The $20 Product That's "Low-Key Botox" and 19 Other Beauty Must-Haves
The Lineup is a monthly series where we're giving you an inside peek at the beauty lineups of cool fashion people, editors, makeup artists, hairstylists, and estheticians—all the people we trust the most. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at all the can't-live-without products that make their worlds go round.
I consider myself to be a nosy person, but that's only (okay, mostly) the case when it comes to beauty. I love knowing which products everyone is using, which brands I may not know about yet, and the general lineup of everyone's must-haves because FOMO is real. I just feel an inescapable thrill whenever I get a sneak peek into the vanities of cool people, from the fashion set to hairstylists to makeup artists and everyone in between. But some people in the beauty industry just have a certain je ne sais quoi. Take, for instance, April Gargiulo, the founder of cult skincare brand Vintner's Daughter.
Yes, she's the brains behind the serum to end all serums, the cult-favorite Active Botanical Serum ($185), which is also the product that finally balanced out her skin. "I had cystic acne and pigmentation that I constantly battled with until I launched the serum. It's a miracle for anyone dealing with inflammatory issues like acne, dryness, pigmentation, and rosacea," Gargiulo says. Formulated with 22 active botanicals, this serum is multi-correctional, performance-driven, and made from the finest ingredients in the world. It's basically magic packaged in a chic bottle.
If you haven't picked up on this already, Gargiulo's beauty philosophy is quality over quantity (which is why her line only has two skincare products and a recent tea collaboration). She believes that the best thing you can do for your skin is to scale back your product assortment. "More products don't mean better results. It's a myth perpetuated by an industry that wants you to buy more stuff, not to benefit your skin. It's better to have four incredibly well-made products than 12 low-quality products," she explains. "This will not only save you money in the long run, but it will serve your skin and our planet better."
With this logic in mind, you know Gargiulo's lineup is good. Keep scrolling to see her go-to makeup and skincare products and tools, from the $20 patches that are basically as good as Botox to the toning device that keeps her skin feeling and looking fresh.
"A 7-in-1 hydrating, firming, and brightening step that takes the guesswork out of which actives to use and when. Alongside deep hydration and 70+ nutrients, it delivers micro and mini hyaluronic acid, two kinds of vitamin C, stem cells, probiotics, microalgae, and micro-exfoliators."
"Made in collaboration with the Tea Huntress, this tea is a dream project for me. I love the blend so much for its taste profile and even more for what it does to my skin. Beauty from the inside out. I drink it all day long using this teapot. A beautiful teapot elevates the entire experience for me."
Next: Negin Mirsalehi Has Great Hair—This Is the Product She Swears By (Plus 15 More)
Caitie Schlisserman is an L.A.-based executive director with over a decade of branded content and editorial experience. She joinedBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing in 2014 as the first branded content editor and has worked her way up to overseeing a team of talented branded content editors and the beauty department of the media revenue team. BeforeBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , Caitie helped launch FabFitFun's first subscription box and worked at a beauty startup where she assisted in successfully launching the editorial department.
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