Barneys New York invited a small group of beauty editors to its flagship store for Beauty breakfast with in-house beauty guru Jason Ascher to learn about the latest skin care, hair and makeup products for fall. Moderated by Barneys senior vice president of communications, Charlotte Blechman, Jason took us through some exquisite finds exclusive to the high end department store. Jason works with each client to tailor a skincare, beauty and haircare routine during each consultation (which is free of charge).
Some of the new Barneys exclusives include: Arquiste Perfumeur (my favorite is the Flor n Canto), Kre-at Beauty False Eyelashes (the applicator tool makes it super easy to apply falsies), Radical Skincare (has some of the purest and highest forms of antioxidants), Serge Normant hair mask (I’m addicted to the color protecting hair spray), Rodin Olio Lusso skin products, Claudio Riaz brushes and makeup, Hourglass Cosmetics brushes and cosmetics, Sue Devitt face masks, and Astier de Villotte candles.
Jason also took the time to answer some of our most pressing beauty questions.
What are the most common skin issues in the fall?
Switch to heavier products after the summer. Use on areas that get more affected by the cold weather. Rich moisturizer on top of your makeup works as a barrier against damaging effects of bitter cold.
What should you do with your skin care routine to transition to cold weather?
Use pads instead of scrubs to exfoliate because they are more gentle in losing dead skin without scratching your skin.
What are three beauty products we all must have for fall?
- A tinted moisturizer
- A moisturizer with SPF higher than 15 because you get exposure from sun still even in the winter months. Try Chantacaille SPF 50 tinted moisturizer.
- A good lip balm with rose extract because rose is naturally hydrating and has healing effects. Try Vitario rose balm
How often should you get facials in fall/winter?
If you have a really good facial routine year round, you only need to get a facial twice a year. Jason says his dermatologist suggests getting a facial at the beginning of each season, meaning four times a year, not every six weeks like many women are accustomed to.
What are the top makeup trends for fall?
No one line follows a certain trend for fall. Jason’s personal trend to try is a brighter lip. He says a bold lip is a way to step up your look, especially with fuchsia for fall. Try Chantacaile lipstick in Violetta or Hourglass Cosmetics lipstick in nocturnal. He also likes the 50s socialite look with a bold red lip.
The look for fall is to go easy the eyes when wearing a bolder lip. Dark lips should be matte because it’s more sophisticated. To achieve the matte look with a glossy lipstick, Jason suggests applying the lip color full strength and kissing a tissue to leave a nice texture that will linger.
For the eyes, Jason suggested using navy pencil eye liner, shadows and mascara pops eye instead of black. It’s softer and brightens the whites of the eyes.
So what’s the trick to applying bold lipstick?
- Choose lip color that is less greasy or oily.
- Use lip primer or makeup primer on the lips.
- Apply the lipstick with a lip brush.
- Line the lips then blend with your finger, blott and apply lipstick again.
Best way to apply eye cream?
Apply the eye cream as the last step in your face routine.
Best way to clean makeup brushes?
Dawn dish washing detergent because it removes oils and has antibacterial to kill bacteria.
How should one go about picking a signature scent?
- Find something that doesn’t smell like the fragrance section in the department store.
- Choose a fragrance you can tell apart from other, something that has a signature.
- A good fragrance is one you need to get close to smell.
- You want a classic scent that has been modernized. For example: taking a floral and giving it smoke, making it less girly.
How can you get your man to start a healthy skincare routine?
Jason suggests keeping it simple. Men hate following lots of steps when it comes to a “beauty” routine so the best way to get your guy to start a healthy habit is to give him a good moisturizer with SPF and a good fragrance. Occasionally a shaving moisturizer and a serum can be added into the mix.
What causes breakouts?
- Lack of sleep
- Too much sugar
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Stress
Meaning, to keep your skin in tip top shape, you need to get eight hours of sleep each night, cut out the sugary snacks, kick the butt, reduce your alcohol intake and de-stress.
