In the Bag: Fig+Yarrow

The Company: Fig+Yarrow

The Founder: Brandy Monique

The Story: Ok, confession: We would buy Fig+Yarrow just for the packaging. (Shame, we know.) But thing is, the stuff inside is just as killer: The Denver-based company produces a truly impressive collection of organic, hand-crafted beauty products from lip balms and clay masks to bath soaks and mouthwash. And, as noted, it all looks pretty dynamite scattered around your bathroom.

There’s some Fig+Yarrow goodness in our Bridal Grab Bag, coming Sunday! Don’t miss it.

The Insider: Britt Aboutaleb

As beauty director at Who What Wear, the so-fly Britt Aboutaleb keeps us up-to-date about face creams (and discourages questionable lash-lengthening tactics). The only downside: Her rad job took her from New York to L.A. (i.e., 3,000 miles away from us). Below, our attempt to get our fix. Also, while we’re here, how amazing are her eyebrows?!  —carlye wisel

Q: You just went to Japan! Tell. Us. Everything.  
A: Japan was amazing! It wasn’t what I expected—Manhattan feels ten times busier—but the people were lovely. We were in Kyoto during Cherry Blossom, which was breathtakingly beautiful, and had dinner with two geisha, a spectacular and very special experience. The weirdest thing I saw was probably the food—or me in a kimono!

Q: What about the beauty products?!
A: The beauty products were bananas. I spent hours in the drugstores buying things I couldn’t even identify! Everyone’s wearing a cateye in Tokyo and sure enough, their liquid liners are the thinnest, blackest best I’ve ever tried. Japanese women are obsessed with skincare, so there are dozens of masks and lotions to try. There would be four floors of makeup and skincare—and then one small corner of hair products, which was fascinating. I loved the really weird things like nipple balm, heated eye masks, armpit protectors, and face massagers.

Q: The weather’s gettin’ warm, but we’re still pale. What are the best ways to look sun-kissed lickety-split?
A: Honestly? A trip to the beach—I think I’m the only sun worshipping beauty editor! But I’ve been using Crème de la Mer’s new Soleil de la Mer Gradual Tan and it’s pretty awesome. It gives you more of a glow than a tan. If you’re looking for more color, Clarins makes the absolute best self-tanning products.

Q: Be real with us: Are there any beauty products out there you think are a total waste or scam?
A: Anything that claims to make you look, feel, or be skinnier without exercising!

Q: What’s the most memorable perfume you’ve ever worn?
A: Gap Dream. It was my first fragrance, circa eighth grade. I still have a tiny bottle, actually, and whenever I catch a whiff, I’m immediately back at the lockers at Sonoma Country Day School.

Q: Do you own any Of a Kind editions?
A: When I left New York, a few of my very dear friends pitched in and bought me Mociun’s Black Diamond Cut Out Triangle Earrings. That was almost a year ago—which is crazy!—and I still wear them everyday.

Q: What would you consider to be the perfect day of L.A. eating?
A: Steak and eggs at LaMill in Silverlake for breakfast, followed by lunch at Gjelina in Venice (can we order everything?), then drinks at Goldie’s. I’m tequila’s number one fan, and the Golden Girl is the best cocktail I’ve ever had. For dinner, Bestia downtown. God forbid I squeeze a snack in there somewhere, but if you insist: tacos from a truck or ice cream from Sweet Rose. That is too much driving and too much food for one day, but it’d be delicious!

Q: What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn but still haven’t?
A: How to sew! I’m actually desperate to learn. I have so many things I want to make. There are about a dozen languages I’d like to learn, too.

Q: If you could do a wardrobe swap with anyone, whose would you choose?
A: I think Giovanna Battaglia. Or on the total opposite end of the spectrum, Lauren Hutton. (Funny because my initial reaction was to answer, “An Olsen with lots of Dolce & Gabbana mixed in,” which is basically the same thing.) I usually dress like a boy (with heels) and when I don’t, it’s nice to feel like a woman—and it’s hard to find something more curve-friendly than Dolce.

Meet more people we heart in a big way.

The 7 Things the Wax + Cruz Designer Absolutely Can’t Travel Without

In other words: How to pack like a G.D. pro.

After nearly a decade of styling shoots all over the world (we’re talking glorious destinations like Peru, Morocco, and Iceland), Lauren A. Wood of the killer hat line Wax + Cruz has gotten the art of packing down to a science. Check out the items she will never, ever, ever leave behind right here. —monica derevjanik

Make Up For Ever lipstick in Moulin Rouge: “I can wear anything and put on red lipstick, and I instantly feel more feminine and ready for a night out. I paint this matte color on with a brush so it lasts extra long—and so I can stay in the lines.”

Audio-Technica headphones: “Music always adds some magic to long plane rides, cramped buses and vans, or nights alone in the hotel room. These are comfy for long periods of time, and they sound amazing. And they’re great for blocking out sound, too.”

Alexander Wang blazer: “I always bring a thin, light, wool black blazer wherever I go. This one is perfect because doesn’t wrinkle after being crunched up in bag.”

Spectrum Essentials coconut oil: “This is my favorite beauty product. It’s good for scrapes and scars, for dry hands and feet, as a hair mask, or mixed with makeup. It smells nice, too. You can have that beachy feeling in the dead of winter.”

Leatherman Juice XE6: “My dad’s a die-hard outdoorsman and had two daughters, but that didn’t stop him from giving us Swiss Army knives and sleeping bags for our birthdays. I really like this Leatherman because it has a corkscrew, a bottle opener, a file, a saw, scissors, everything. Thanks, Dad!”

Perfect white T-shirt: “It’s my everyday go-to, and it makes you look tan no matter what time of year it is. I like the ATM tees at Barneys, the Isabel Marant linen ones, and James Perse’s.”

Bright, lightweight scarf: “I can’t live without a scarf. I wear it around my neck, on my head, as a sarong—and use it to change under at the beach. I like the dupattas and sarongs from Matta NY, and Nomadic Thread Society has some really beautiful pieces as well.”

Snag one more travel essential: Lauren’s Of a Kind edition! This ikat hat = the cutest.

The Insider: Mollie Chen

In the Baby-sitters Club version of our lives, Mollie Chen would be our Kristy—not because she’s always wearing turtlenecks or getting all bossy, but because she’s just so good at stuff. Editorial director of our favorite beauty site Birchbox by day, Mollie is also a ridiculously good cook—to the point where you question when and how much she sleeps. And while we still don’t have the answer to that query, Mollie did share her tip for at least looking awake. —carlye wisel

Q: What’s the most embarrassing thing on your bookshelf?
A: I’ll stand by any of my books—a mishmash of contemporary writers, the odd Hunger Games or One Minute Manager, and tons of cookbooks and food memoirs. But I also have weird stuff I haven’t gotten around to throwing away: a roll of Chinese toilet paper that my dad gave me upon landing in Shanghai and made me carry around for the entirety of our three week-long family trip; a Step Up 2 DVD (cinematic genius); and an empty Hitachino Nest bottle that I drunkenly took from Momofuku because I thought it was pretty (now housing paper flowers).

Q: Since you’re a master home chef, do you have a clutch recipe for last-minute dinner parties?
A: Roast chicken. Seriously. I never understood the appeal of chicken until I made it myself, using Thomas Keller’s can’t-fail method. Add a hefty salad and crusty bread, and you’re set. Anyone can—and should—cook. Seriously. Just buy some eggs and greens and get your hands on a cast iron pan. I’ll teach you how to make a frittata.

Q: No, but seriously, Mollie: How do you make vegetables taste good?
A: During the colder months, I roast everything at high heat until it’s just shy of burnt. This works with sweet potatoes, cauliflower, fennel—you name it. In the summer, I love raw shaved salads or simple grilled veggies. And salads don’t have to be boring. I think secret is twofold: fat and texture. Add tahini, avocado, or cheese for creaminess, and chopped up apples, toasted nuts, or crisp sprouts for crunch. If all else fails, consult Yotam Ottolenghi or Suzanne Goin for inspiration.

Q: What’s the last thing you saw that really amazed you?
A: I was familiar with George Bellows but hadn’t seen any of his paintings in real life until the Metropolitan Museum show this fall. I was blown away by the depth and range of the paintings, and the way they captured the color and life at the edges of New York life in the early 1900s.   

Q: Is there anything hanging in your closet that you’ve never had the guts to wear?
A: No, but I definitely have things in my closet that require a week’s worth of kale and chia seeds to wear. (They don’t come out very often.)

Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I wouldn’t call it a style, but I’ve definitely cornered the market on silky printed things and skinny belts. I almost never wear black.

Q: Do you own any Of a Kind editions?
A: So far, I only have Kindah Khalidy’s Cotton Candy Clutch (a birthday gift), but I have my eye on many others—and I’m hoping the Swiss Camo Tote comes back before summer!

Q: What’s your one solid beauty secret?
A: Face oils. As someone who had oily skin as a teenager and a frustrating bout of mid-twenties acne, I never, ever thought I’d learn to love face oils. But I find that they keep your skin balanced year-round, and feeling amazingly light and healthy—kind of like a green juice for your complexion. Under-eye brightener (YSL Touche Eclat or Benefit’s Ooh La Lift) is the fastest way to look awake and pulled-together. Cream blush has a velvety texture that you don’t get with powder—I adore Jouer’s Cheek Tints and RMS Beauty’s Lip2Cheek. Whoops, that was three.

Meet more unreasonably lovable people right over here.

Gifted Program: Black and Gold FTW

What do we think you should gift this season? Something Of a Kind—I mean, OBVIOUSLY. If you’re looking to double-down on the special, we’ve conjured up some stellar present pairings—our “Gifted Program,” if you will—that we’ll be serving up over the next couple weeks. (And ok, fine, if this doesn’t satiate you, we have a slew of ideas up in our Pinterest, too.) —erica 

The pairing: Our classy-shassy black onyx Fortune Favors the Brave studs ($65) + Tom Ford’s crazy-luxe lipstick ($48), in a coordinating tube. (Double bonus points if you gift to a Drew Brees super-fan.)

In the Bag: Sprout

Our holiday grab bags are back! Packed with rad finds from some of our fave up-and-coming brands, they’re the perfect gifts for the hardest-to-shop for peeps on your list—boys and girls alike. Score them while you can, and get the low-down on the featured lines here. —erica

 

The Company: Sprout

The Founder: Adina Grigore

The Story: For Sprout, “less isn’t just more; less is everything.” What does that mean, exactly? Adina Grigore makes every single thing in her skincare line with five (organic, fair-trade, or small-farm) ingredients or fewer—yes, whoa. There’s a makeup remover, a body scrub, a cream, and…a lip-balm flight? That’s four essential-oil-tinged tubes packaged together in a so-gifty tin.

Get this sucker as part of our AMAZE Girls’ Holiday Grab Bags. Check it here. 

In the Bag: Metaphor Organic

Our holiday grab bags are back! Packed with rad finds from some of our fave up-and-coming brands, they’re the perfect gifts for the hardest-to-shop for peeps on your list—boys and girls alike. Score them while you can, and get the low-down on the featured lines here. —erica

 

The Company: Metaphor Organic

The Founder: Errol Davis and Adam Bienvenu

The Story: Errol Davis and Adam Bienvenu are pretty high-minded guys. The former is a writer and the latter a conceptual artist, and they came upon the idea to start a health-slash-beauty business after year of contemplation, zeroing on triple bottom line (that’s people, planet, and profit), doing everything by hand, and putting the emphasis on using only natural ingredients (organic if possible!). That means their soaps and deodorants are packed with goat’s milk, coconut oil, and, in the case of this bar above, coffee, roasted right in San Francisco.

Score this soap, bound to wake you up in the morning, but scooping up one (or three!) of our Boys’ Holiday Grab Bags.

Flutter by Jill Golden

Prepare to enter Tavi territory: When Jill Golden was a ten year old in suburban Detroit, she was already a designer. “I used to make bracelets and beaded barrettes, and I sold them to the trendy ‘tween store in my town,” she says.

But like many a grade-schooler’s, her interest passed, and Jill soon hung up her beading loom, eventually heading into the wild world of beauty marketing—a career that landed her in a not-too-shabby gig at Lancôme. Something kept calling (screaming!) for Jill to reengage with that jewelry world, though: “About 10 years ago, I took some time off between corporate jobs. I had a friend who was making jewelry, and I helped her with marketing and eventually design,” she recalls. “I loved it and found that it was the first medium where I could really express myself.”

From there, Jill decided to start her own thing, Flutter—first as a (very time-consuming) side project and soon a full-time thing, quitting her job and transforming her West Village apartment into a working studio in the process. The results have been grueling, but worth it. Or, as she says, “With jewelry design, I imagine a piece, and the finished product exceeds my expectations—and that’s immensely rewarding.”

flutternyc.com

Mother Lode: Clare Vivier Keeps Things Clean

Clare Vivier’s minimalist design philosophy is very much in line with her childcare one. For her bags, this means hyper-clean lines and as little hardware as possible, and for her son, it translates to Levi’s and Fruit of the Loom tees. Oh, and this multitasking bath product that pays tribute to their home state. 

“My cute boy bathes in nothing but California Baby Calming Shampoo and Body Wash. Keep it real simple for the cutie-pie.” —clare