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ROJA LONDON Isola Snow Eau de Parfum Review

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ROJA LONDON Isola Snow Eau de Parfum Review

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ROJA LONDON Isola Snow Eau de Parfum Review

There are some fragrances that are all about drama and projection, and then there are those that quietly draw you in and make you want to slow down and breathe a little deeper. ROJA London Isola Snow definitely sits in the latter camp. It’s less about making an entrance and more about creating a feeling, and it does that beautifully.

What is ROJA London Isola Snow

What is ROJA LONDON Isola Snow
What is ROJA LONDON Isola Snow

ROJA London Isola Snow is the newest release in ROJA London’s Isola collection, created by perfumer Antoine Cotton. The inspiration is a sensory escape to a private winter retreat, nestled among snow-cloaked mountains and surrounded by crisp alpine air.

ROJA LONDON Isola Snow perfumer Antoine Cotton
ROJA LONDON Isola Snow perfumer Antoine Cotton

ROJA London Isola Snow Notes

Top Notes: Bergamot, Hedione, Snowflake Accord, Peppermint

Heart Notes: Pear, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Hivernal

Base Notes: Cardamom, Rhubarb, Cypress, Orris, Rosewood, Cashmeran, Amber Xtreme, Sandalwood, Ambroxan, Musk

My Review

My Review of ROJA LONDON Isola Snow
My Review of ROJA LONDON Isola Snow

For me, ROJA London Isola Snow smells like hugging someone who’s just come in from the cold. That clean, winter-air freshness in their hair. It’s cool and airy, yet instantly comforting. It’s that rare kind of scent that feels fresh and icy, but somehow still like the warmest hug.

It captures the crisp chill of winter air when the sun is shining and everything feels bright and still. What stands out to me is how gentle the freshness feels. It’s clean and icy, but never sharp or harsh. There’s a softness to it that makes it incredibly wearable, even if you’re not usually drawn to cooler, fresher fragrances.

It has that almost translucent quality that feels very modern and very elegant. It smells expensive in a beautifully understated way. Nothing shouts for attention, but everything feels thoughtful and perfectly balanced.

As it wears, Isola Snow develops the most gorgeous soft, creamy dry down. The cool freshness gently melts into something smoother and more cocooning. The base becomes subtly creamy, with a cosy warmth that sits close to the skin, while still holding onto that airy, clean feel.

This is where the fragrance really wins me over. It doesn’t lose its lightness, but it deepens in the most comforting way, bringing you right back to that “clean hair touched by winter air” moment. Cool, fresh, but reassuring all at once. On my skin, that balance is what makes ROJA London Isola Snow so special.

It’s fresh but not sporty, icy but not cold, comforting but never heavy. There’s something incredibly serene about it.

Where to buy it

ROJA London Isola Snow is £385 for 50ml.

Find more of my Fragrance reviews here.

What You’re Really Eating in Zero-Sugar Foods

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What You’re Really Eating in Zero-Sugar Foods

When you’re cruising through the grocery store for something sweet, you might notice a resurgence of zero-sugar foods and low-sugar treats. These snacks, which were big in the ’90s, seem to be making a comeback.

Nabisco is about to have its own option with a planned rollout of Oreo Zero Sugar. This cookie promises to give you the same Oreo taste you know, but without added sugar. “Oreo Zero Sugar offers the classic taste of Oreo, while allowing you to keep your health and wellness goals,” the Oreo website description reads. The brand also notes that these cookies come in two per pack, noting that this is your “portion control and sweet tooth companion.”

But dietitians have concerns, both about what’s in this cookie and the messaging around it. “It’s okay to have a regular cookie in the context of a well-balanced diet,” Jessica Cording, RD, the author of The Little Book of Game-Changerstells SELF. Here’s what’s in these cookies, plus what dietitians want you to keep in mind when it comes to sugar-free treats as a whole.

What’s in Oreo Zero Sugar?

The full ingredients list is on the official Oreo website. Here’s what these cookies contain:

  • Unbleached enriched flour
  • Maltitol
  • Canola oil
  • Palm oil
  • Polydextrose
  • Cornstarch
  • Cocoa
  • Baking soda
  • Sorbitol
  • Salt
  • I am lecithin
  • Chocolate
  • Artificial flavor
  • Sucralose
  • Acesulfame potassium

Worth noting: This cookie contains three artificial sweeteners (maltitol, sorbitol, and sucralose)—keep that in mind for later. The ingredients list for regular Oreo cookies is very similar, but includes sugar and high fructose corn syrup instead of the artificial sweeteners.

Nabisco points out on the label that this is “not a low-calorie food.”

Sugar content aside, Oreo Zero Sugar cookies have a similar nutritional profile to regular Oreos. “It’s basically an Oreo,” Scott Keatley, RD, cofounder of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy, tells SELF.

Two of the zero-sugar cookies contain 90 calories, while two regular Oreos have about 107 calories. (The standard Oreo label lists one serving as three cookies, so you have to do a little math to compare these one-to-one.) The fat content is almost identical too. The only big difference is that regular Oreos contain 9.3 grams of sugar for the same amount you’d eat of Oreo Zero Sugar.

You probably already know this, but sugar-free cookies are not a more nutritious food.

While Nabisco suggests that these cookies are healthy (or, at least, healthier than an average cookie), dietitians say that’s not really the case. “Swapping sugar with sweeteners doesn’t make it more nutritious, and it remains an ultra-processed food with little nutritional benefit,” Keri Gans, RDN, dietitian and host of The Keri Report podcast, tells SELF.

Can You Mix Tretinoin Cream With Hyaluronic Acid?

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Can You Mix Tretinoin Cream With Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid can be a great addition to your skincare routine, especially if you want to add a little extra hydration.

However, if you currently use tretinoin, you might want to think twice before adding a hyaluronic acid serum to your regimen.

While both tretinoin and hyaluronic acid can work wonders for the skin, there are many wrong ways to use them together, which is why some people end up with more problems than they started with.

However, there is one right way to use tretinoin and hyaluronic acid togetherwhich is what I will talk about in this article.

But before we get into that, let’s first talk about what these substances do for the skin and how they can benefit you.

NB: I can show you how to never have acne again. If you have acne and want it goneread this message.

How Does Tretinoin Cream Work?

Tretinoin, also known as all-trans retinoic acid, is an active form of vitamin A. It’s one of the most studied and research-backed ingredients and works incredibly well to fix various skin concerns.

Tretinoin speeds up cell turnover (the rate at which your skin produces new cells and sheds them from its surface.)

Therefore, after starting tretinoin, your skin cells will travel faster to the surface, purging clogs in the process and revealing a brighter, smoother, healthier, and more unified complexion.

Some of the main benefits of using tretinoin are:

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Work?

Hyaluronic acid is a substance that naturally occurs in the human body. It can be found all over our bodies, especially around skin cells and less so inside cells.

In fact, hyaluronic acid makes up about 50% of all glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which are large molecules known as polysaccharides that deal with the support and maintenance of structural proteins such as collagen and elastin.

From all this, we can tell that hyaluronic acid plays an essential role in healthy-looking skin by holding moisture within its structure and maintaining smoothness and elasticity.

Some benefits of using hyaluronic acid include the following:

  • Increased hydration.
  • Skin looking healthy and glowy.
  • Stronger skin barrier that carries other vital functions, such as defending itself from pathogens.
  • Reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Reduction in acne lesions.

Can You Mix Tretinoin Cream With Hyaluronic Acid?

Tretinoin cream and hyaluronic acid can be used together, and there is one right way to use them without experiencing severe irritation, peeling, and discomfort.

Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means it pulls moisture from the environment or the deeper layers of the skin and into the superficial layers of the skin.

This means that for hyaluronic acid to work properly, it should be applied to clean and damp skin so that it can do its job effectively.

Applying hyaluronic acid to dry skin will have the opposite effect and make your skin feel dry and tight.

Additionally, hyaluronic acid is a water-based product, so it can quickly evaporate if not sealed with an emollient-based product, such as a moisturizer.

Emollients are supple, wax-like, lubricating, and thickening agents that prevent water loss by creating an occlusive layer on the skin’s surface. Examples of emollients are triglycerides, benzoates, myristates, palmitates, and stearates, found in various moisturizers.

Now back to hyaluronic acid. Once applied to clean, damp skin, hyaluronic acid should immediately be followed up with an emollient-based moisturizer before it fully dries out to prevent evaporation and dry out the skin.

This is the most effective way to use hyaluronic acid and experience the benefits without irritation.

Now, let’s talk about using tretinoin cream.

Tretinoin cream, as the complete opposite of hyaluronic acid, should be applied to clean and dry skin.

Wet or damp skin is more permeable than dry skin and will absorb more tretinoin, resulting in increased dryness and irritation.

So, if hyaluronic acid works best when applied to damp skin and tretinoin is less irritating when applied to dry skin, do you think that using these two ingredients together can be beneficial?

The answer is no. Using hyaluronic acid and tretinoin together in this way will only lead to more irritation, dryness, and peeling.

How to Use Tretinoin Cream & Hyaluronic Acid Together Without Side Effects?

There are several ways to use hyaluronic acid and tretinoin as part of your skincare routine and not experience side effects.

Some of these include using hyaluronic acid in the morning and tretinoin in the evening or using them on different days completely.

However, there is one right way to use tretinoin cream and hyaluronic acid together without side effects, and here’s how it works:

Step 01: Start by thoroughly cleansing your skin and letting it dry on its own without using a towel.

Step 02: Next, apply your hyaluronic acid serum or essence while the skin is still damp but not dripping wet or bone dry.

Step 03: Immediately follow up with an emollient-based moisturizer before the hyaluronic acid has a chance to fully dry out.

Step 04: Let the products sink in for thirty minutes to an hour before moving on to your next step.

Step 05: After thirty minutes to an hour, apply your tretinoin cream as you usually would on top of the hyaluronic acid and moisturizer.

The reason why you should wait this long is to ensure that you won’t be moving both the moisturizer and tretinoin around during application, as this will give you uneven coverage.

This is the only way to use tretinoin cream and hyaluronic acid together without experiencing side effects such as irritation, dryness, and peeling.

Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums To Use With Tretinoin

Here are some of the best hyaluronic acid serums to use with tretinoin to get maximum results without any side effects.

COSRX – Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

COSRX – Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

The COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin is an excellent product if you want something simple and budget-friendly.

Containing 96% snail secretion filtrate, a natural form of hyaluronic acid to plump, hydrate, and boost radiance, this essence is perfect for all skin types and works well with most actives, including tretinoin cream.

Replenix – Hyaluronic Acid Hydration Serum

Replenix – Hyaluronic Acid Hydration Serum

Replenix Hyaluronic Acid Hydration Serum is a lightweight product packed with humectants and anti-inflammatory ingredients such as zinc and copper PCA.

These can help strengthen the skin barrier and mitigate irritation associated with tretinoin.

It also addresses signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, but it’s also excellent for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

SkinCeuticals – Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier

SkinCeuticals – Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier

The Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier is a hardworking serum that helps restore dry and dehydrated skin but also calms irritation with ingredients such as licorice extract and purple rice.

The Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier also contains 10% Proxylane, a patented ingredient that supports the skin’s hyaluronic acid level from the inside to help improve firmness and give the skin a plumper, dewier and healthy-looking complexion.

The Acne Solution: Your Ultimate Guide To Flawless Complexion

An extensive, no-nonsense course showing you how to never have acne againfrom a licensed Esthetician specializing in oily/acne-prone skin.

Audrey Hepburn – Besame Cosmetics

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Audrey Hepburn – Besame Cosmetics

Our April style icon Audrey Hepburn embodied a style that is continuously relevant through decades of fashion fads and innovations. Women revere Audrey while young girls and teens aspire to emulate her. Audrey brought the pixie look to Hollywood. Originally from England, she had a definite British influence with a fun subtle touch of proper. Her white gloves and structured feminine dresses feel both idyllic and chic. Audrey made a T-shirt and cropped pants a modern definition of chic. This paired with her signature short pixie cut and full straight eyebrows has been a style reference for designers, artists, actresses, models and makeup and hairstylists all over the world. The quintessential girl next door, adorable tom boy, pixie, elegant Cinderella, Audrey was all of these things for her generation as well as generations to follow.

Get the look:

Audrey’s brows define her look just as much as her wardrobe and hairstyle, if not more. Using Besame’s brown cake mascara thinned slightly more with water, apply with an angled brow brush. Shape the top of your brow first. Slightly define the top of the arch while keeping the tail straight. Next shape under the brow. Audrey had a higher arch that she filled in to create her signature look. Do this by filling the brow in fuller in the middle and slightly tapering at the end.

Audrey maintained a very fresh look with her flawless skin. Use Besame’s pressed powders for a soft focus radiance. Try Violet around the cheekbones and eyes for extra brightening.

While Audrey wore many shades of lipstick, red was her signature. Many of her most iconic images have her in a  true red lipstick. Look to Besame for our collection of true vintage reds. Besame not only has a shade matched for each era, but also for each skin tone.

How has Audrey influenced your style through the decades?

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Pop Culture Moments That Broke The Internet In 2025

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Pop Culture Moments That Broke The Internet In 2025

When Sydney Sweeney was announced as the star of a new American Eagle advert – no one could have predicted the storm that it would create. In the advert, Sweeney told the world that she has ‘great jeans’, something that unfortunately sounds identical to the phrase ‘great genes’ – which was not a great look for the blonde, blue eyed star (read: white supremecist undertones). There were calls for Sweeney to apologise for the ad – but a misguided podcast interview only made it worse.

One small step for Katy Perry, one giant leap for internet jokes

In April, Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket took an all-female crew into space. In attendance was his wife Lauren Sanchez and CBS presenter Gayle King – but one passenger stole the show, Katy Perry. It’s hard to pick just one moment – maybe it was when she serenaded everyone with Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World,” maybe as she stared at a floating flower ignoring the view of earth behind her, or maybe it was when she kissed the ground on her return. The whole journey was only eleven minutes, but Katy Perry turned every second into a meme.

“Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” had us reliving our worst memories

The standout song of the summer wasn’t released this year; it wasn’t even released this decade. Jess Glynne’s “Hold My Hand” found a new life as the soundtrack of the ‘Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday’ advert. For weeks, you couldn’t scroll TikTok or Instagram Reels without hearing the jingle above a video of a toilet exploding, or a roof caving in, or a hotel infested with bugs. It might have been the worst holiday of your life, but at least you saved £50 per person for a family of four.

Celebrity Traitors brings back appointment TV

The Traitors returned to our screens, but this time with a twist – an all-star cast. Whether it was Paloma Faith getting murdered, Celia Imrie farting during a challenge, or Alan Carr bursting into laughter as he said ‘I’m a faithful’ – every night had a moment that kept us hooked. Season 2 is coming next year and Claudia’s bound to have more tricks up her sleeve.

6 Bad Habits for Sensitive Skin

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6 Bad Habits for Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin, you’re well versed in the many emotional and environmental factors that can affect this temperamental skin type.

Maybe you tried a new cleanser, maybe the wind simply changed direction – and now your skin is red and inflamed. But can anything and everything really be a trigger for sensitive skin? We’ll go over what sensitive skin means, and the key things not to do if you have this vulnerable skin type.

Do You Really Have Sensitive Skin?

About 70% of people in the U.S. consider themselves to have sensitive skin. In a skin care realm saturated with “sensitive skin” labeled products, it’s easy to fall victim to marketing ploys that promise safety for your skin. But with a few type-testing criteria, you’ll be well on your way to knowing if you have skin sensitivity.

Maybe it’s in your genes
You could be genetically predisposed to the skin type. Genetically, sensitive skin is considered more delicate because it has less pigmentation, a thin epidermis, and blood vessels close to the skin’s surface; hence the appearance of redness and irritation.

With a less protective epidermis, skin irritants and topical products can easily penetrate and cause reactions such as blisters and flushing. Though sensitive skin can be passed down through generations, there are still ways to manage its effects.

Maybe it’s in your environment
You could be environmentally exposed to the skin type. This means the protective layer of your skin has been compromised by something other than genetic factors. This “sensitized” skin can be brought on by external factors such as pollution, stress, alcohol, cosmetic ingredients, diet, and climate changes.

With sensitized skin, environmental triggers can cause inflammation, tingling, itching, and thickening or dryness of the skin. While some of the environmental factors are difficult to avoid, others can be managed through natural skin care and lifestyle changes.

Follow these tips to help protect your sensitive skin against environmental triggers and enjoy healthy, beautiful skin every day.

What Exactly Is Sensitive Skin?

If your skin is constantly experiencing adverse reactions to certain ingredients, that may cue you off to having sensitive skin. Have you ever tried a few too many makeup, body care, or perfume testers at the mall? After perusing around for a little while, did you start to feel itching, burning, or irritation on your skin? That could be a sign that you’ve overwhelmed or sensitized your skin.

You may also have bad skin reactions to products if you have a pre-existing condition like eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis. For more delicate or fairer skin types, something as simple as applying gentle pressure to your skin will trigger sudden redness.

Patch testing skin care

6 Bad Habits for Sensitive Skin

Having sensitive skin can feel like wandering through a minefield. From hereditary factors to environmental triggers, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what’s causing your bad skin reaction. Get to know these sensitive-skin no-no’s, to avoid possible triggers and maintain clear, healthy skin.

#1: Trying products without patch testing
Put your hand up if you run home after purchasing a new skin care product, and slather it on your face? As enticing as this is, refrain from diving in headfirst. If you suspect having sensitive skin or are trying out products for the first time, consider patch testing first. Patch testing may identify signs of an allergy, such as redness or irritation.

Patch testing will ultimately tell you if a product is safe for you, and you’ll save money by returning a product that you can’t use. Consider using the side of your neck to test since the skin is thinner there and generally more reactive. To be more discreet, test behind your ear. Then wait 24 hours so you can look for signs of redness or irritation. If your neck or ear area can tolerate it, chances are your face can, too.

PRO TIP: When patch testing, always use the product as directed. For example, don’t leave a cleanser on your skin without rinsing it off; this can cause undue reactions since cleansers are meant to be rinsed away.

#2: Continuing to use products that trigger reactions
We’re all too familiar with loving things that aren’t good for us. It’s not easy to stroll down that aisle of desserts without salivating like Pavlov’s dog. If you have sensitive skin, falling in love with a skin care product – even if the love isn’t reciprocated – is an absolute no-no.

If you have sensitive skin and are continuing to use a product that’s causing reactions, it’s time to break up. The same goes for the convenience factor of holding on, instead of dealing with the tedious return process. Get that money back, and make room on your shelf for something that deserves your love!

#3: Buying products with sensitizing ingredients
With skin that’s as temperamental and delicate as sensitive skin, you want to be mindful of what you’re putting on it. Many conventional skin care and beauty products contain harmful ingredients that are not only bad for sensitive skin, they can further exasperate your reactivity.

The next time you’re shopping for skin care, it’s important to read ingredient lists: opt for nutrients, not toxins. Avoid chemically laden products, harsh dyes and fragrances, sulfates, detergents, and alcohols. Get to know which ingredients are good for you, and make a list of the ones that tend to trigger adverse reactions.

#4: Using photosensitive ingredients during the day
Yes: that skin-loving, brightening superstar vitamin C can be a photosensitive trigger for sensitive skin! That means it makes skin sensitive, and therefore more vulnerable, to the effects of sunlight. If you have skin sensitivities, wearing vitamin C during the day can make you more susceptible to redness, irritation, and inflammation. Retinol, alpha hydroxy acids, and hydroquinone are other daytime no-no’s.

With sensitive skin, you’ll want to save vitamin C or other photosensitive ingredients for nighttime use. For very sensitive skin, even a broad spectrum sunscreen can’t stop photosensitive reactions from wearing ingredients like vitamin C or citrus.

#5: Skipping sunscreen

If you have sensitive skin, you’ll know this catch-22: sunlight irritates your skin, but many sunblocks can trigger reactions. While we understand the seemingly no win-win situation, it’s highly important to not skip wearing a daily sunscreen.

Sensitive skin is particularly more susceptible to sun damage because it has a weaker structure and is less resilient to external aggressors like the sun. If you’re experiencing a reaction from sunscreen, it’s likely due to active chemicals like oxybenzone, avobenzone, or octinoxate. Mineral oils and fragrances in sunscreens are also common culprits for adverse reactions. Stick with mineral options like zinc oxide, and apply daily!

Scrubbing face with soap

#6: Washing too often or too hard
Sensitive skin types need a little extra TLC when it comes to cleansing. Washing sensitive skin is a delicate balance between hygiene and protective barrier damage. While you’ll want to be mindful to use a gentle natural cleanser, you’ll also want to be careful to not strip your skin.

If you have sensitive skin, refrain from over-washing your face or scrubbing too hard with any type of skin care product. Scrubbing will not only disrupt your skin’s lipid barrier, it will aggravate inflammation and trigger redness.

Finding ways to avoid potential triggers and soothe irritated skin will help keep your skin calm, strong, and healthy. If you’re interested in learning more about great products for sensitive skin, be sure to keep up with our skin care blog!

Soothing Solutions: Products to Support & Strengthen Sensitive Skin

While avoiding bad habits is key, pairing your skincare routine with calming, barrier-repairing formulas can help your skin stay resilient through everyday stressors. Here are three ultra-gentle, sensitive-skin-safe 100% PURE products formulated to reduce inflammation, soothe irritation, and protect your skin’s delicate moisture barrier:

1. Calendula Flower Cleansing Milk

Made with soothing calendula, chamomile, and rose hydrosol, this creamy cleanser gently removes impurities without stripping the skin. It’s ideal for sensitive skin types prone to redness or dryness, offering both hydration and calm in every cleanse.

Why it’s great: Fragrance-free, ultra-mild, and packed with skin-soothing botanicals that reduce inflammation.

2. Restorative Sea Culture Replenishing Serum

This serum harnesses the power of mineral-rich sea kelp and green algae to rebuild and fortify the skin barrier. Lightweight but deeply hydrating, it restores calm to sensitized skin while supporting long-term healing.

Why it’s great: Targets inflammation and barrier repair without the risk of stinging or reactivity.

3. Hydra Drench Cream

This lightweight, ultra-hydrating cream is infused with omega-rich chia seed gel and sodium PCA, which mimic the skin’s own natural moisturizing factors. It offers deep hydration without heaviness, making it ideal for sensitive or combination skin.

Why it’s great: Absorbs quickly, reduces redness, and supports long-term moisture balance—without clogging pores or irritating delicate skin.

FAQ: Sensitive Skin Questions—Answered

1. What ingredients should I avoid if I have sensitive skin?

Sensitive skin types should avoid synthetic fragrances, alcohols, sulfates (like SLS), parabens, and harsh exfoliants. Ingredients like oxybenzone (in sunscreen), menthol, and certain essential oils (e.g., peppermint, citrus) can also be irritating. Instead, opt for fragrance-free or naturally scented products made with soothing ingredients like calendula, chamomile, oat, and aloe.

2. Can I exfoliate if I have sensitive skin?

Yes—but gently and sparingly. Choose enzyme-based or mild lactic acid exfoliants over gritty scrubs, and limit exfoliation to once a week. Always follow with a calming serum or moisturizer, like the Restorative Sea Culture Replenishing Serum, to soothe the skin barrier after exfoliation.

3. Why does my skin react to almost every product?

You may have a compromised skin barrier or be experiencing contact dermatitis triggered by common allergens like fragrance or preservatives. Look for products with a short ingredient list, free from known irritants, and consider patch testing everything. Chronic reactivity may also be linked to underlying skin conditions like eczema or rosacea—speak to a dermatologist for confirmation.

4. Can diet affect sensitive skin?

Absolutely. High-sugar, high-dairy, or highly processed diets can contribute to systemic inflammation, which shows up as flare-ups in sensitive skin. Anti-inflammatory foods like berries, leafy greens, turmeric, fatty fish, and chia seeds may help reduce redness and support overall skin health.

5. Is sunscreen safe for sensitive skin?

Yes, but choose your formula wisely. Avoid chemical sunscreens with active ingredients like oxybenzone or avobenzone, which are more likely to cause irritation. Instead, choose a physical (mineral) sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Always patch test new SPF and look for formulas that are fragrance-free and designed for sensitive skin.

Is There a “Right” Order for Applying Your Makeup Products?

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Is There a “Right” Order for Applying Your Makeup Products?

Another tip from Eldridge worth heeding: “Don’t apply the concealer in a circle over the [eye] area. Keep the edges rough, as it will help with blending and will make the concealer look more seamless.”

Step 6: Cream contour

LYS Beauty

No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick

Sai

Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer

Cream contour and blush are interchangeable, but, Pagan says, “it’s better to create shadows with contour before adding color with blush.” Experts generally agree.

Eldridge and Burton both offer this rule of thumb: cream before powder. “By working in this way, you can create beautiful layers,” says Burton. “If you were to use a cream product, then add powder, and then go back to cream again, you risk ending up with a sort of paste-like barrier, which can leave the makeup looking cakey and artificial.”

I love the LYS No Limits Cream Contour & Bronzer Stick for when I’m doing a rush makeup job—the stick applicator makes it easy to contour quickly. When I have a bit more time, though, I’ve found that the Saie Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer, when thoroughly buffed in, creates a natural-looking sculpt.

Step 7: Cream blush

Rare Beauty

Soft Pinch Liquid Blush

BeautyTok has shown us many ways to apply cream blush. Sunburnt blush focuses the color in the very center of your face for a just-tanned effect, while the doll-blush trend places it on the apples of cheeks for a smooth look. Experiment with different placements to find the one that best suits your face. In general, though, Sidwell recommends “adding blush to the outer apples of the cheeks and blending toward the center of the ear.”

I love the sunburnt blush look. Obviously, I’m less a fan of actual sunburn (as mentioned above, remember to include SPF in your beauty routine), and since I don’t aspire to achieve reddened cheeks the old-fashioned way, I use the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (a pigment-packed liquid) or the Rhode Pocket Blush Buildable Hydrating Cream Blush (an easy-to-blend stick formula).

Step 8: Setting powder

Charlotte Tilbury

Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder

Huda Beauty

Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder

To lock in your hard work so far, grab a setting powder (loose or pressed), a fluffy brush, and a makeup puff. Says Pagan, “I like to lightly sweep the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Refillable Blurring & Setting Powder under the eyes and T-zone with a brush first, then press the powder with a puff under eyes and spots prone to oiliness to seal and mattify.”

Why Are Straight, Middle-Aged Women So Into ‘Heated Rivalry’?

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Why Are Straight, Middle-Aged Women So Into ‘Heated Rivalry’?

I’m a lesbian who loves gay romance. And no, not just stories about queer women—although of course, those too—but also gay male media. My girlfriend and I have binged the likes of Young Royals, Fellow Travellers, and Red, White & Royal Blue. This year, we were even Jack and Ennis from Brokeback Mountain for Halloween. So as Heated RivalryHBO Max’s newest gay TV show, took the world by storm in the last few weeks, I, too, became someone who eagerly awaits episode drops every Friday night.

Based on the novel by Rachel Reid, Heated Rivalry follows two top hockey players, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, who start a secret romance that continues across many years as they navigate balancing their public fame with their private relationship. And as the show has garnered significant attention—from its gripping sex scenes to the classic enemies-to-lovers trope—it isn’t just queer audiences that are singing its praises. Maybe surprisingly to some, straight women are just as invested—if not even more so.

This phenomenon is hardly new. Women account for nearly half of viewers of gay male porn, according to a recent study. There’s also the growing popularity of “fujoshi”—a Japanese term for women who seek out male/male romance content. Clearly, there have always been straight women who enjoy consuming media about gay male relationships. But what makes this romance genre in books, movies, and TV shows like Heated Rivalry so appealing to them? We spoke to sex therapists to get their take.

Queer sex breaks the mold of restrictive dynamics.

Possibly one of the most obvious aspects of depictions of queer sex is its subversion of more traditional ideas of physical intimacy. Gay sex can mean different things to different people; when Ilya and Shane meet up in Shane’s hotel room for the first time, viewers—and even the characters themselves—don’t know exactly how the scene will play out. In contrast, “standard heteronormative thinking often dictates that men and women have fixed, specific, and complementary roles in a sexual relationship,” Candice Nicole Hargons, PhD, associate professor at Emory University’s School of Public Health and author of Good Sex, tells SELF. In other words, the stereotypical flow of straight sex—make out, missionary, man orgasms—doesn’t leave a lot of room for imagination and expression. Gay sex proposes an alternative: pleasure where penetrative sex isn’t always the goal and your gender doesn’t determine your role.

When straight women engage in gay male media, then, there may be more room to imagine alternatives for themselves, Hargons adds. “This exposure to fluid, nontraditional relationship dynamics can be immensely beneficial, allowing them to envision more equitable and satisfying arrangements in their own heterosexual relationships as well.”

Being unburdened by pressure and performance leaves more room for fantasy.

And while the absence of women at the center of gay romance might seem like a deterrence for straight women, it can actually be freeing. “Without a woman character to compare themselves to or ‘perform through,’ viewers can focus on desire, intimacy, and emotional connection in a way that feels playful rather than pressured,” explains Tennessee-based queer sex therapist, Emma Smith, PhD.

Lumson designs the packaging for POREfessional foundation from Benefit Cosmetics

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Lumson designs the packaging for POREfessional foundation from Benefit Cosmetics

The Californian beauty brand, founded by Jean and Joane Ford in 1976, chose the Unique 30ml frosted bottle from Lumson for its new smoothing and blurring matte foundation POREfessional. This bottle, with a rounded base and a 20/400 neck, is associated with the AB226 pump with PEARL 175 actuator (white version) for easy and precise application.

The bottle and the pump are both signed Lumson. With its elegant silhouette and clean lines, the bottle catches the eye and is immediately recognizable. The white and fuchsia UV screen printing brings a touch of dynamism and refinement, in perfect harmony with Benefit’s friendly and playful aesthetic. The brand’s iconography is reflected in the design, while the dynamic and legible typography reinforces its distinctive tone: both casual and professional.

The POREfessional Smoothing and Blurring Matte Foundation is the latest non-comedogenic creation from Benefit Cosmetics (LVMH group). Designed to minimize the appearance of enlarged pores, smooth skin texture and resist clumps and smudging, this long-wearing foundation is available in 40 shades. It lets the skin breathe while providing a flawless finish, even on the busiest days. Formulated with rosehip extract and glycerin, and enriched with niacinamide (vitamin B3) to refine the skin’s texture and even out the complexion, this product intensely hydrates and visibly improves the quality of the skin day after day.


The packaging chosen by Benefit Cosmetics is part of Lumson’s extensive makeup portfolio, which includes 45 bottles and 7 glass jars of 5 to 40 mlavailable in three main shapes (round, square and special), as well as lipsticks, glosses and squeeze bottles designed to meet all the needs of the sector.

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 893

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 893

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).

1. What holiday beauty gifts have you bought?

I picked up a lovely Jo Malone perfume duo, a couple of Laneige skin care sets, my favorite body scrub and a tea tree oil foot spray, among other things!

2. And were any of those beauty gifts for yourself?

LOL, surprisingly no! I did buy an azelaic acid serum for myself, though, while I was at Ulta.

3. What’s for breakfast today?

Trader Joe’s Protein Pancakes. Have you tried them? They’re so good!

4. Have you baked anything for the holidays?

Not yet so far, but next weekend, I’ll be doing either cookies or brownies. At least, that’s my hope. If I’m completely frazzled, then I’m going to give myself the option to tap out of that yearly tradition this time around.

5. What’s your favorite holiday song?

It’s a toss up between Mariah’s “All I Want for Christmas” (I know, so basic) and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. What holiday beauty gifts have you bought?
2. And were any of those beauty gifts for yourself?
3. What’s for breakfast today?
4. Have you baked anything for the holidays?
5. What’s your favorite holiday song?

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