It’s January (and Our Beauty Editors Have New Resolutions)

It’s January (and Our Beauty Editors Have New Resolutions)

Written by: the Editors of goop

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Published on: January 10, 2023

Associate Beauty Director Megan O’Neill poolside at Rosewood Baha Mar in the Bahamas

It might seem counterintuitive, but the right skin, hair, or makeup item can really help as you’re trying to create (and stick to) new habits. So, this month we’re obsessing over new (and tried-and-true) essentials—from an eye-opening, next-level clean mascara and an ultramoisturizing hair spritz to a sexy scent called Dirty Suede—that can help us start fresh practices and deepen existing ones.

Jean Godfrey-June, executive beauty director

Jean Godfrey-June

executive beauty director

Resolution 1: Spend more time with actual people.

  1. The pandemic left me oddly reluctant to go out and see people. But when I override my inclination toward “Naaaahh,” the results are—invariably—renewed energy, renewed connection, and significantly boosted happiness overall. Waking up my face is the key to getting myself out the door: I press on the essence from Vintner’s Daughter (it’s full of probiotics and water-based nutrients) for a mild exfoliation and brightening moment, wait a minute or two, and pat in the brand’s classic serum (it’s full of skin-boosting oils and 22 botanical extracts, among other things). The combination is instant (and long-term) magic on my skin.


    Vintner’s Daughter Signature Set and The Limited-Edition Travel Case

  2. Then a flick of what has to be the best clean mascara ever: the new one from Tower 28. If you want glossy, super defined, flirty jet-black lashes in one swipe with no clumps and no smudges, truly, you’re not going to believe how good this one is. Swipe it on and no one will ever tell you that you look tired, no matter how tired you might actually be.

  3. Last, I dab this sheer new lip color—I love Modern, a rosy nude—on my lips, then take a little off with my finger and swipe that on the apples of my cheeks. It gives me a pulled-together glow that makes me feel like a person who can go out and see people.

  4. Resolution 2: Up my running, hiking, and yoga.

    Exercise is the ultimate longevity hack; it’s also an incredible mood hack and, for me, a feel-good-in-my-body hack, too. I give my hair a treat at the same time, first by not denting it or inadvertently pulling it out: I use these chic black silk hair ties from Slip, which hold a ponytail like nothing else but slide off seamlessly on command. Second, I nourish the ends with this shine- and great-texture-inducing serum, which I wear during workouts and shampoo out afterward.

  5. Resolution 3: Go deeper with what’s in front of me.

    Lying flat on my back on a quilt in the forest on Tata Harper’s Vermont farm—the maple leaves were fluttering in the summer breeze—I was suddenly and permanently gobsmacked by the fractal nature of trees. Unlike most mind meanderings, that thought stuck with me and continues to amaze me. When you open your mind to the miraculous details we experience all day long, whether it’s leaves or bare branches or Harper’s moisturizing whipped-gel flower mask during a warm bath, life is better.

  6. Similarly, take a second to move away from the computer and massage your hands (or feet) with one of these essential-oil-boosted hand creams. I like the vanilla-and-orange-peel one (seriously, it is in full-on Creamsicle territory) when I’m craving a treat; the rose-argan one when I need soothing; and the cactus-flower-cedarwood one when I want to wake up and pull myself together. Even just the moment of deciding which to go for is pure luxury.


    Grown Alchemist Trio Hand Cream Kit

Megan O’Neill, associate beauty director

Megan O’Neill

associate beauty director

Resolution 1: Accessorize my hair (in ways that look effortless).

  1. A million years ago when I was a tween, there was an older girl at my all-girls Upper East Side school whom I was obsessed with. She hiked up our grey pleated-skirt uniform, transforming her vibe from frumpy to rebellious. She rocked clomp-y platform loafers instead of the usual dismal, preppy oxfords. Instead of the “strongly encouraged” polo shirt, she showed up most mornings in a playfully cropped collared shirt. She pushed her hair—an explosion of auburn curls—out of her face and up into an effortlessly mussed bun that we’d endlessly try to mimic during sleepovers. I’ve managed to re-create the look, finally, after all these years, with this perfect grey-and-black marbled clip. The claw looks sleek against any hair color or texture, and its grip is hardy enough to grasp the thickest coils (a flimsy butterfly clip this is not). Handmade in Italy, it looks and feels like it’s crafted from an actual tortoise’s shell, but really it’s made of 100 percent recyclable resin. So is the big, easy-to-hold wide-tooth comb it comes with. Whether I gather my curls into a tendril-y bun, a low chignon, or a half-up-half-down style, the clip gives my hair the cool, laid-back vibe of my high school obsession. At last.


    Undo Claw Clip & Comb Hairware Set

  2. Resolution 2: Stick to a signature scent.

    We’d managed to swing a quick weekend getaway to the Bahamas, and after a languorous day of reading on the beach (Harper’s Bazaar under the new editor in chief, Samira Nasr, is excellent) and floating in the turquoise water, my husband and I made our way to a moody lounge. Manor Bar at Rosewood Baha Mar on Nassau is dimly lit and all plush mahogany and leather—you kick back in coral-colored velvet armchairs or eggshell-blue sofas that are amazingly comfortable despite looking so chic. It feels a little like an old Brooklyn gentlemen’s club, except perched in every corner are women outfitted in sunny caftans and Nap Dresses, as palm trees gently sway outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

    Just before we returned to Manor the following night, I spritzed on this new musky yet somehow light eau de parfum. It’s a counterintuitive mix—smoky bourbon patchouli with airy-fresh Bulgarian rose and vetiver—that makes a stunning, sexy, everyday-wearable contradiction. Sort of like an old Brooklyn gentleman’s club in the tropics.

    Every day since, I’ve dabbed a touch at my wrists in the mornings to shift into take-on-the-day mode, and if I’m going out at night, I put it on again—this time sprayed into my curls. Of course, I’ll also be packing it in my carry-on (at under two ounces, it’s beautifully travel-friendly) for my next warm-weekend getaway.

  3. Resolution 3: Slow down.

    Sometimes I take a break from my laptop and open one of these two gorgeously large glass jars of bath soak so I can inhale the mesmerizing sandalwood-frankincense-vanilla-rose scent (both soaks—rich yellow milk powders—have the same fragrance). But when I take the time to pour one of the soaks (the jar labeled Exheal is designed to support digestion, while Inheal targets the skin’s microbiome) into an actual warm bath, I stop. As I steep in the blend of essential oils, saffron (which tints both powders the beautiful bright yellow), goat milk, probiotics, and more, I stop spiraling about work, texts, DMs, Insta—all of it. And for a few minutes, my auto-worrying about the safety and peace of my family and the people I love is replaced with a sense of calm I’d almost forgotten existed. A fragrant, cozy bath can really shift everything—it’s the habit I’m determined to stick with this year.


  4. The Fullest Saffron Soaks Bundle

    The Fullest
    Saffron Soaks Bundle
    goop, $120

    SHOP NOW

  5. Bonus: The ultimate slow-down relax-a-thon is when I soak while letting this ultranourishing, clinically tested conditioner—a proprietary bond-strengthening complex plus softening ashwagandha, pink lotus, and sunflower seed oil are the secret weapons—work its shine-boosting, detangling magic. It smells faintly flowery and fresh and leaves my curls smooth and fluffy if I keep it on for about 20 minutes, the ideal duration of a bath for me. (The shampoo is also a hair miracle.)

Brianna Peters, associate beauty editor

Brianna Peters

associate beauty editor

Resolution 1: Find joy in little things.

Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee urges us to stop trying to reach the elusive “happiness” and instead pursue something a little more bite-size: joy. So I’m starting my year by writing down those kinds of moments in my life, like playing fetch with my dog in Central Park, tasting the fizzy bubbles in my favorite ginger-and-lemon seltzer, seeing and smelling the fresh thyme sprouting in my electric garden, and enjoying a really good hair day. For the latter, I have a new strategy: perfecting my blowout with this incredible finishing oil. It goes on like the airiest mist and leaves my hair with glossy, healthy-looking, just-left-the-salon bounce and fullness. It’s made with rich oils like rahua, morete, and sacha inchi, plus blue tansy, so not only does it make my hair look like a million bucks; it also nourishes, smooths, brightens, and protects so I get the best texture and shine every time I use it.


  1. Rahua Color Full Glossing Oil Mist

  2. A good skin day—unsurprisingly—makes me feel fantastic, too. When I’m not consistent with my routine, my sensitive skin gets red and blotchy. My secret weapon is this silky face oil made especially for sensitive skin: It’s free of common irritants like essential oils, soy, nut derivatives, and gluten, but the powerful, skin-loving ingredients it is made with—adaptogens, fruit-based vitamins C and E, oat ceramides, and plant-derived omega fatty acids—are the real magic. I smooth it on twice a day and my skin is totally moisturized, soothed, and protected against the winter doldrums. Not to mention, the gorgeous green-and-gold glass bottle itself sparks a little joy.

  3. Resolution 2: Travel more.

    In my head, I come up with myriad excuses not to go—it’s not the right time, I have too much to do, I have no one to watch my dog—but the truth is there never is a “right” time. So, for 2023, I’m saying yes to the weekend trips, long trips, quick trips, last-minute trips—all of it. To enable spontaneity, I’ve got all my favorite essentials (in adorable TSA-approved sizes) prepacked and ready to go. I’ve got my favorite-ever shampoo and conditioner, a skin-perfecting exfoliating treatment, and the cutest kit of every glowy skin essential I need—cleanser, serum, moisturizer, and mask. Packing is half the battle, right?


  4. Crown Affair The Mini Shampoo, Conditioner, and Oil Set

    Crown Affair
    The Mini Shampoo,
    Conditioner,
    and Oil Set

    goop, $60

    SHOP NOW

  5. I keep all my makeup stashed in this gorgeous makeup bag. It’s flexible, so it fits neatly in my carry-on and still has room for everything I need, from tinted sunscreen and concealer to mascara. (Lilac just happens to be my favorite color of all time.) By the time you read this, I’ll be practicing what I preach, kicking off the year exploring Mexico with my family.


    Saie Oversized Makeup Bag

  6. Resolution 3: Change up my Sundays.

    I have a bad habit of getting into a “I can only relax and have fun on the weekends” mentality, which clouds my Sundays with stress, anxiety, dread, and to-do lists. So I’m focusing on boundaries and living the weekend to its fullest by stocking Sundays with friends, classes, clubs, and the occasional total-wind-down treatment. My favorite: snuggling into my sauna blanket while I do this face mask. The mask is a thick botanical clay that completely clears out my pores but hydrates at the same time, leaving my skin fresh and smooth. Once I get out of the blanket (and soak off the face mask), I do the steamiest hot shower, exfoliating and cleansing my body, then rinse for five minutes in cold water. The combination feels like the most luxurious spa treatment ever (and it makes my week ahead so much better).


  7. Grown Alchemist Deep Cleansing Masque

    Grown Alchemist
    Deep Cleansing Masque
    goop, $40

    SHOP NOW

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