Javon Ford

Washing your face shouldn’t be complicated, yet it’s somehow become a multi-step, multi-product, time-consuming ordeal. There are wipes to remove makeup (incompletely), oils and balms to melt waterproof mascara and long-wearing foundation, and micellar waters, foams, or gel cleansers to clear off the film left by the oils. As everyone who’s ever had a mother knows, you want to remove your makeup before you go to bed because makeup can trap oils, pollution, and skin cells on the face.

Gel manicures seem ideal for anyone who’s a little clumsy, busy, or uninterested in visiting the nail salon every week. The gels work by forming a hard, shiny, budge-proof seal over the nails when they’re cured under a UV or LED lamp. The resulting polish can last two to three weeks without a chip. But, wouldn’t you know, there’s a hitch. The EU recently banned a chemical, trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO), used in many gel polishes.

If you know anything about skincare products, you know the benefits of a vitamin C serum. It’s a potent antioxidant that protects against the cellular damage caused by pollution and sun exposure. It also brightens skin and helps fade dark spots over time. And it builds collagen, which is a lovely attribute if you like your face to be plump and bouncy. But there’s a hitch—isn’t there always? Vitamin C is unstable and loses potency when it’s exposed to light or oxygen.