As much as we’d love to schedule regular sessions at our favorite medi-spa, extralong lunch breaks for yet another “doctor’s appointment” aren’t always possible. But there’s no excuse not to squeeze in a before-bed peel with the Microdelivery Mini Peel Pads ($35) by Philosophy, available at Nordstrom (Natick Collection, 290 Speen Street, Natick, 508.318.2600). Like the anti-acne pads of our middle-school days, these glide over the face and neck, exfoliating, evening skin tone, and diminishing the look of fine lines with nary an uncomfortable tingle.
On days when we wake up too late for a shower, we’ve been known to shrug on a wrinkled buttondown, spritz on some perfume, and sop up the grease that’s accumulated at our hairline with a few pinches of baby powder. Luckily for our cubicle mate, Stila has created a version of the latter that doesn’t leave us smelling like a two-year-old with a bad case of diaper rash. Crème Bouquet Hair Refresher ($28), available at www.stilacosmetics.com, also adds a little lift to drooping roots.
So many evenings, we find ourselves barreling out of the office, late for some social engagement or another. And when we’re on the run, there isn’t always time to re-apply all of our makeup. Our little secret? A swipe of lip gloss and a few dabs of Laura Mercier’s Secret Finish ($35). We depend on the latter to restore our glowing complexion after a long day under fluorescent lights; it also smoothes any caking that’s developed since our morning makeup application. Stock up at Neiman Marcus (5 Copley Place, Boston, 617.536.3660).
You have to look at the big picture with this one: Bliss’s Get Out of Hair! ($35) three-in-one moisturizer incorporates a “FuzzKill” complex to keep stubble at bay between shaves; willowbark extract to combat ingrown hairs; and vitamins A, C, E, and shea butter to keep skin smooth and soothed. Hair regrowth slows over time, which means you’ll need to shave less often and, therefore, enjoy speedier showers. Beauty & Main (30 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 617.868.7171) is stocking the product for fall.
There’s so much cosmetics clutter lying around our apartment that few products in the testing stage actually enter into our regular rotation. But ever since we plucked Perfékt Skin Perfection Gel ($57.50) from our “to try” pile, we’ve barely put it down. Sold at Sephora (Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.4200), the moisturizing liquid-to-powder formula goes on supersoft and plays a variety of roles — makeup primer, color corrector, foundation, and setting powder — which saves us from our typical harried morning routine of juggling bottles, tubes, and compacts over the bathroom sink. Coverage is sheer, but the slight sheen does wonders for fatigued complexions.
