Photo courtesy of Szymon Brzóska
Are You Laid-Back or Polished?
(A Hair, Skin, and Makeup Guide)
Fresh, spanking-white sneakers or groovy organic sandals? Fringed Ulla sundress or sleek Victoria Beckham pencil skirt? Crisp red lip or just-bitten stain? Whether you stick to a signature style religiously or switch things up day by day, the hair and makeup you choose help make the statement.
No matter what your style, shiny, healthy-looking hair and glowing, nourished skin make the best foundation. From there, go as crisp or as flowy as your mood takes you. Here, the essentials for each style—right down to the scent and the skin care.
HAIR
-
Top hairstylist and Dove ambassador Mark Townsend explains that no matter what your style, moisturizing your hair is the key to making it look its best. “You have to get that moisture,” he says. “The Augustinus Bader shampoo and conditioner are great for that,” he says.
-
Augustinus Bader The Shampoo goop, $55SHOP NOW
Laid-back
All-Day-at-Zuma Beachy Waves
“Beachy waves are the ultimate low-key look,” says Townsend.
-
1
“Out of the shower, rough-dry your hair with a microfiber towel to minimize frizz, then use the Innersense volumizing foam,” he says. “And you can use a diffuser to build in some volume right away.”
-
GA.MA. Italy Professional IQ Perfetto goop, $399SHOP NOW -
Innersense I Create Lift
Volumizing Foam goop, $28SHOP NOW -
Aquis Lisse Luxe Hair Towel goop, $30SHOP NOW
-
2
“After the rough-dry, put your hair up in a loose bun with a hairpin for about ten to fifteen minutes,” says Townsend.
-
Deborah Pagani Small Sleek Hairpin goop, $70SHOP NOW
-
Rahua Enchanted
Island Sea Spray goop, $34SHOP NOW -
Innersense Inner Peace Whipped Creme Texturizer goop, $22SHOP NOW
3
“Drop the bun and you should have some loose, cool waves,” he says. “Follow with a salt spray like Rahua’s for beachy waves (they’re never going out of style) or, for dry or damaged hair, smooth Innersense Whipped Creme at the ends to give your hair moisture and great texture.”
-
4
“If you want more volume, there’s nothing better than dry shampoo. Tease a little through your hair,” he says.
Act + Acre Plant Based Dry Shampoo goop, $22SHOP NOW
Polished
Just-Closed-Round-A Sleekness
For a more pulled-together look, Townsend likes a sleek and shiny braid, ponytail (high or low), or slicked-back bun. “Either way, it’s not about spending hours and hours; it’s about taking the frizz down and adding shine,” he says.
-
1
“Work in Augustinus Bader hair oil; it’s amazing for immediate shine,” says Townsend. “Let it sit in your hair for about five minutes before you start styling.
Augustinus Bader The Hair Oil goop, $50SHOP NOW -
2
“A neat middle or side part makes the look clean and sleek. Even if you’re not doing a part, the details of the hairline are just as important. A heat-styling brush can help slick the hair back and keep it in place,” he says.
NuMe Hair Heat Styling Brush goop, $179SHOP NOW
-
3
“For a super tight pony, braid, or bun, a balm like the one from Rahua is a great alternative to hair spray, which can be very drying. And it’s great for touch-ups: I like to dip a toothbrush in the balm, then smooth through the hair to tame frizz and flyaways. You can also use a clean mascara wand to comb down baby hairs. If you have coarse, curly, or very dry hair that needs a little extra hold, use a blow dryer (try the smoothing nozzle) to warm the product while you smooth the hair down with your fingers. ”
-
Rahua Smoothing Hair Balm goop, $32SHOP NOW -
Ga.Ma. Italy Professional IQ Perfetto goop, $399SHOP NOW
-
SCENT
Both of these scents are fresh and citrusy with plenty of sexy complexity.
-
LAID-BACK
Bohemian Rhapsody
An exquisite balance of refreshing and warm, this sexy, citrusy, beautifully complex scent mixes hibiscus, pomelo, lemon zest, starfruit, and mandarin leaves with ginger root and Virginia cedarwood.
The Maker Libertine Eau
de Parfum goop, $160SHOP NOW -
POLISHED
Chic and Crisp
This tart, sexy scent was a (wildly popular) candle; now it’s a chic portable perfume rollerball that smells fresh, energizing, and mysterious all at once with pink grapefruit, neroli, ripe cassis berries, gunpowder tea, and Turkish rose absolute.
goop x Heretic This Smells Like My Orgasm Roll-On goop, $45SHOP NOW
MAKEUP
Top LA makeup artist Omayama Ramzy layers bronzer or highlighter under to foundation in most cases, treating skin to sheer colors and glowy texture. She also loves to use one shade for both lips and cheeks: “It works no matter what your style,” she says.
LAID-BACK
Fresh-Faced Glow
-
1
“Instead of foundation, I like to use a creamy bronzer on the high points of the face,” says Ramzy. “This one has an amazing silky finish.”
Saie Sun Melt Natural
Cream Bronzer goop, $30SHOP NOW -
2
“A little bit of the Kosas concealer under the eyes, as well as on any problem areas, is great. It’s super hydrating, and it really works,” she says.
Kosas Revealer Super Creamy Brightening
Concealer + Daytime Eye Cream goop, $28SHOP NOW
-
3
“The best color for both cheeks and lips—it gives a great flushed glow,” says Ramzy.
RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek goop, $36SHOP NOW -
4
“This sheer taupe adds beautiful warmth,” she says.
Jillian Dempsey Lid Tint goop, $28SHOP NOW -
5
“Brush on a bit of mascara, and that’s it!” says Ramzy.
ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara goop, $28SHOP NOW
POLISHED
Statement Lip and Cat Eye
-
ILIA Liquid Light Serum Highlighter goop, $42SHOP NOW -
Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick goop, $68SHOP NOW
1
“To get a great glow-from-within look, I dab lightweight highlighter serum under foundation at the high points on the face—this is known as strobing,” says Ramzy. “It looks gorgeous and polished but not like you have too much product on.”
-
2
“A great cat eye—you can use liquid or pencil eyeliner—looks amazing,” she says. “If you’re using a liquid liner, hold your mirror at chin level and look down (it helps you avoid wrinkling your eye or making harsh strokes), then work your way toward the outer corners with the liner. Shift your mirror up just as you’re about to do the little cat-eye flick. For pencil lovers, outline your cat eye just as you would with liquid, then use eye shadow to shape. And clean up errant liquid or pencil with a Q-tip.”
-
Westman Atelier Eye Pods Eye Shadow goop, $88SHOP NOW -
ILIA Clean Line Liquid Liner goop, $28SHOP NOW -
Jillian Dempsey Khôl Eyeliner goop, $20SHOP NOW
-
3
“For lips, I love the Westman Atelier palette in Les Nudes—it has so many colors,” says Ramzy. “You can use a brush or your fingertips to create a great statement lip with it, and you can blend a little on your cheeks for some warmth. You can go sheer or really build it up, too.”
-
Westman Atelier Lip Suede – Les Nudes goop, $85SHOP NOW -
Westman Atelier Lip Brush goop, $38SHOP NOW
-
4
“I brush brows up with a spooley, then go in with a brow pencil to fill in sparse areas. I finish with Saie’s brow butter; it’s amazing for a powerful brow to make you look put-together,” she says.
Saie Brow Butter goop, $20SHOP NOW -
5
“This is great for a bold eye,” says Ramzy.
Westman Atelier Eye Love You Mascara goop, $58SHOP NOW
SKIN
Does the laid-back person do less, and the polished, more? Counterintuitively, no: Both look best with glowing skin that needs less makeup, so the number of steps is the same. It’s more the vibe of each product lineup that makes the difference.
The Laid-Back Routine
-
1
Cleanser
This essential-oil-packed cream exfoliates skin with plant-based microbeads, leaving skin glowy and fresh.
Tata Harper Regenerating
Cleanser goop, $86SHOP NOW -
2
Toner
This two-in-one daily treatment toner gently resurfaces, hydrates, and leaves skin glowing in just one step.
goop Beauty GOOPGLOW Flower Acids Resurfacing Toner goop, $45/$40 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
3
Serum
This serum combines reparative botanicals, powerful active ingredients, and a groundbreaking aromatherapeutic blend for beautiful results on skin.
de Mamiel First Fix Serum goop, $216SHOP NOW -
4
Moisturizer
Smooth this rich, deeply nourishing skin balm on both day and night—it’s ultramoisturizing and smells like honey and flowers.
Monastery Made Attar Floral Concentrate Balm goop, $168SHOP NOW -
5
Mask
A luxurious, two-in-one mask that leaves skin smooth, glowing, and even with super fine rose hip seed granules and papaya enzymes that gently polish and turmeric, aspen bark, and peppermint essential oils to cleanse and purify pores.
KORA Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask goop, $48SHOP NOW -
6
Device
Use this amazing tool to smooth, sculpt, plump, and refresh skin—and it works with your favorite products for even more noticeable results.
SHEN Sculpt and Lift Facial Tool goop, $56SHOP NOW
The Polished Routine
-
1
Cleanser
From top New York dermatologist Macrene Alexiades, this milky gel cleanser removes even stubborn makeup, deep-cleans your pores, and gently moisturizes.
MACRENE actives High Performance Cleanser goop, $95SHOP NOW -
2
Toner
This micellar-water-meets-essence sweeps away dirt and light makeup, leaving powerful botanicals behind to work on skin.
Furtuna Skin Acqua Serena Micellar Cleansing Essence goop, $78SHOP NOW -
3
Serum
This daily glow serum combines two skin-care powerhouses—vitamin C and hyaluronic acid—for skin that looks radiant, moisturized, and healthy.
goop Beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C +
Hyaluronic Acid Glow Serum goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
4
Moisturizer
This luxuriously rich supercream significantly improves firmness, elasticity, glow, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and brightness after just four weeks. A single application leaves skin nourished, firmer-looking, and moisturized for forty-eight hours.*
goop Beauty GOOPGENES All-in-One
Nourishing Face Cream goop, $98/$86 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
5
Mask
An intense exfoliating overnight glycolic acid glow peel that refines, retexturizes, and brightens skin while you sleep.
goop Beauty GOOPGLOW 15% Glycolic
Acid Overnight Glow Peel goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
6
Device
This iconic set includes depuffing, ultrahydrating prebiotic eye sheet masks and the famous twenty-four-karat-gold-plated vibrating T-bar to lift and sculpt.
Jillian Dempsey The Sculpt + Smooth Duo goop, $245SHOP NOW
*Based on an eight-week third-party consumer-perception and clinical study conducted on thirty-three women ages thirty-five to sixty-five.
