The Ingredient Combo That Actually Makes A Difference On My Annoying Little...
Who has two clubbed thumbs and has tried a million skincare products? THIS GAL. But as a beauty editor and Jane-proclaimed nerd, I've done more than just try products; I've paid careful attention to...
View ArticleParabens: My Better-Late-Than-Never Personal Investigation
As you might imagine, I have a bunch of bottles of cleansers, shampoos, hair products, etc. in my bathroom. Right now I don’t even have as many as I usually do since I’ve been really good about taking...
View ArticleMy Return To Silicones: The Taboo Ingredient That Makes My Curly Hair Look...
I have curly hair, and I’m using a conditioner with silicones. I know, I know, it’s like the first rule of curly hair that you do NOT use silicones under any circumstances, but lemme explain. When I...
View ArticleThis Product Is Giving Me Major Acne While Making My Boyfriend Sexier
It's a BEARD CONDITIONER, because apparently that exists! It’s great because I love beards. I actually jacked it to a Rasputin documentary on Netflix just the other day. I also like disgusting dudes...
View ArticleCamel's Milk: The Weird New Thing For Super-Soft Skin
While traveling in Egypt, I learned that men flatter females by measuring their beauty in camels. For example, "Oh, you're so beautiful! Five hundred camels for you!" I happened to get an offer for one...
View ArticleQuick Question: What's The Weirdest Ingredient You've Ever Noticed In A...
A few months ago, I was hanging out with my friend Colleen while she was eating some Müller FrütUp yogurt, because we are party animals. As she was finishing up, an emboldened line at the end of the...
View Article7 Uses For Vodka That Will Actually IMPROVE Your Appearance
If you're like the many humans who stroll upon this Earth enjoying the occasional adult beverage, I suspect you may have a bit of vodka on hand at any given time. While consumption is probably your...
View ArticleCholesterol: It Almost Killed My Dad, But It Makes My Hair So Pretty
The week before my 12th birthday, my then-49-year-old father had a heart attack. This shook up my family in all sorts of ways. Dad was in the hospital for two weeks, which scared the crap out of me...
View ArticleDragon's Blood: It's Real And Really Great For Your Skin
As you may have guessed, dragon's blood doesn't actually come from a mythical, fire-breathing beast and it is not, in fact, blood. Dragon's blood is actually a sap derived from the Dragon Tree and gets...
View ArticleMonday Beauty Vocab: Humectants + Emollients + Occlusive Agents = Moisturizer!
Hello xoVain! Welcome to my new feature, Monday Beauty Vocab. Here we can discuss terms, concepts, and ingredients from the beauty world. You’ll find answers about what something is, how it works, and...
View ArticleBeauty Product Allergies: How To Make Sure Your Skin Won't Freak Out
Product allergies are a very real thing for me. I learned it the hard way, of course. For someone who has eczema, and a sensitive nose and eyes, I wasn’t very careful about what I was putting on my...
View ArticleA Nonjudgmental Guide To Vegan Beauty Products
I've been vegan three times in my life, the longest stretch lasting a full year. I just started up again, and I hope this time the lifestyle change will stick (as in, I will find a way to create a...
View ArticleHow To Never Buy Bad Lipstick Again
As you know, I am a die-hard lipstick fan. I like how lipstick can elevate a t-shirt and jeans into a full outfit. I like how a shade can express my moods and emotions. And I like how I can be part of...
View ArticleI Made My Own Tinted Lip Balm Because My Favorite One Betrayed Me
I never had the pleasure of finding my “must-have” or “beauty essential” (if we’re talking in editorial lingo here) until about three years ago, when I happened upon Nivea’s Kiss of Cherry lip balm. It...
View ArticleIs There Any Truth to a Serum's Claims that It Can Boost Your Other Skincare?
I’ve watched with curiosity as "booster" serums have popped up in the skincare market recently. Everyone wants their skincare to work better, so it’s easy to see the appeal. Do you really need to be...
View ArticlePretty Fly for a Fungi: Why You Want Mushrooms in Your Skincare Products
Seek me out in a bookstore and you'll find me on one of three places: biographies, travel or field guides. And if there's one type of field guide I can't resist reaching for, in particular, it has to...
View ArticleBroccoli: Even If You Don't Like to Eat It, You May Like It in Your Skincare
I imagine your momma probably told you to eat your vegetables, but I bet she didn't tell you to put them all over your face. In fact, I presume that if your child-self actually did, the ensuing...
View Article5 Tips that Made My Combination Skin the Softest It's Ever Been
In the seventh grade, when I hit puberty and started breaking out like crazy (thanks, Mother Nature and genes), I made it my goal to try every drugstore acne product I could to clear up my skin. I was...
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