I talk about the Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler like a crazy lady.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝕁𝕒𝕔𝕠𝕓 𝕤𝕔𝕙𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕫 HAIRCOLORIST (@jacobschwartzhair)

R29: What about eyebrows? You have great brows.

I used to go to Striiike in L.A. and do a tinting. But more recently, there’s this woman Michele Holmes in the Bay Area, I go to her and she has this brow serum that I really like. I don’t really do pencils. I usually just get them professionally tinted. I have to be careful because sometimes I’ll look like Eugene Levy. I tried to tint them myself over quarantine and it was a mess.

R29: What do you do for skincare?

CF: Skincare is my favorite thing in the world. I like Tracie Martyn for facials; It’s like, of a time, and reminds me of Madonna. I also really like the Tracie Maryn face wash and that blue mask. I also like Dr. Sturm; For my birthday, I paid like $300 for her anti-aging serum and I see a difference. Also, Augustinus Bader Rich Cream is a game-changer. I also really like Kat Burki, that vitamin C moisturizer is my favorite.

R29: Do you have tattoos and piercings?

CF: I have a little tattoo on my arm. It says, ‘quand même‘ — like, I literally have a ‘meme’ written on my arm — but it means, ‘Nevertheless, keep going.’ I got it in France in the basement of this guy I found on Instagram. I also have a a few piercings on each ear and love the hoops. I have this Maria Tash earring in right now. Kristen Wiig has a great ear game that I was admiring the other day.

R29: I’m also curious, what’s it like acting on SNL and then watching yourself back? Do ever feel self-critical?

CF: Actually, I think it has helped me chill out a lot. I have such a good makeup artist on SNL, this woman named Daniella [Zivkovic], and I look so shitty beforehand, but she puts on lashes, and my brows get filled in, and there’s good lighting. I definitely learned that the pictures you see in a magazine are not real. I mean, it’s made me appreciate makeup. Also SNL is kind of the dream job because you get to wear wigs.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chloe Fineman (@chloeiscrazy)

R29: How do you style your hair on your own?

CF: Off the show, I use a ghd hair wand to get curls super fast. I never learned how to do that thing with a hair straighter to get a curl. I’m also a hair-clip person. I want to get those big velvet bows. 

R29: How do you think that your approach to beauty has changed as you’ve gotten older?

CF: Lasers! I’m 33 and around 28 I was like, ‘Wait, everyone gets Botox?‘ Suddenly it was this big conspiracy. In the pandemic, I got it for the first time. I was like, ‘Great, I’m home for 6 months, it’s the time.’ The guy did way too much. I did it on a Groupon, which was stupid. I snuck out of the house and didn’t tell my boyfriend. Now, I don’t really get it anymore because I don’t want my face to be frozen.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chloe Fineman (@chloeiscrazy)

R29: So, a Botox lesson learned. What kind of lasers do you get?

CF: I got Fraxel this summer, before the MET Gala. I didn’t research it. The doctor was asking me if I wanted nitrous oxide and I didn’t take it and it really hurt — but it made a huge difference. Right afterwards I looked like that fire scene in Little Rascals; I had to cancel a show at The Groundlings because I was going to scare people. But this is kind of the perfect time to do it because you can cover your face with a face mask and a hat. 

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Hair Frosting Is Replacing Balayage In Top Salons

Tinx Wants To Be Clear — She Loves Botox

How To Have Dewy Skin All Dry Winter Long

For many of us, getting a manicure is a self-care write-off. It takes time and money, yes, but there’s just something about carrying around nice fingernails (insert your adjective of choice: long, rounded, neutral, bright) that makes the hard things in life feel just a teeny bit easier. Of course, you can always do your own nails at home — grab a polish bottle or a box of press-ons and the glue they come with — but nothing can replace the full value of a salon manicure, especially if you’re looking to have it all handled: shaping, gel extensions, and the pièce de résistance in 2022: nail art.

We’ve been charting the rise of nail art for the past few years, and the trends in designs have evolved. While there’s no color or design that’s certified ‘in’ or ‘out,’ because your art aesthetic is personal and subjective, there are a few fun looks that are predicted to be really-trendy this coming year, according to artists, creatives, and industry pros. To find the inspiration to bring to your next appointment, scroll through the 2022 nail art trend report, ahead.

Embellished French

“Embellished French manicures are everywhere right now. Think of it as a typical French manicure, perhaps in a fun color, with some other design element accompanying it. This trend is a fun way to spice up an otherwise-ordinary nail look.” – Emily H. Rudman, CEO and Founder of Emilie Heathe

Hoops & Charms

“Crazy add-ons, such as hoops and nail charms, will make a strong appearance across manicures in 2022. When it comes to our nails, we don’t necessarily prioritize practicality over making a bold statement. Choosing a nail design that you want to show off to everyone you come in contact with will always spark joy — or, at the very minimum, a conversation.” – Chaun Legend, Celebrity Nail Artist

Bright Swirl

“I believe the swirl nail art trend will continue to be popular throughout 2022. It’s fun and versatile: it can either be muted, with earth-tone colors, or really fun, if done with bright, vibrant colors. Depending on the colors you use, this trend can be worn in any  season.” – Alexa Liberatore, Nail Artist and Founder of Facile Nails

Combo Art

“The combo of different art on every nail is big! We will see a lot of  fun colors and pattern combos, whether it be with nail decals, press-ons, or hand painted art, all in the same manicure. The options are endless, which allows people to let loose with their creativity.” – Liberatore

Hot Red

“A clean, bold-colored manicure — like hot pink or red — brings a sense of fun and vibrancy back to people’s lives. We’ve been living through some tough times, and nail art has been a highlight for many of my clients. Their love and appreciation for nail art has grown, I believe, after the salon shutdowns of 2020. Some of my customers have told me that ‘nail day’ is the highlight of their month. Looking down at shiny, sparkly little works of art on their fingertips is a reminder of who they are: awesome people carrying on with life, enjoying the little luxuries of pretty nails, even on the hard days.” – Mia Rubie, Nail Artist and Founder of Sparkle SF Salon

Confetti Glitter

“I hope to see confetti-style glitter looks start trending in 2022. They are just so festive, fun, and go with any ‘theme’ or season. Last year was all about neutral/muted tones, so this year I’m hoping for something a bit more bold and bright to bring happiness to everyone!” – Rebecca Ludwig, Nail Artist and Educator

Earthy Greens

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by J. Hannah (@j.hannah)

“Right now, I’ve been drawn to gradients of green — nods to new starts, growth in winter, and the beautiful range that exists in a single color. [It’s] a theme we explored earlier this season with a JH polish collaboration with the talented @sojinails, who designed an otherworldly interpretation of JH greens with a swirled, three-dimensional layering with our colors Eames, Patina, Artichoke, and Compost.” – Jess Hannah Révész, Founder/Designer of J. Hannah

Two-Toned French

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NAILS OF LA (@nails_of_la)

“A two-toned French manicure is an easy way to step up a nail your nail game and take it to the next level! It’s so versatile, you can pair it with almost any color.” – Brittney Boyce, Celebrity Nail Artist and Founder of Nails of L.A.

Pink + Black

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NAILS OF LA (@nails_of_la)

“I love it when boys defy the norm and wear pink! It’s a really excellent contrast color that looks great as a base with simple black nail art to create that extra pop. I created this look using UN/DN LAQR polish in Party Favor and Depressionist.” – Boyce

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

OPI x Xbox Is The Nail Polish Collab For The Gamer

How Do Semi-Cured Gel Nail Strips Work?

I Tried Peel-Off Nail Polish — & It's So Fun

When it comes to picking a nail polish color, there’s no right or wrong choice. Still, the stakes can seem high when you’re standing in front of a wall of options, or have your entire collection lined up in front of you, and have to choose a single color that fits your mood and energy. In these situations, when I’m indecisive, I think about helpful advice I received from Walaa, an expert in color theory, who told me to, “Pick the first color that catches your eye.” She calls it, a practice of trusting your instinct.

It’s easier to trust my gut when I feel inspired. From a tonal perspective, there are a few specific color trends that are predicted to be big in 2022 for one reason: because they spark joy. Ahead, three nail founders predict the color trends that will be big this year, If nothing else, it might help make your next nail-polish decision a little easier. Who knows, you might surprise yourself picking that bright blue from the wall in 30 seconds flat.

Positive Blue

“Steven Tyler once said that ‘Blue is the closest color to the truth,’ and about 70% of people on the planet would agree that blue is their favorite color, irrespective of gender or age. So as a non-binary nail brand, going into 2022, we feel that blue is the perfect color to move forward in an open, positive, and colorful way. ” – Alison Brown, founder of To Be Frank

Soft Green

“Mint green, For Always, invites balance, peace, and opportunity to refresh your mind and spirit — perfect for entering a new year on a fresh note.” –Maia Alejandro, founder of FOR TMRW

Classic Red

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GLOSSLAB (@glosslab)

“Many of our clients at Glosslab have been staying true to the classics with red this season. The bolder and brighter the shade, the better.” – Rachel Apfel Glass, founder of Glosslab

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

OPI x Xbox Is The Nail Polish Collab For The Gamer

How Do Semi-Cured Gel Nail Strips Work?

I Tried Peel-Off Nail Polish — & It's So Fun