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Talk Of The Team: 15 *Extra* Beauty Items mbg Editors Adored In February

Jamie Schneider
Author:
February 28, 2024
Jamie Schneider
Former Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
By Jamie Schneider
Former Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
Jamie Schneider is the former Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.
Talk Of The Team - February
Image by Westman Atelier / Hannah Frye / mbg Creative
February 28, 2024
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.
As beauty editors, we're constantly testing products to deliver you the best, most informed recommendations. In our series, Talk of the Team, we highlight the tried-and-tested product launches that have made a lasting impact on our routines. These are the new formulas we can't stop gushing about—in our group chats, during team meetings, and, now, to you. This month's theme is "Extra." 

Happy Leap Day, everyone! You can celebrate the occasion in myriad ways (time capsules, frog-themed parties, et al), but we recommend simply taking advantage of these extra hours however you see fit. Call a friend, take a nature walk, try a new beauty ritual… if there’s any activity you wish you had more time for in the day, now’s a perfect opportunity to partake. 

For those seeking self-care on this fine Thursday, we have you covered: This month, mbg beauty editors tested one-of-a-kind products that each have a little something extra to offer. A special, patented ingredient, a dramatic color payoff, an additional targeted benefit—these formulas go above and beyond. After all, you can’t spell extraordinary without extra. 

mbg's February Talk Of The Team

Virtue Damage Reverse Serum

Why we love it

  • An extra dose of the brand's patented bio-identical keratin means it can transform hair health in just one use
  • Easy, light-weight consistency doesn't weigh-down hair
  • Works on all hair types

Price:

$60

Launch date:

2/5

This brand is known for their patented ingredient, Alpha Keratin 60ku. It's a bioidentical protein to keratin, the protein that makes up 80% of the hair. When hair is damaged and weak, it's because it's lost some of that keratin. By applying this particular keratin topically, it replenishes what's lost, strengthening hair in the process. This special ingredient is formulated into all of Virtue's products, but it's at its highest concentration in this serum. 

I noticed a huge difference in my hair's appearance with just one use. The ends looked less crackly and brittle, the color looked more luminous, and my days-old blowout was brought back to life. With each application thereafter, I couldn't believe how smooth and soft the strands felt. — Alexandra Engler, beauty director

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops

Why we love it

  • Instantly warms up the skin
  • Fuses to every skin tone
  • Looks extremely pigmented (I was apprehensive!) but sheers immediately
  • Contains ethically and sustainably-sourced mica

Price:

$35

Launch date:

2/23

This month’s theme may be extra, but Glow Recipe’s new drops have actually saved me an extra step: I haven't worn bronzer since copping the glowy formula. It provides the prettiest warm sheen without looking streaky, and it flatters every skin tone beautifully—I once wore it without any makeup whatsoever and was asked how I looked so sun-kissed. 

I’ll apply it with my fingertips to my entire face (post-sunscreen, pre-makeup), follow with a skin tint, then use a contour brush to add a few more drops just on my cheekbones and hairline. Then, as celebrity makeup artist Colby Smith taught me, I use an eyeshadow brush to swipe another half a drop on my eyelids and brow bones. Let me tell you, I’ve never looked so glowy. — Jamie Schneider, senior beauty editor

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The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum

Why we love it

  • No more sticky residue
  • Plumps the skin
  • Affordable

Price:

$10

Launch date:

2/13

Even before the recent reformulation, this was one of my most common recommendations to friends and family because it's so effective and affordable. Now, the formula contains even more forms of hyaluronic acid for deeper hydration and ceramides to help plump and soften the skin. The biggest change: There's no longer a sticky residue left behind. Not every company goes out of its way to improve an already cult-favorite product, so hats off to The Ordinary for doing the most. — Hannah Frye, assistant beauty editor

Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint

Why we love it

  • Very pigmented; a little goes a long way
  • Impressive staying power
  • Fun user experience

Price:

$24

Launch date:

2/6

These jellies took the TikTok crowd by storm when they first launched, for a good reason: The sensorial experience is extraordinary! It reminds me of a Push Pop, as I twist the stick until the candy-like pigment rises from the base. It’s solid yet bouncy, and it provides a burst of color I can best describe as juicy. 

I will say that the payoff is intense, so I prefer to sweep a brush over the pigment before diffusing it on my cheeks and lips for a softer wash of color; but you can totally swirl the stick right on your skin for a more dramatic finish. Go ahead, be extra. — Schneider

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Nudescreen Blush Tint SPF 30

Why we love it

  • Mineral formula
  • Gorgeous hues
  • Can be used on lips, cheeks, & lids

Price:

$30

Launch date:

2/9

Blush with sunscreen is my kind of "extra." Now you can be faux rosy-cheeked at the beach knowing that the flush is not from too much UV, but rather a tinted, multi-tasking formula. I already know this will be in my bag all summer to add flush to my lids, lips, and cheeks while protecting my skin. — Frye

Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte

Why we love it

  • A dynamic matte formula with intense color payoff
  • Gets it's hydrating matte finish from non-drying hyaluronic acid and kaolin clay

Price:

$50

Launch date:

2/27

I can't remember the last time I wore a matte lip. My most formative beauty years were during the matte lipstick craze that dominated the advent of Instagram. Those liquid matte lipsticks dried down like car paint and left the skin feeling like the desert.

But my-oh-my were my interests piqued when I got an email letting me know that celebrity makeup artist Gucci Westman was coming out with her own matte lipstick. This formula and payoff is nothing you've tried before. The color glides on like cashmere and has a dynamic (never flat) matte finish. I tested a bright, crisp red that earned me several compliments, but the line comes in 10 shades that beg to be worn. — Engler

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Future Society Optimal Habitat Fragrance Primer

Why we love it

  • Helps your perfume last longer
  • Beautiful packaging

Price:

$60

Launch date:

2/1

This fragrance primer is certainly extra, but it’s a worthwhile splurge for the fragrance-obsessed. Plenty of perfumes fade in just a few hours (clean formulas are notorious for this), but a primer helps extend the life of your go-to, possibly therapeutic wearable fragrance. Follow the directions strictly for the best results (meaning, rub it in and let it set before layering your other perfume). — Frye

La Bonne Brosse N.03 The Essential Soft Hair Brush

Why we love it

  • Gently stimulates the scalp without being too harsh on hair
  • Great for detangling & slicked-back styles
  • Elegant & elevated design

Price:

$158

Launch date:

2/8

I own a $158 hairbrush. Yes, it’s pricey—some may even consider it a bit extra—but it’s designed to last a lifetime. Crafted with artisanal French techniques, it certainly delivers on luxury: The nylon fiber ball tips give your scalp a delicate massage, while the high-quality, sustainably sourced boar bristles moisturize your tresses and make them shine.

Not for nothing, it looks like a treasure on my vanity. Give this brush a pass through your locks, and I’ll bet you’ll be just as hooked as I am. — Schneider

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Kulfi Free The Brow

Why we love it

  • Nourishes brow hairs
  • Comes with two different tools attached
  • Doesn't feel sticky

Price:

$26

Launch date:

2/23

A brow serum, gel, comb, and brush, all in one tiny purple bottle... that's extra efficient. This new product makes brow care on the go easier than ever while putting brow health at the forefront. The result is brows that look laminated but feel soft to the touch. — Frye

Odele Scalp + Body Scrub

Why we love it

  • Streamlines your shower routine
  • Sugar granules gentle enough for scalp
  • Fresh, invigorating scent

Price:

$16.99

Launch date:

2/25

To be honest, I’m often hesitant with 2-in-1 products. The skin on your body can often tolerate much more potent formulas than the delicate skin on your face, so I generally stick to body-only applications—until I tried this scalp and body scrub. 

I was a bit concerned the granules would be too harsh for my sensitive scalp, then pleasantly surprised to find the texture softer than many scalp exfoliators I’ve tried. Sugar is the workhorse here, which is much finer and less harsh than salt, while caffeine and glycerin stimulate and hydrate the skin. Once a week, I plop a dollop on my scalp, massage gently to lift buildup, then apply another scoop on my body to scrub away dead skin. When I rinse, I feel invigorated from head to toe. — Schneider

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La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Serum

Why we love it

  • Targets dark spots gently
  • Has been tested on dark skin tones
  • Sits nicely under makeup

Price:

$45

Launch date:

2/15

Backed by 18 years of research and a 5-month clinical study, this serum is a revolutionary dark spot corrector safe and effective for all skin tones and types. The new multi-patented ingredient, known as Melasyl™, is raising the bar for hyperpigmentation treatment this year. —Frye

Why we love it

  • Includes signature TFC8 complex to keep hair healthy & vibrant
  • Creamiest shampoo I’ve ever tried
  • Conditioner is rich & buttery but doesn’t weigh down strands

Price:

$60 each

Launch date:

2/21

When I first squeezed out this shampoo, I genuinely thought I mixed up the bottles and accidentally grabbed the conditioner—that’s how creamy this formula feels. Yet despite the richness, it actually lathers up quite beautifully; I did need to double cleanse in order to really lift the gunk and oil from my scalp, but for days I only need a light shampoo, it’s perfect.  

The conditioner, true to its name, is equally rich, yet it doesn’t weigh down my strands. My waves look bouncy, hydrated, and refreshed. — Schneider

Rationale The Décolletage Créme

Why we love it

  • Makes skin glisten
  • A little goes a long way
  • Gently targets sun damage

Price:

$157

Launch date:

2/13

This cream is quite pricey, but a little goes a long way. The formula is designed to support dark spots and fine lines on the décolletage, which is an area that many people frequently neglect. While it's not something everyone needs in their routine, I will admit my chest has looked immensely better since I started using it, and the hydration lasts all day long. — Frye

SŌM Skin Rejuvenate & Fill Microneedle Patches

Why we love it

  • Contains microscopic, self-dissolving needles
  • The most high-tech patch I’ve tried
  • Works on under-eyes, smile lines & any desired areas

Price:

$280

Launch date:

2/5

Skin care patches are becoming increasingly elevated, with more targeted benefits, delivery systems, and premium ingredients infused into the tiny adhesives. As of now, these high-tech, exosome-infused options take the cake. 

With microneedling technology to gently penetrate the skin’s surface, exosomes travel into the deeper layers of the skin and activate those skin cells to repair, stimulating more collagen production and improving skin texture. They also include conotoxin (a type of peptide) to help smooth fine lines, plus hyaluronic acid to plump the skin with moisture. 

They’ve been quite transformative for my dull, sensitive under-eyes, and I’ve even tried a patch on a pesky smile line that aggravates me to no end (it’s only on one side—anyone else?!). I’ll need a few more rounds to be sure, but it finally looks less apparent in the a.m. — Schneider

Carrière Frères La Rose aime la Menthe Candle

Why we love it

  • Smells fragrant even when unlit
  • Sleek, beautiful design
  • Rose-tinted 100% vegetable wax

Price:

$69

I typically prefer my rose with a side of amber or grounding vanilla to make the fragrance more complex, but I’ve been sleeping on mint as the extra ingredient. Delicate floral and herbaceous spearmint is a combo I didn’t know I needed—it’s equal parts cozy and invigorating.

It bathes my home in fresh mint even without a flame (it’s like having a bouquet of herbs on my counter at all times), but when I do warm up the wax, the rose really comes alive. — Schneider

Meet The Experts

Jamie Schneider is the former Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.

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