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Credit: Anita Austvika
Sticks might be the best format innovation of the last decade. Think about it. Lipstick's been a stick forever, sure, but the last ten years took the innovation and ran with it. Contour sticks. Blush sticks. Highlighter sticks. You could build a whole face without touching a brush. I have so many stick makeup brand favorites, including the new Jones Road foundation stick, Nudestix shadows, Westman Atelier blushes, and DIBS double-sided bronzer/blush sticks.
Skincare's caught on. Serums, balms, SPF, even heel repair. All twist-up, all mess-free, all things you can toss in a bag without worrying about a cap popping off in your gym tote.
My favorites are below, head to toe.
Before we get into it, a few favorites this week.
This iced coffee hack has changed my life. I spend half the amount I used to on coffee pods. I was never an iced coffee person on a daily basis until discovering this! Truly. I drank hot coffee in the morning in August. In Florida, even. I’m forever changed. I love using this Nescafe, and prefer using it because it comes in a glass container I keep in the fridge. It lasts like a month. Get into it.
The only thing better than a Lola Blanket? A weighted Lola Blanket. Rainy summer evening energy, on demand.
Just upgraded my phone case to this radiant gradient one.
Cellcosmet BodyStructure XT is the body-firming cream I swear by for beach vacations. Worth checking a bag for.
I think I need to buy this adorable stuffed lobster in a Breton tee for Reid.
This specific shade of Patrick Ta liquid blush is the perfect pink. Mixing it with concealer under the eyes is a revelation.
My Sister Made Me Buy It described Danessa Myricks Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray as a sprayable Paris filter, and that’s all you need to know. I also like to spritz it on no makeup days on the weekend to blur some of what’s going on without makeup if you know what I mean. You do.
These sculptural wedges would be ideal for a a wedding guest outfit, no?
Your K-Cup Has Been Sitting in a Warehouse for Months
That grocery store pod? It was roasted long before it hit the shelf. Coffee starts losing flavor within weeks of roasting — which is why your morning cup tastes flat, no matter how nice your machine is.
Angelino's does it differently. A third-generation roaster in Los Angeles, they roast, grind, and seal every pod in-house for peak freshness, then ship it to your door within days of roasting. The difference is the first thing you'll notice: real aroma, real flavor, no bitterness.
Mix and match from 50+ specialty coffees, teas, and flavored blends — all Keurig®-compatible — and save more with every box you add, up to 34% off at 12+. Order once whenever you're running low, or subscribe for an extra 5% if that's easier. Entirely up to you.
New customers get 15% off their first order — applied automatically, no code needed.
Skincare sticks
Highlight
I reach for this e.l.f. dewy stick when I want that lit-from-within look without the effort. Twist it up and glide it on, you get that cooling "ahh" feeling on contact. It works over makeup or on bare skin, and each shade's got a nourishing ingredient built in so it's not just shine, it's actually doing something for your skin too.
Protect
If you hate the feeling of heavy, sticky sunscreen, Kahi Airy Fit Sun Stick is your fix. SPF 50+ broad spectrum coverage in a formula so light you'll forget it's there. It goes on smooth, keeps skin breathable and shine-free, even over makeup. No grease, no white cast, no irritation.
Pro tip: you can buy a cute duck holder or an inner tube attachment for it separately. Makes SPF-ing a toddler at the pool so much easier, trust.
Plump
A TikTok sold me on Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Stick. A woman had been using it long enough that her fingers, the ones she used to apply it, looked fuller. WHAT?! That went straight in my cart. Volufuline an ingredient we're going to be hearing about for a long time. I put this under my eyes, on my elevens, and along my nasolabial folds, and I can see a difference. It works under eyes, cheeks, lips, neck, even on the body. The Volufiline in it targets hollow areas like under-eyes and smile lines for a plumper, more filled-in look.
Antioxidant up
Missha Vita C Plus Ampoule Balm Facial Serum Stick is my travel stick pick, for when packing a full bottle of Vitamin C serum feels like too much. It targets fine lines and wrinkles while it nourishes skin. If you want a retinol version, Clinique makes a good one.
Moisturize your bod
Hanni The Fatty Acid Moisture Stick is a great body lotion in stick form, perfect for travel. Swipe it on arms, legs, and your décolletage, and you're done. Want more glow? Try Meaningful Beauty's Targeted Hydration Body Stick for a touch of illumination.
Heels that look well-heeled
Voesh Heel Repair Balm is how I keep my feet looking cute all summer. Putting on sandals? Swipe this on first. Foot care is exhausting, and this stick hack makes the whole enterprise palatable. It's infused with soothing wild mint oil in a waterless balm stick, so it glides on without any mess and gets straight to work on tired, cracked heels. It also helps lock in moisture and form a protective layer against everything summer throws at your feet. For extra credit, pair with thin cotton socks overnight or for an hour or so. Personally, I loathe a nighttime sock, so it’s not that kind of party for me.
TL;DR: Sticks took over makeup, and now they're taking over skincare too. From dewy skin to SPF to happy heels, these are the ones earning a spot in my crowded routine.
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