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Annie Blay's Beauty Edit

“I love carefully thought-out choices that result in a cool flair of looking like I didn't try too hard and my beauty aesthetic is no exception. My robust skin-care routine, chock-full of K-beauty staples and clinical-grade brands, preps my skin for as little makeup as possible. And I subject myself to five-plus hours in a salon chair getting braids so I can avoid styling my hair daily for weeks at a time. My favorite compliment is, “You smell so good,” knowing I spent an unnecessary amount of time browsing through my 75 fragrances to achieve a pleasant whiff. The goal is always intentional effortlessness.” –Annie Blay, associate beauty editor

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Good for the Seoul

"Clear, glowing skin is my mountaintop—and Korean beauty is the ladder I’m climbing to get there. I’ve battled acne and hyperpigmentation through high school and college, so my love for skin care started out of sheer necessity. But once I stumbled into the world of K-Beauty, the whole journey got a lot more fun. Between the innovative ingredients, surprisingly effective formulas, and the kind of packaging that actually makes me excited to do my routine, I’m fully hooked. And the best part? This stuff actually works."

sunscreen in branded white tube with cap on light gray background with red and white 2024 allure best of beauty seal

Best Chemical Lotion Sunscreen

KraveBeauty Beet the Sun Lightweight Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 PA+++

$20
Amazon

Worthy Winner

“This Best of Beauty winner is one of my favorite chemical sunscreens. It's lightweight, moisturizing, leaves behind no white cast, and truly doesn't even feel like you're wearing SPF.”

Goodal Vegan Rice Milk Moisturizing Toner in branded component on a light gray background

Goodal

Vegan Rice Milk Moisturizing Toner

$18
Amazon
Pore Cleansing Oil in branded clear bottle with black pump on light gray background

Hanskin

Pore Cleansing Oil

$27
Soko Glam

A Daily Staple

“I reach for this cleansing oil every night—it melts the day right off my face.”

Iope Stem III Cream in branded white jar packaging on light gray background

Iope

Stem III Cream

$79
Amazon
The AlphaArbutin 2 Discoloration Care Serum in branded white bottle with black pipette applicator on light gray background

Cosrx

The Alpha-Arbutin 2 Discoloration Care Serum

$25
Amazon
Peach Lily Ginger Melt Oil Cleanser in branded component with best of beauty seal in the top right corner on a light...

Peach & Lily

Peach & Lily Ginger Melt Oil Cleanser

$35
Ulta Beauty
Madecassoside Blemish Pads in branded teal canister on light gray background

Mediheal

Madecassoside Blemish Pads

$24
Amazon
Mixsoon Bean Essence in branded component on a light gray background

Mixsoon

Bean Essence

$20 $14 (30% off)
Amazon

Maximum Hydration

"This slightly sticky essence leaves my skin looking dewy and feeling supple, creating the perfect base to layer on the rest of skin-care routine."

Mugwort Calming Clay Mask in branded dark sage green tube with white cap on top of product swatch on light gray background

Isntree

Mugwort Calming Clay Mask

$22 $18 (18% off)
Amazon
Niacinamide Cleansing Gel 3 in branded clear bottle with beige pump on light gray background

Naturium

Niacinamide Cleansing Gel 3%

$18
Amazon
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Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint brown tube with orange cap on a light gray background with red Allure...

Danessa Myricks Beauty

Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint

$36
Sephora
Ncessaire The Body Wash Santal bottle of beige body wash with black cap on light gray background

Nécessaire

The Body Wash

$25
Nordstrom
Maison Margiela Fragrances Replica From the Garden Eau de Toilette bottle component with silver accents on a light gray...

Best Earthy Fragrance

Maison Margiela Fragrances Replica From the Garden Eau de Toilette

$165
Nordstrom
Benefit Goof Proof BrowFilling Powder silver compact of brow powder on light gray background

Benefit Cosmetics

Goof Proof Brow-Filling Powder

$22
Nordstrom
Makeup by Mario Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil compact of berry cream blush on a light gray background with red Allure...

Makeup by Mario

Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil

$32
Sephora
Makeup by Mario Surreal Skin Foundation bottle of foundation with a silver pump cap and a swatch behind it on light gray...

Makeup by Mario

SurrealSkin Foundation

$44
Sephora
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Saie Glossybounce HighShine Hydrating Lip Gloss Oil tube of warm brown lip gloss with black cap on light gray background

Saie

Glossybounce High-Shine Hydrating Lip Gloss Oil

$22
Amazon
HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Blurring Loose Baking Setting Powder top view of a square jar of face powder on light gray...

Huda Beauty

Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder

$39
Sephora
Boy Smells Vanilla Era Scented Candle black jar candle with pink label on light gray background

Boy Smells

Vanilla Era Scented Candle

$48
Anthropologie
Kristin Ess Volumizing Ceramic Blow Dryer Brush in black with red BoB seal on gray background

Kristin Ess

Soft Volume Blow Dry Brush

$85 $41 (52% off)
Amazon

Stay Stocked

“Every bag I own has at least one of these lip balms sitting in it.”

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm branded tube component in pink with white cap and white accents on a light gray...

Best Tinted Lip Balm

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm

$24
Summer Fridays
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Burberry Goddess Eau de Parfum branded gold bottle component with gold cap on a light gray background with red Allure...

Best Gourmand Fragrance

Burberry Goddess Eau de Parfum

$135
Nordstrom
Kulfi Main Match CreaseProof LongWear Hydrating Concealer vial of concealer with orange cap on light gray background

Kulfi Beauty

Main Match Crease-Proof Long-Wear Hydrating Concealer

$26
Sephora
Body Oil brown bottle on light grey background

TPH By Taraji

Anything Glows Body OIl

$26
Walmart
Hemp Oil Conditioner green bottle on light grey background

Herbal Essences

Hemp Oil Sulfate Free Frizz Control Conditioner

$13
Walmart
Strength Cure blue tube with black cap on light grey background

Pureology

Strength Cure Superfood Treatment Hair Mask

$44
Amazon
Dr. Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol Ferulic Perfectly Dosed Retinol brown packet of creamy serum on light gray background

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare

Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Perfectly Dosed Retinol

$42
Nordstrom
Dr. Jart Plus Vital Hydra Solution in blue jar on gray background

Dr. Jart+

Vital Hydra Solution Hydro Plump Water Cream

$38
Amazon
Merit Signature Lip with red 2024 Allure Best of Beauty seal on light gray background

Merit

Signature Lip Matte

$26
Merit
Effaclar Acne Face Cleanser white tube on light grey background

La Roche Posay

Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser

$17 $16 (6% off)
Amazon
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Concealer Brush brown chrome concealer brush on light gray background

Hourglass

Vanish Seamless Finish Concealer Brush

$39
Nordstrom
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush vial of hot pink liquid blush with gold bauble cap and wand to the side on light...

Rare Beauty

Soft Pinch Liquid Blush

$25
Sephora
Josie Maran Body Butter in amber branded tub component on a light gray background

Josie Maran

Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter

$36
Sephora
parfum in branded clear bottle with black cap on light gray background with red and white 2024 allure best of beauty seal

Best Splurges

Matiere Premiere Vanilla Powder Eau de Parfum

$175
Harrods

Standout Scent

“I have over 60 fragrances in my collection and somehow I'm drawn to this powdery vanilla scent almost daily.”

Caia Flat Buffer Foundation Brush silver flat top foundation brush on light gray background

Caia

Flat Buffer Foundation Brush

$21
Caia
edge control brush in black on light gray background with red and white 2024 allure best of beauty seal

Best Edge Styler

Baby Tress Edge Styler

$15 $12 (20% off)
Amazon
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil Longwear Lip Liner 612 wood lip liner pencil with squiggle swatch on light gray...

Make Up For Ever

Artist Color Eye, Lip & Brow Pencil

$24
Nordstrom
Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder jar of foundation balm on light gray background

Danessa Myricks Beauty

Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder

$36
Sephora
Ebin New York 24 Hour Edge Tamer purple jar on light gray background

Ebin New York

24 Hour Edge Tamer

$9 $4 (56% off)
Amazon
Athena Club Fluffy Shave Butter branded tube component with blue accents and pink cap on a light gray background with...

Best Shaving Cream

Athena Club Fluffy Shave Butter

$11
Athena Club
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Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil vial of pink lip oil with beige cap on light gray background

Summer Fridays

Dream Lip Oil

$26
Revolve
exfoliating toner in branded beige bottle with cap on light gray background with red and white 2024 allure best of...

Best Exfoliating Toner

EADEM Cashmere Peel Gentle Exfoliating AHA Toner

$42
Amazon
Whipped Shave Cream 6.7oz pink and blue bottle on light grey backgorund

Athena Club

Whipped Shave Cream

$7
Athena Club
Sunday Riley Good Genes AllInOne Lactic Acid Treatment in branded component on a light gray background

Sunday Riley

Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment

$122
Dermstore

Dark Spots? Where?

“Pimples last a few days but the dark spots they leave can stick around for weeks. This milky lactic acid serum helps fade that hyperpigmentation—stat.”

Photographer: Sofia Alvarez @sofaalvarez

Hair & Makeup: Monica Alvarez @monicaalvarezmakeup

Location: Macon House @maconhousebk

SMOOTH SURFACES

7 Best Body Acne Treatments for Clearer Skin All Over

THE ONLY BAGS WE HAVE ARE DESIGNER

10 Best Eye-Tightening Creams to Send Undereye Bags Packing

IT'S GIVING GROWTH

3 Best Scalp Serums That Support Fuller-Looking Hair

HUE KIDDING ME?

7 Best Colorful Eyeliners That’ll Make You Rethink Neutrals

READY FOR LIFTOFF

7 Skin-Tightening Creams That Won’t Defy Gravity, But Come Close

BRONZED BABE

7 Best Liquid Bronzers That Deliver Sun-Kissed Color Without the Sun

The Scrub-Down

9 Best Body Scrubs for Baby-Soft Skin All Year Round

LIFE'S A BEACH

7 Best Australian Sunscreens for Maxed-Out Sun Protection

ROUGH STUFF

The Best Exfoliating Body Washes for Smoother Skin Below the Neck

GROWING PAINS

The Best Ingrown Hair Treatments to Heal and Prevent Bumps

Sculpt and Glow

6 Best Cream Bronzers for Perfectly Sun-Kissed Skin

FLUSH ON THE GO

5 Best Blush Sticks You’ll Swipe on Repeat

EYE CANDY

8 Best Mascaras for Gravity-Defying Curl and Length

PRIME TIME

9 Best Primers for Mature Skin, According to Makeup Artists

KEEP GLEAMING

7 Best Body Shimmers to Leave You Glowing, Not Glittery

IN YOUR PRIME

6 Best Eye Primers for Mature Skin to Create a Creaseless Base