Kim France, Founder of Lucky Mag & Girls of a Certain Age
Though she might be most famous for founding Lucky Magazine—and steering it to its meteoric rise (it was the fastest growing publication in the history of Condé Nast), KIM FRANCE actually used to be a rock journalist. Which explains, in part, how Kim can make a conversation about something seemingly light like shoes, into something that's also wickedly smart and revelatory. This is precisely what's going on at her new venture, Girls of a Certain Age, a hilarious blog that covers everything from unfortunate Met Gala gown choices, to her insatiable appetite for asymmetrical black dresses, to '90s rock icons like Justine Frischmann. Now that she doesn't have a fully-stocked beauty closet at her disposal (a huge upside of working at a magazine), we asked Kim for a list of beauty must-haves.
Here, the 10 beauty products Kim France relies on.
- 1
Bigelow Essential Oils
I'm so picky about which scents I'll put on my body that recently I just started concocting my own oils and scrubs and stuff. Some of the best essential oils come from Bigelow. The lavender, ginger, and lemongrass are particularly fantastic.
- 2
This Works: Deep Calm Bath And Shower Oil
This is just the best-smelling bath oil ever that for some hideous reason is no longer available in the US. Which is a tiny bit of a problem for those of us who are TOTALLY addicted. Now you have to order it from the UK, which is certainly better than not getting to have it at all. (Because I now fancy myself an aromatherapy savant, I've actually tried to replicate the scent—it's made with vetiver, chamomile and lavender—and have come close. Ish.)
- 3
Bespoke Labs T3 Featherweight Hair Dryer
The blow dryer of kings: It's indestructible, not too heavy, and does the job fast.
- 4
Clinique Almost-Lipstick in Black Honey
An obvious choice, yes, but there's a reason this is a classic: It's light and sheer enough to apply in a moving taxi, but dramatic enough to make you feel all glamorous and made-a-real-effort.
- 5
Kate Somerville Oil Free Moisturizer
I've got super-sensitive skin, and this is the only moisturizer ever that hasn't made me break out.
- 6
Yves Saint Laurent Eyeliner Effet Faux
Cils ShockingYes, you can master the art of applying eyeliner! The brush is actually quite firm—like a felt-tip pen—making it a whole lot easier to draw something resembling a straight line.
- 7
Paula Dorf Eye Enhancer in Baby Eyes
Pencil this in on the rim of your lower eyelid, which tends to get all red and irritated when you're tired, and you'll look tons more awake pretty much instantly!
- 8
Josie Maran Bronzing Argan Oil
I try not to take too close a look at myself in the mirror every morning before I've had a chance to slap on some of this. It's the lightest, sheerest, glowiest, all-around best bronzer ever. Ever!
- 9
Olay Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream
A super-lightweight eye cream for day—you really don't need anything fancier or more expensive than this.
- 10
Phytomer Rosee Visage Cleansing Toning Lotion
Phytomer markets this as a toner, but a friend tipped me off to the fact that it's also a quite effective makeup remover, and I've been using it that way for ten years.
