Our Favorite Products: October 2018 Edition

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Welcome to Our Favorite Products, a monthly feature in which ITG's editors discuss our favorite products. They're the best things we've tried all month long, reviewed, photographed, and anthropomorphized before we have the opportunity to get sick of them and move on to something new. There’s something about the cooler weather that’s made at least one-third of ITG's hair go crazy. Scroll down for the treats (no tricks), and the perfect fall candle.

Sachajuan Leave In Conditioner

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I have high maintenance hair that I am for sure too lazy to maintain. I'm still in my "blown out" phase of life, preferring my hair straight to curly. But gosh, it takes so much effort. Either it's the commitment to booking Drybar appointments that align with my workout schedule, or worse—blocking out my Sunday afternoon to whip it into shape myself. The Amika Straightening Brush has been a godsend (we've been over this), and I am happy to report that I've found its perfect partner in crime. After giving my wet hair a good spray down with the Sachajuan and letting it dry curly overnight, straightening it in the morning was actually easy. My hair didn't look how it usually looks when I rush it in the morning—puffy, frayed, frizzy. Just smooth and straight in 20 minutes flat. And at $30, it's less than one professional blow dry would run me. No issue there. —Emily Ferber

Aveda Volumizing Tonic

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I leave my curls to summer and get serious about straightening as soon as fall hits—nothing worse than a cold, damp neck on a crisp autumn day. But this year I’m trying something new. No oils, no serums, no hydrating creams—just a few spritzes of Volumizing Tonic. I’m just as shocked as you are, believe me! It was a recommendation from Spoke and Weal’s Jon Reyman, who earned my implicit trust when he perfectly diagnosed my hair at first glance: curly, fine, flat, and greasy when straight. (You’d be surprised how many very professional hair folks get that wrong). And... I love it! I spray it all over after shampooing and conditioning, but before straightening. My blowouts are lasting longer and my hair has this great swing to it these days. My roots are no longer super oily, too, so I’m doing very well thank you for asking. —Ashley Weatherford

Crap Eyewear ‘The Velvet Mirror’ Sunglasses

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Not only do no sunglasses seem to fit my unusually small face, but the ones I end up buying always break or get lost. This has nothing to do with me. I’m very responsible. But as it happens, last time I was strolling around LA I followed my boyfriend into this surf shop. I’d been out without sunglasses all day, which is highly dangerous in Los Angeles, so I immediately purchased these sunglasses for $80 and have been wearing them every day since. I’m here to advocate them now because A) they’re all very cute, and they fit my tiny face just fine; B) they’re good quality—rare these days; and C) they’re actually affordable. My only complaint was having to choose one pair, since I liked them all equally as much. And in case you’re skeptical that sunglasses count as a beauty product, just wait and see what happens to your skin when you spend your whole life squinting at the sun. —Anna Jube

Lashfood Chamomile Makeup Eraser Pen

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Doing the perfect cat eye is like riding a bike, in the sense that I was better at it when I was sixteen because I was doing it a lot more. In all other ways, they are quite different. You can’t just stop doing liquid liner every day, pick it back up again five years later, and expect everything to be OK. Everything is not OK! In the meantime, I’ve taken solace in this makeup eraser pen, which basically does the job of a fine-point Q-tip soaked in remover. Use to achieve a perfectly sharp wing, or expertly remove any globs of product not so expertly applied along the lash line—honestly, foolproof. —Ali Oshinksy

Garden of Life Mykind Organics Elderberry Immune Gummy

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My roommate swears by sambucus (also known as elderflower) drops under her tongue in the morning. I didn’t buy into it until the worst cold I've ever had hit me and my other roommate this fall, but my third roommate, Ms. Sambucus, avoided it entirely. It sold me on the idea of taking something every day for your immune system. I heard about these from Alicia Silverstone—it's her line. I've been taking them every morning and I have to say it's kind of fun to “have to remember” to eat four gummies before walking out the door. Hopefully this time next year I'll have skipped my autumn cold. —Tom Newton

Peach & Lily The Good Acids Pore Toner

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If I could move forward in life only using products whose names reminded me of The Good Place (the best thing on television right now; hello D'Arcy Carden Top Shelf) I would. But call this blue toner anything you'd like—it's excellent, and that's coming from a girl who's never found a need for a toner her whole life. That Alicia Yoon knows what she's doing, and if you're looking for a gentle pore refining step but not an all out acid assault to your system, this glass bottle is your guy. I pat it onto cleansed skin a couple of times a week and wake up fresh as a daisy. If my retinol usage has turned back the clock on my pores, this has made them altogether non-existent. Like, I know they're there...but I don't think about them. Ever. My version of The Good Place for sure. —EJF

Londontown Lakur Nail Polish in Lady Lucky

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I recently got engaged, which means two things. One, I finally found someone to take the garbage out for me forever, and two, I’ve become obsessed with my nails. I took a couple of years off with manicures, but now I’m baaaaack. Welcoming me back into the fold is Londontown’s Lakur nail polish in Lady Luck. Folks, it is the perfect New York fall red. Dark, impressively-pigmented, inky, smooth. It’s so shiny that sometimes I can’t tell whether I’ve already applied a top coat. I love it so much, highly recommend. Goes well with diamonds, too. —AW

Bioloqigue Recherche P50W

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Really thrilled to share that all the blogs, Reddit threads and approximately 150 mentions on Into The Gloss’ Facebook Group are not what made me try the best exfoliant currently known to mankind, but a dear friend who mailed it to me in a tiny cardboard box a few weeks ago. Along with a heartfelt note about reaching my true potential, was this travel-sized P50W—two pure acts of philanthropy if there ever were! I say this because it actually prevented anything cystic and unextractable from showing up on my face all month. I don’t mind the smell, and the initial purging I experienced was minimal. But best of all, the texture of my face is so smooth now. I can’t wait to see how my dark spots will fare over the course of next month, and to possibly try the rest of the brightening, polishing suite of P50 toners. —Utibe Mbagwu

MAC Dazzleliner in Statuesque

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Every now and then Tom likes to play makeup artist around the office. This usually means some wild looks for the workday, applied aggressively with his pointer finger or some kind of makeup brush. The other day, he came at me with these MAC liners in silver and gold and, caught off guard as I was, I let him swatch them all over my eyelids. The result was actually pretty nice. Since gold isn't typically my color, I decided to keep just the silver, which I've been using as both a liner and an eyeshadow. Sometimes alone, sometimes with other stuff. It goes on and it stays. I recommend, and so does Tom. —AJ

Nars Velvet Eyeliner in Mambo

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This is the best brown eyeliner that exists for blue and green eyes. Possibly ever. In the whole world. It’s shimmer-free, warm toned without being orange or red, and it also doesn’t read as black. I'd call it a true mahogany. So yeah, the shade is perfect, but what really makes it is the smooth, kohl-like formula that blends easily and then stays put. Line the top and bottom, smudge it into the lash line, and then line again to get that worn-in, smoky Olsens thing in one minute flat. It’s the first eye look I’ve ever had that’s actually, seriously, effortless, and I consistently get complimented when I wear it. Plus, as Anna pointed out, my eyes now exactly match my fall moodboard, so wins all around. —AO

L'Occitane Aqua Reotier Moisture Prep Essence

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My favorite skincare step in the moisture-layering marathon that is autumn. It’s so gel-like and viscous, it seems unfair to call it an essence! I actually use it after face mist, a traditional essence, various serums, and right before my moisturizer. It’s the first thing in a while that’s made a marked difference in how hydrated my skin feels. After including this in my routine, I start off the day super dewy, and end the day with my skin still feeling comfortable, not so tight and parched like it usually is. I’m hoping I can keep my skin this conditioned as the temps continue to flop. —UM

L'Objet Thé Russe Candle No. 75

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It's expensive candle season! Gifts for others but also gifts to oneself. This was gifted to me, and I'm appreciating it so so much! It's name translates to “Russian Tea” and the smell is so room-filling and warm. It's kind of similar to my other two favorite candles—Feu De Bois and Le Labo Laurier 62, kind of garden-like but also fire-like. It's a perfect fall candle. I’ve been burning it for the past two days as I ate an unconscionable amount of soup (butternut squash with blue cheese on top!) and watched the new Sabrina. Perfect cozy weekend. —TN

Photographed by Tom Newton