You’ve seen them before—things like: Linda Rodin’s Olio Lusso, YSL’s Touche Éclat, Rosebud Salve, Le Labo’s Santal 33... You probably even call one or two or all of them your own. They’re the products that have unofficially come to be known as the "Cool Girl Essentials." The standbys of everyone with a well-filtered Instagram and a fully stocked Top Shelf. And why not? They're great products! But fuck "cool," right? Or at least your preconceived notions of cool. Because according to the Merriam-Webster thesaurus, "cool," can be replaced with "downtown, edgy, funky, dapper, dashing, dressy, kicky, natty, rakish, sassy, saucy, spiffy, spruce, chichi, classy, flossy, haute, nobby, posh, ritzy, soigné, swank..." Really any word that makes you think "These are a bunch products that my friends and I like." This story could very well be titled "The New Groovy Girl Essentials." Though perhaps that lacks a certain click-bait ring to it.
Now. Even beacons of fashionable/spiffy/rakish beauty products are, eventually, due for an upgrade. Once a trendy thing grows up, goes away to school and becomes a classic thing, it leaves a trendy thing-shaped hole to be filled. All the products below have recently been spotted out and about in the pockets of some of the most iconic people ITG knows. And they've become the New Cool Girl Essentials—or whatever you'd like to call them. Since every single person reading this is a Cool Girl, they are your latest beauty must-haves. Here are all the other reasons why:
Olio E Osso Netto Lip Balm
No, it’s not tiny deodorant. It’s lip balm, and it’s made out of five things: Shea oil, olive oil, beeswax, menthol, and eucalyptus oil. It’s the kind of lip product that lasts throughout the day, and only needs to be reapplied when it’s gone—not because it’s drying out your lips. It feels like all things minty, tingly, and eucalyptus-y. Nice! Gwenyth loves it, but that’s not why you need it.
Dior Lipglow Pomade
Another lip balm, yes, but one with a sheer wash of pink and a little more shine. Also, Dior. This one would make the list based on looks alone (Dior always does us) but its unique “pomade” texture is the real reason. Not sticky. Just chic.
Serge Lutens Water Lip Colors
Last lip product, promise. (Lips are obviously swank.) The texture here is insane, and they’re a little tricky to use. It first feels like you’re applying actual water to your mouth with an overly intense pigment. But if you go over with lip balm right after, it’ll help smooth the color across. What you’ll be left with is an even, subtle stain that lasts for hours, and a color that won’t deposit onto your burger, your sweater, or anything else your mouth might come into contact with.
Jillian Dempsey Lid Tint
As in Patrick Dempsey’s marital partner! And Kristen Stewart's favorite makeup artist! What a lovely woman with lovely products to match. A wash of color on the eyes has never been easier. Just swirl your finger in the dewy product and tap onto lids for a look that's part water color, part gloss. Bonus points for not needing a brush (or talent) to have fun with these.
By Terry No. 02 Palette
Eyeshadow palettes a rare sighting on these types of lists, but this one is so elegant and colorful. Its options are endless: day looks, night looks, disco looks, fall picnic looks... @lilahsummer uses it, which is an automatic in.
Glossier Boy Brow
In a world replete with enough brow trends to last until the next millenium, Boy Brow is the one product tying each of them together. Use it alone or pair it with your favorite pencil. For a natural brow, Boy Brow in Clear grooms and shapes, keeping hairs in their rightful places.
Soleil Tan De Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid
Chanel’s legacy in the beauty world outlasts most trends. But its most regularly appearing product of late is Soleil Tan de Chanel, a creamy bronzer big enough to outlast the rest of your products. (How fitting?) The shade is light enough to be used as a highlighter on some skin tones, or as a low-key contour on others. In simple terms, it's just a really beautiful bronzer.
Oribe Matte Waves Texture Lotion
Most Oribe products have ascended past cool and into classic. But Matte Waves Texture Lotion, in its gold bottle, feels like a new take on the brand's key look. For starters, it's the perfect air-dry product. For finishers, it works to give grit in more styled 'dos. Get you a product that does both.
Sisley Express Flower Gel Mask
A Glossier employee once said, "I don't trust a mask that is meant to be used for any amount of time less than 10 minutes." Samantha Wilson, this mask is not for you. That said, it does more to plump, brighten, and smooth the skin than any other long standing mask we've tried. For this reason, it's the ultimate Step 1 in any pre-going-out ritual.
Schmidt’s Deodorant
The first question to ask about any natural deodorant is, "Does it work?" Open almost any 20-something New Yorker's makeup cabinet and you're likely to find at least one, if not multiple, Schmidt's natural deodorant sticks. Does it matter if it works if everybody is using it? We'll let you be the judge of that.
Christophe Robin Instant Volumizing Mist with Rosewater
The ever-lovely Frenchman Christophe Robin is the colorist who launched a thousand hair scrub dupes. He's done it before and he'll do it again: This rosewater spray is like the classic rosewater facial mist, but for hair. Like all his products, it's simply lovely—both to look at and to use. Think of it as a less drying salt spray alternative. Use it with the Matte Waves Texture Lotion! Double the rakish.
Yves Durif Brush
Mason Pearson may have held for a long time as the most quality hairbrush there is, but the Yves Durif one wins for prettiest. Brushing your hair with this will make you feel like a million dollars more extra than you already are, and for at least half the price of the MP. Matching comb—also necessary.
D.S. & Durga Perfume
Because everyone in NYC and a lot of other places are tired of smelling Santal, the D.S. & Durga scents feel suuuuuuper refreshing. Aside from that, they are just really lovely, subtle blends that invoke picturesque images of things like "Cool spices & Mediterranean seabreeze," and "The wild shrill of Black Francis coming through the radio in the August heat." Which one are you?
Madewell Crystalline Half Moon Pouch
Finally: The most commonly requested product on Into The Gloss since Editorial-Intern-turned-Editorial Assistant Anna Jube's was photographed for this makeup bag roundup. The infamous Crystalline bag comes in a few variations on shape and size now, but the "Half Moon" is the most functional for everyday. Madewell clearly (get it? GET IT?) knows that when you've got all the coolest beauty products in your bag, you don't want to be hiding them.
Photographed by Tom Newton.
