Hello and happy Wednesday! Hope you’re all having a great week so far. If you’re not, I hope it’s not because of Glossier’s decision to release a new eye product, Full Orbit, instead of re-releasing their hybrid eye/mouth cream, Bubblewrap. I spent an untold amount of time reading the (very funny) comments on their launch post, which are overwhelmingly not about this new product and very much so calling the brand out for various transgressions, including Bubblewrap erasure and reformulations of beloved products. Admittedly, I had no idea that Bubblewrap had such a fanbase and was shocked by the amount of DMs I received singing its praises. I was also shocked by the apparent disconnect between Glossier’s product development team and their customer base, who seem to feel ignored. I’ve reached out to someone on the Glossier team and am hoping to get some answers for you, but if you are mourning the loss of Bubblewrap or have other Glossier gripes to share, please respond to this email.
Now onto the other hot skincare topic taking over social media…
What skincare can I buy my teenage niece that’s not Drunk Elephant but more exciting than CeraVe?
Literally so many things. And not because of my personal feelings towards the brand* nor necessarily because of their efficacy.**
When my clients first started telling me that Drunk Elephant was hot with the teens, I didn’t believe them. For starters, the price. I’m not a parent, but I was raised by 2 of them and have met many others, who all have impressed upon me that kids, even sans Drunk Elephant, are very expensive. I also don’t want children spending their babysitting money on products they can’t afford to replace.
Cost notwithstanding, I wouldn’t even recommend Drunk Elephant to Blue Ivy or North West or any of the kids from Stranger Things. I want children to cherish and preserve their youthful skin and most importantly, I want to set them up for long term success. I want them to learn from our mistakes and lack of self control. I don’t know about you, but I know my teenage inclination would be to Pokémon-style collect them all, use them all generously, then scream at my mom when my skin freaked out. Don’t overwhelm young minds with dozens of brightly colored bottles with cute, impossible to understand names. Instead, get them started on a simple routine that they can understand, stick to and adapt as needed. Imagine what your skin would be like if you started using sunscreen as a teen. Think about how difficult it is for you to remember the order of your routine as an adult. All skin, at all ages, needs the same foundational products for health and maintenance, so get them started on the right track early: a cleanser and moisturizer suited to their skin type and a sunscreen they like wearing daily. Even if they have acne or other specific skin concerns, they still need these basics first. And make them basics that they can afford to replenish when they finish!
Of course, I’m sure the brightly colored bottles and nonsensical names are part of the teenage appeal and that part has some logic we can use – skincare that looks fun is more likely to be used. But it’s also much easier to use, and stick to, skincare that makes sense. It’s simpler to understand words like “hydrating” and “brightening” than “T.L.C. Framboos”. It’s also a lot easier for them to then make reasonable choices when they’re out shopping with their friends and want to expand their collection. I shudder to think of a 13 year-old using Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser and Protini Polypeptide Cream deciding to buy A-Gloei Retinol Oil.
So if not Drunk Elephant, what should teens be using? My most common recommendation is the brand Byoma. It’s not just for teenagers, but it checks off all the necessary boxes and then some. Available at Ulta, Target and some drugstores, the price point is reasonable, the packaging is fun and the instructions are clear. There’s enough variety to keep it interesting, but not overwhelming. They have a great, user-friendly website where more hands-on kids can choose from a small selection of product categories (cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer) or concerns (blemish-prone, dryness, dullness). They even have a skin analysis tool to help them pick what’s best for their skin.
Other options to consider: Bubble, teen-specific Rile or even Rhode. Whatever it is, make sure it’s easy to understand, primarily focused on hydrating and skip the acids, scrubs and other actives.
*It’s also not just because of things like “Framboos,” though it does hurt that I’ve now had to type it twice. Briefly, it’s because Drunk Elephant is one of the brands that pioneered the idea of Clean Beauty, demonizing perfectly good and safe ingredients and confusing the entire Sephora community. It’s a long-held grudge I could let go of, but I won’t!
**I haven’t used their products in years for the aforementioned reasons, but if you love them and they work for you, keep at it.
From the DMs…
quick questions & comments you may have too
A client shared this snippet from a recent episode of The Blonde Files podcast, where the guest Dr. Heather Rogers, dermatologic surgeon and brand founder, professes her love of the Celluma, calling it the best LED on the market. I agree! (For a mask, my favorite is this.)
I just got Botox in between my eyebrows. How long do I have to wait until I move around? Stay upright for 4-6 hours post-injection and avoid any strenuous activities or heat for 24-48 hours. You want to wait 2 weeks until you do something like getting a facial or massage where you’ll be face down. But your provider is the best resource, so ask them if you’re unsure.
Three Other Things
Sprays are having a moment or at least I’m having a moment with them. Hanni Water Balm’s only flaw is the glass bottle, but it's a genius spray-on lotion alternative. One Love Organics Gardenia + Tea Antioxidant Body Serum smells divine and does more than just hydrate (very conveniently in a plastic bottle for easy post-shower usage). I’ve been eyeing the new Saltair Body Mists, especially Santal Bloom. Outside of the body, my newest obsession is Homecourt’s Room Deodorant in Cece.
Kristin Chenoweth’s hair extensions saved her life in 2012, but I’m only just finding out about it so maybe you are too.
Dr. Dana, you have my attention. I had to remove my own gels this week and you could tell…until I used the Dr. Dana Nail Renewal System. The 3-step system is mess and smell-free and takes under 10 minutes. According to their website, “Dr. Dana is the only board-certified dermatologist in the country who devotes her entire practice to the diagnosis and treatment of the nail.” Cool!
Office Hours Reminder
We had our first Office Hours this week! This exclusive weekly opportunity is available to paying subscribers.
Every Sunday at 5pm EST, I’ll begin a new thread for the week in Substack Chat, where you can ask me anything. Every Monday from 5-6pm EST, I’ll be in that chat live, answering questions for the hour. That way, if you can’t make it, you can submit any time after 5pm Sunday and still get an answer. If you can make it live, join in! You can ask questions in real time and (hopefully) interact with others in class ;)
Discount Codes
CurrentBody: JOLIECB for 20% off (usually it’s 10% off, not sure how long this will last)
Dr. Dana: Jolie15 for 15% off
Hanni: JOLIE15 for 15% off
Ställe Studios: HOTLINESKIN for 15% off (Celluma excluded, but feel free to email me if you want to order or have questions about their different devices)
Have a great week!
xx,
Jolie
Rachel you are 2/2 with comments that are making my day!! I am SO happy to hear this, thank you for sharing — I’m probably feeling a little too emotional that you were able to wash your faces together and teach her how to use her new products 🥲🥲🥲also, great to know about the dispensing, what a plus!
Jolie I just have to say THANK YOU for these recs!!! I got my 11yo a “starter skincare kit” for her bday and went with BYOMA. It’s cute which she loves, and I love that it dispenses in small/perfect amounts so she doesn’t accidentally blow through all of the products (it’s also great to know it’s gentle and safe). It was so much fun to wash our faces together on her birthday so I could teach her how to use her face wash and moisturizer!