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BEAUTY & STYLE

NEED TO KNOW. . .

Tools, tips, and techniques for your beauty routine.

Pretty in Pastel

It’s time for a powder that not only mattifies but also has the ability to enhance skin’s tone. Givenchy’s Prisme Libre in Mousseline Pastel is a universally flattering shade that helps to subtly blur tonal imperfections as it sets makeup, leaving skin with a soft, opalescent finish. For the most seamless application, shake the container to blend the pigments, then use a big, fluffy brush to sweep powder over the entire face, paying special attention to oily areas. The featherweight texture renders skin silky-smooth. $53, sephora.com.

Pain-Free Plump

What Botox is to plastic surgery (think needle rather than knife),

Dr. Brandt Needles No More Instant Wrinkle Relaxing

cream claims to be to Botox: a userfriendly wrinkle eraser that lowers the invasive factor to zero. If you’re not a fan of pinpricks, consider this alternative with a mix of peptides and minerals that interact to block the signals telling muscles to contract. Can it really be that easy to smooth lines and crow’s-feet? Well, it’s safe to say that it won’t hurt to try. $89, sephora.com.

spotlight on:

charcoal

Why is the sooty stuff popping up in all kinds of beauty products? The activated form (used in water filters) is a magnet for toxins and impurities, making it a great blemish buster.

DIG IN

The charcoal in Origins Clear Improvement is highly absorbent, drawing dirt out of skin’s nooks and crannies. Consider this a gift to your T-zone. From $17, origins.com.

TURN UP THE HEAT

Boscia Detoxifying Black cleanser warms on contact, melting away makeup, oil, and pore-clogging contaminants. $28, sephora.com.

Fibers bond to lashes for eyeenhancing results.

Lashing Out

Who needs false eyelashes when there’s the new Physicians Formula Eye Booster Instant Lash Extension Kit? The two-in-one plan involves first applying lash-boosting mascara, then layering on fibers from a second tube until you achieve a thick, feathered fringe. For even more volume, repeat the steps. $15, physiciansformula.com.

Waterworks

In an era when face creams promise to do it all (fix the carburetor, anyone?), Neutrogena Hydro Boost keeps its eye on just one prize: quenching parched skin. The gel does it brilliantly with hyaluronic acid and glycerin. $19, neutrogena.com.

solid form, the Bioré Charcoal bar has peppermint oil and jojoba beads to exfoliate skin as it deep-cleans pores. $6, biore.com.