As a NYC-based beauty editor, my schedule isn’t the typical nine-to-five. I’m constantly dropping in and out of brand previews to discover the latest and greatest product launches, connecting with artists IRL for insight on trends, and playing guinea pig to make the best, most informative recommendations when it comes to skin treatments. (If you’re curious, I work at Ubers a lot.) That said, the month of May was especially busy — not surprising, given that it kicked off with the Met Gala and marks the unofficial start of summer. Every other day I was trying a new facial or slathering on a soon-to-be-viral formula (not that great for my skin barrier, I know, but it Is My job is to stay on top of the market!), so I’ve decided to share a highlight reel. Take a look behind the beauty-editor curtain, if you’d like.
After testing a combined 31 treatments and products over the course of a month, these are the 12 standouts that I would totally recommend booking and purchasing. Note: I didn’t include three beloved launches that I’ve already waxed poetic about with the entire Who What Wear Beauty team, but consider those honorable mentions!
treatment
A Red-Carpet Facial with Mimi Luzon
May started off with a bang, as beauty professionals (that is, celebrity aestheticians, makeup artists, hair stylists, and manicurists) gathered in NYC for fashion’s biggest night. 2026 Met Gala. mimi luzon is one of those pros who dresses a number of celebrity clients (Miranda Kerr, Hudson Williams, and Ciara, to name a few) from an airy suite at The Mark Hotel, and I was lucky enough to experience the magic just a few days before the madness. Luzon’s signature Red Carpet Skin protocol is customized for each client, but includes some combination of radiofrequency (for instant skin-tightening), MFace (essentially a workout for your facial muscles) and her signature 24K Gold Mask, which delivers a next-level glow.
“The New Yorker” with Georgia Lewis.
celebrity beauty expert georgia louise (responsible for Anne Hathaway and Cardi B’s glowing complexions) knows that most of us don’t have time for a full spa day, as much as I’d love to spend hours at her luxurious Beauty Longevity Atelier on the Upper East Side. To meet the demands of city dwellers who are constantly time-crunched, they launched “the new Yorker” The treatment consisted of 60 minutes of simultaneous facial massage, lymphatic body massage, and IV drip. Yes, it’s as dreamy as it sounds, and from a skin-care perspective it makes total sense: after all, your natural detoxification system plays a vital role in skin health. Ultimately I decided to skip the IV (needles make me nauseous), but just the facial — another custom treatment involving microcurrent, red light therapy, and a light peel — and the lymphatic massage were enough to leave me completely refreshed. (I was also kind of feeling like a soft piece of meat, but in the best way.) I practically moved back to Brooklyn.
A lymphatic massage with prunes
Speaking of lymphatic massage treatments, I can’t help but shout out my supernatural experience PruneCertified Specialist in Brazilian renata franca method. Splitting her time between NYC, the Hamptons, and France (goals), Prune works her magic with private house calls, and on my birthday (which was technically the end of April, but alas), she moved her massage bed and trunk of Tronc products to my apartment. What happened next I can only describe as 90 minutes of bliss, and my skin glowed for hours Tronc’s Silky Vitamin C Body Oil.
A Custom Facial at Sloan Studio
Lots of facials this month—call it grassroots journalism! This time, I dared to go to Chelsea to meet Malika SloanMedical Esthetician and Founder Sloan StudioFor skin evaluation and custom treatments. After chatting about my specific concerns and goals, she proceeded with the Sloan Signature: a 60-minute treatment that included a beautiful exfoliation and steam, a round of extractions (not so pretty yet very necessary), Laser Genesis (my secret weapon for glass skin), red light therapy, and a cooling mask. I almost fell asleep on the treatment table – a sure sign of an 11/10 facial.
A sauna session at the Lor Bathing Club
There was a no phone policy in the sauna, but I managed to take a quick picture of the locker room.
i heard a whisper Lore Bathing ClubA brand new sauna and cold plunge studio in Noho, with spacious, stylish and most importantly clean interiors, and is monitoring Instagram For weeks for updated schedules. I must have gotten an invitation to its opening the weekend of May 15, where I enjoyed the Finnish alder wood sauna (one of the hottest saunas I’ve tried, with temperatures reaching 190 degrees Fahrenheit) and relaxed on hammam-style heated benches around the cool pool. I didn’t have the courage to submerge myself in the 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures, but there’s always a next time — maybe I’ll feel inspired after the Guided Cold Water Soak, one of the many programming options throughout the day in space.
product
Tower 28 ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly
tower 28
ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly
A lip plumper for sensitive skin may seem like an oxymoron and a recipe for inflammation, but leave it to Tower 28 to defy the odds with its ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly. The formula relies on a gentle, plant-based ingredient called VibePlump, which stimulates microcirculation in the skin and gently increases blood flow without irritation. (I’m told the ingredient has been used in the sexual wellness field before, so if it’s gentle enough to use on intimate areas, rest assured it won’t irritate the lips.) Instead of a spicy, stinging sensation, it provides a tingly vibration – hence the name – that results in just the right amount of volume. I’ve been using the clear shade to compliment all my lip colors lately, but Only Choice (sheer pink) also looks beautiful on its own.
Highdose Healthy Hair Ritual Set
higher dose
Healthy Hair Ritual Set
If there’s a highdose innovation on the horizon, you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be the first in line to test it. Such was the case when I came across the brand’s new Healthy Hair Ritual Set, which includes a Light Activated Scalp Serum and Scalp Derma Stamp. Note, I generally stay away from derma-rollers at home (my general rule is “leave the needles to the professionals”), but this device is equipped with the smallest stainless steel needles and a lever to customize the depth. Lightly pressing it into my scalp at 0.25mm doesn’t feel like anything, but it gently stimulates scalp circulation and creates micro-channels for the serum’s ingredients — which include copper peptides, bamboo and Swiss apple extracts, and rosemary hydrosol — to do their best work.
YSL Beauty Skin Affair Soft Glow Cushion Foundation
ysl beauty
Skin Affair Soft Glow Cushion Foundation
This may be the cutest cushion foundation I’ve ever owned (it even comes with a key chain!), but don’t think it sacrifices optimal coverage for a flattering aesthetic. No, this lightweight formula is endlessly buildable, from a sheer, tinted moisturizer-like veil to a full satin finish, and the velvety puff ensures an even, pillowy application every time. There’s something about a cushion foundation that makes you look professionally airbrushed (something about the famous airy texture, I’m sure), and this definitely ticks that box. this helps charli xcx herself Considers it a makeup-bag staple.
Hourglass Phantom Smoothing Blur Lip Balm
hourglass
Phantom Smoothing Blur Lip Balm
Twist my arm, and I’ll tell you it Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm My all time favorite lip product. It crafts your pout into the juiciest looking color without feeling too sticky, and it’s so easy to apply that you can even apply it without a mirror (which I often do!). Now, imagine putting all of those benefits toward a dewy, soft-matte formula. Instead of sticky-shiny problems, this addresses my main complaint with matte lip color: dryness. Instead of adding texture, this light, creamy color somehow smoothes over every lip line and stays comfortable (never flaky) for hours. And like its glossy predecessor, I only need one swipe for perfectly plumped lips – no blending brush required.
Junebird Longevity Body Glaze
junebird
longevity body glaze
Honestly, Junebird sold me on this name. Anything that’s called a “body glaze” is totally worth the splurge, and I can confirm that this lightweight hydrator lives up to its nickname, giving my limbs a nice, dewy glow without feeling too sticky. Don’t sleep on the “longevity” part, either. The formula contains special plant biopeptides that actually mimic the benefits of fasting on skin cells, making them more resilient – and stronger skin cells mean a stronger, brighter, overall healthier complexion.
Aluram Pre-Wash Scalp Treatment
aluram
Pre-Wash Scalp Treatment
Trust me, you don’t realize how badly you need a pre-shampoo treatment until someone fixes your hairstyle game. Such is the case when I got the chance to test this Coconut Allureum formula, which comes with peppermint leaf, menthol and sea kelp extracts to remove excess dirt, hydrate and refresh the scalp. Not only does it feel absolutely heavenly while you work in it, but it also ensures that my blowouts stay bouncy and ultra-shiny — as they say, a good hair day starts with a shower.
MSK Labs The Quickie Express Self-Tanning Gel
MSK Labs
Quickie Express Self-Tanning Gel
I just want to say that I am not a devotee of self-tanning, although I do it every now and then to do There is fake shine, I’m amazed at how much it changes my entire appearance. as wise kylie jenner once said“Sometimes I think I’m depressed, and then I get a spray tan, and I’m like, I was just pale.” I’ve recently committed to a weekly treatment thanks to this fast-absorbing formula of Celebrity Spray Tanner. Michel ChernyavskyWhich honestly feels like a light, gel-based lotion (well, the one you apply with clay). Extra brownie points for lactic acid and niacinamide that even out skin tone as the gel develops to a custom, natural-looking complexion in just one hour.
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