What Aesthetician Sydney Utendahl Buys at the Drugstore
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
Here at the Strategist, we love hearing about everyday stuff that actually works. That line of thinking extends to thedrugstorebeauty products in ourmedicine cabinets,shower caddies, andmakeup bags. In our series “Beauty Aisle,” we’re talking to folks in the beauty industry — aestheticians, hairstylists, makeup artists, dermatologists, and the like — about the go-to affordable products they keep stocked. For this installment, Strategist beauty writer Tembe Denton-Hurst chatted with aesthetician and product developerSydney Utendahlabout the drugstore products she loves.
New! You can now save this product for later.
It’s one of my favorite contours because it’s cool toned without being gray. It’s matte and creamy. I always turn to it.
New! You can now save this product for later.
I love this because I can use it on top of anyblushthat I’m already wearing as a highlighter-blush. It has a really good shimmer without any glitter. The pink is very buildable, so it’s not too high coverage. If you do build it, it doesn’t look ashy. You don’t get a white hue. It’s a true Barbie pink.
New! You can now save this product for later.
I really like to use the Revolution Beauty contour and this one together. I’ll have all kinds of fancy stuff, and then I always bring this with me. I use shade 130, Spicy Season. It’s very durable. I’ve dropped it a million times and nothing has happened to it.
New! You can now save this product for later.
I really love it for summertime. It has a bit of a tint. It’s so nice on the body and smells delish. It makes you look sun-kissed and dewy.
New! You can now save this product for later.
It has good density without being too hard. The bulbous round shape means that things are less streaky when you apply it. It blends really well, and you can do a lot with this size. I use it for my under-eye concealer. I’ll use it to place my contour. I’ll use it to blend things out, and it never fails. I’ve had the same brush, but not the exact same one; I’ve repurchased them, but I’ve had this brush forever. If someone is trying to build a little makeup kit for themselves, this brush will take you far.
New! You can now save this product for later.
It works really well with my skin tone and it’s not too chalky. A lot of zinc-oxide-based,mineral sunscreenscan feel very chalky. But this is a good one. It also doesn’t irritate my dermatitis. The only thing that I don’t love is that it has niacinamide, which can be an irritant for me. But if you’re not sensitive to that, it should be fine.
New! You can now save this product for later.
This is a shaving oil. It washes off like a milk emulsion. It almost feels like you’re putting on anoil cleanserexcept you don’t apply it on dry skin. Your skin stays hydrated afterward, and it’s better than all the mess of a foam shaving cream.
New! You can now save this product for later.
After I shave, I use AmLactin. It has a high percentage of lactic acid. It’s my favorite body AHA. I shower, I exfoliate, I shave, then I apply this. Then I put lotion on top. Some people may only use this, but I don’t find it moisturizing enough. Other body exfoliants can be annoying to apply, but this one is easy.
New! You can now save this product for later.
It gets everything off. It’s efficacious. It’s not drying, it’s not too alkaline, it’s gentle, but it cleans your skin. Sometimesgentle cleanserscan leave a little bit of a film. This does not. It’s great for sensitive skin.
New! You can now save this product for later.
This is my absolute favorite. I will put this all over my face. I’ll put it all over my lips and I’ll put it all over my hands. I like it better than Aquaphor because it doesn’t have lanolin. I’m dealing with dermatitis, and lanolin is an animal by-product that can be an allergen for some people. This is just plain old petrolatum skin protectant, and it doesn’t clog pores.
New! You can now save this product for later.
I use this on my face for any dermatitis and fungal acne I might have. It really helps. It contains ketoconazole, an anti-fungal. It’s the only product that has ketoconazole over the counter, otherwise I’d need a prescription.
More From The Strategist
- The Back-to-School Hall of Fame
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- Everything You Need to Outfit Your College Dorm
- The Strategist Summer 100
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
