BEAUTY

Jane’s Addiction: Here Comes The Sun

What W’s beauty director, Jane Larkworthy, is hooked on this month.


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When I’m stuck in the city on sweltering days, I rely on a few key products to keep me chill.

Fekkai Summer Hair Cooling Shine Mist gives oomph to a tired hairstyle and contains soothing menthol and peppermint—it’s hard to resist spritzing on my face ($25, fekkai.com). Ocean-derived botanicals, meanwhile, make H20 Plus Eye Oasis Instant Hydrating Stick feel like a mini ice pack expressly for swiping over your eyes ($26, h2oplus.com). And I’ve taken to spraying Hampton Sun Hydrating Aloe Continuous Mist on my feet and legs before walking home from the office at night; it’s less messy than talcum powder but just as sticky-proofing ($28, hamptonsuncare.com).

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When Giorgio Armani’s Tim Quinn (inset) first showed me the brand’s Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow in No. 25, I blurted out, “Sun!” But with its molten gold tones and sophisticated shimmer, it’s even more smoldering than that. All I know is that after Quinn applied it to my eyes, I felt chic enough to think that if I couldn’t be a model, maybe my eyelids could. I’ll keep you posted on that. ($32, giorgioarmanibeauty.com)

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I’m always trying out different products on each side of my face. Lately, on my left it’s been an at-home fractional laser called the Palovia (far right), which is meant to activate the production of collagen, making skin firmer and smoother. Unlike professional laser treatments, which cover 20 to 30 percent of the face per visit, the Palovia does about only 1 percent at a time—but because you can use it daily, you should be able to get professional-level results over time. It’s FDA-cleared for the eye area, but I’ve been using it on my smile lines—and after 30 days, the treated areas feel more firm ($499, palovia.com). At the same time, my right side has been enduring the Medik8 Skinrölla (far left). It looks like a Barbie-size roller, with tiny needles embedded in it that lightly prick the skin for better penetration of serums and creams. (One of the company’s facialists likened it to “aerating a lawn before fertilizing.”) In exchange for making half of my face a human putting green—without any signs of trauma, I should add—I’ve been rewarded with noticeably smoother skin. In fact, it might be time to hit the other side, just for balance ($135, privatespashop.com).

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I love touring perfumers’ labs and turning people on to new scents. These are my latest gems.

Bulgari Mon Jasmin Noir L’eau Exquise The green-almond, jasmine-sambac, and white musk elements combine to form a fresh and sultry fragrance. ($75, bulgari.com)

Elie Saab le parfum Eau de Toilette This mix of orange blossom, rose honey, gardenia, and vetiver is every bit as elegant as Saab’s dresses. ($105, saks.com)

Dior Grand Bal A jasmine, orange blossom, and ylang-ylang scent that makes me want to throw on a strapless gown and go dancing—and I swear it’s not just because of the name. ($230, dior.com)

Kiehl’s Fig Leaf & Sage Kiehl’s used the leaf of the fig and combined it with the smoky warmth of sage. I imagine effortlessly cool girls wearing this on weekends with that perfect jeans-and-T-shirt uniform. ($75, kiehls.com)