Welcome to the Lather Rinse Repeat newsletter, by beauty editor Michaela Williams. Sent out fortnightly, it’s a very loose collection of beauty news and general internetness.
The best beauty bits
Would you pay US$88 for a serum from a yoga pants brand?
Marc Jacobs’ 2020 release, Perfect, is this year’s best-selling fragrance. I actually haven’t tried it yet, but am torn between the notes sounding ideal for a casual day perfume (rhubarb, narcissus, almond milk, cedar) and the bottle looking like a Katy Perry circa 2010 fever dream meets the three for AED10 bin at Claire’s Accessories.
The sunscreen community (trust me when I say this is a whole ‘nother thing) is in an uproar over a really popular Korean suncream being exposed for having a lower than advertised SPF. Purito Centella Unscented SPF 50+ was independently tested twice, with the labs showing it actually has a rating closer to SPF 19. These findings have culminated into a perfect storm of skincare obsessives and casual racism (“if this one Korean suncream is misleading, then ALL Korean skincare must be lying to me”), and there’s been endless hot takes amid Purito recalling its line for retesting. Lab Muffin has the full break-down of what this means for suncare products and whether we should continue to trust them.
An update to my personal vendetta against mask-triggered break-outs; I checked out a new skin clinic here in Dubai. The Branding Room is owned and run by a Filipina entrepreneur, and you can find it easily in JVC. The star treatment is their tailored facial - choose a base and add on other extras, so that you only pay for what you need. I had some of the most intense extractions of my life (add-on pricing is just AED80 for 45-60 minutes of degunking), and a progressive chemical peel (AED225) for a full post-quarantine skin reset.
I’ve been following up at home with a one-two treatment combination, sent to me by Sunday Riley. After double cleansing and The Inkey List’s Hyaluronic Acid, I use Sunday Riley’s U.F.O Ultra-clarifying Acne Treatment Face Oil (salicylic acid, tea tree oil, black cumin seed oil; boom). I then leave the Saturn Sulfur Mask on as a overnight spot treatment to help dry out and repair the blemish areas. I’m also applying Saturn during the day, under my disposable mask, to prevent further breakouts along my chin.
Guerlain does the most beautiful festive limited edition collections. I have about five of the Météorites pearls already, but the new Golden Bee one is tempting me.
J.Lo really thinks we’re all that dumb, hey.
TL;DR
Show of hands, how many of us are hiding secret quarantine babies from our work colleagues?
I’m starting week three of meal prep delivery (as a paying customer) from Honest Badger, a local concept delivering three meals daily, plus healthy snacks, fresh juice, and even a bitty dessert. As a veteran of Dubai food delivery services, this one has been my favourite so far - the food is tasty, thoughtfully prepared and filling. The salads (who even am I?!?) are particularly good. The only exception is the lemon and ginger shot that I choke down first thing every morning - does it ever get easier?
My favourite tv show made for and starring idiots, MTV’s The Challenge, has returned with season 36. It’s a true blessing of burly men and Love Island contestants hooking up and punching each other (mostly not at the same time). Highly recommend if you need something to numb your brain and boost you over to January 2021.
December book club is Untamed by Glennon Doyle. I have an instant reflux reaction to most self-help/’my journey’ type non-fiction, BUT everyone else who’s already started it loves it, so am trying to keep an open mind. Not so open that my brain falls out, mind, but at least cracked open an inch more.
The M&S Christmas food range is in-store and ready to aid my transition to a 100% custard-based being.
I’ve spent all weekend mooching around in these tracky-daks in sage green (bought with media gift voucher) and they are probably the most comfortable thing I’ve ever put on my body. I’m about to buy the same pair in peach so I am never without them on my body. That’s all.