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November 30, 2022

mbg Beauty & Wellness Editor

By Jamie Schneider

mbg Beauty & Wellness Editor

Jamie Schneider is the Beauty & Wellness Editor at mindbodygreen, covering beauty and wellness. 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.

Image by pexels/ coockind / naked poppy

November 30, 2022

Our editors have independently chosen the products listed on this page. If you purchase something mentioned in this article, we may

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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 “Nourish.” 

When brainstorming this month’s theme, we immediately agreed that something about the month of November just makes you feel…good. Comforted. Relaxed. Full, in every sense of the word. Of course, there’s the Thanksgiving feast that nourishes your belly (I can still practically smell the leftovers), but that time spent with loved ones may also nourish your spirit, and the dip in temperature may inspire you to slow down, rest, and recharge (or at least bundle up in a warm, comforting knit). 

We often think of beauty in a similar fashion: A grounding routine can soothe your psyche the same way a rich face cream can coddle your skin barrier. And with the holidays right around the corner, November is the perfect time to reflect on what genuinely feeds your mind, body, and soul, so you can enter the season and upcoming new year with a level head—it also doesn’t hurt to show up to the festivities with a glowing complexion.

So I encourage you to check out the beauty team’s favorite nourishing launches this month; from an ultra-hydrating scalp serum to a better-for-you styling product to a therapeutic bath soak, these picks truly nurture from head to toe.  

When I tested the lab samples of this shampoo and conditioner duo, I immediately started counting down the days until I could get the full-sized bottles. Before using this shampoo, I looked at my scalp in the mirror: I saw flakes, dryness, and a bit of irritation—thanks to the seasonal transition. Yet after just one use (I repeat, one single use), my scalp immediately looked and felt better.

The clinical results echo my positive experience, with a whopping 61% of participants reporting a reduction in hair fallout, with their scalps feeling healthier, more hydrated, and soothed. This shampoo formula stands out because it targets hair health at the root—in essence, by nourishing the scalp microbiome. — Hannah Frye, mbg assistant beauty editor

When you look at these drops’ formula, the connection to this month’s theme of nourish is quite obvious. The scalp serum uses grape vine sap, castor oil, chamomile extract, panthenol, niacinamide, caffeine, and zinc to achieve a variety of things: balance sebum production, soothe irritation, hydrate without weighing down the roots, and even support hair growth. But I find them to be nourishing in an entirely different way: Growing up, my mom would buy me Paul Mitchell products around holidays as a special treat. I felt so special and cared for with each use.

Since becoming a beauty editor, I now get to fill my cabinets with an assortment of hair care products, but nothing will match that feeling as a teen when my mom stocked the shower with these gems. I can still smell the shampoo. Now I get to adore their clean collection: All products are infused with certified-organic botanicals from a biodynamic farm in Tuscany, nixes several ingredients I tend to avoid, and are packaged in bioplastic. —Alexandra Engler, mbg beauty director

I adore a good slicked-back ponytail or bun every once in a while. That being said, I absolutely despise the sticky, crunchy texture that comes along with conventional hair gels and hair sprays. I’ve had a spot open on my hair care shelf waiting to be filled with a better-for-you styling product—and now it’s here.

The new Act+Acre Styling Paste has taken up real estate on my beauty counter thanks to its incredible hold, sans sticky or crunchy residue. I know the natural formula is actually feeding my strands and my scalp but maintains hold all day thanks to the candelilla wax. If you use styling paste for your slicked-back looks or to keep a short style looking textured and shaggy, get this paste ASAP. —Frye

Youthforia’s innovative, color-changing blush oil has long been a staple in my makeup bag, but for those who don’t feel like channeling their inner cosmetic chemist, the brand created new blush shades for a consistent swipe of color. The new set comes in three hues: a darker terracotta, a coral number, and a Barbiecore cool-toned pink. And just like the original BYO blush, these new shades are formulated with the brand’s Skin Chi Complex, a proprietary blend of six plant-based ingredients that simultaneously enhances your natural glow.

I’ve been using “But Tonight” to contour my cheekbones and hairline, then “Turn Up The Sunshine” on the apples of my cheeks, eyelids, and tip of my nose for a flushed, “I’m cold” effect. Because it’s a dry oil formula, the product fuses to my complexion like a dream and stays put all day long—even when I’m faced with brutal NYC winds. — Schneider

At mbg, we always (like, actually always) preach about slugging in a way that’s not going to have a negative impact on our environment—this means opting out of mineral-oil-based products and instead using naturally derived occlusive oils. Developed by the creatives behind Starface and Plus, the new aesthetically pleasing and playful brand has come in hot to make slugging easy and eco-friendly.

Enter, Futurwise—the brand that took this idea and ran with it, launching an entire slugging system with a serum, moisturizer, and occlusive balm. This makes it easy to reap all of the many benefits of slugging without having to hunt down the best natural ingredients. The formulas are vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic. These products are perfect for post-procedure care, recovery nights (hello, skin cycling), or used separately for an extra boost of clean and nourishing botanicals anytime you need it. — Frye